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| Books; a new thread on which I talk about something else | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 24 2013, 04:38 AM (1,591 Views) | |
| Reynard Ridge | Apr 22 2013, 11:59 AM Post #46 |
Drivin' The Short Bus
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I'm reading something now that screams BOOK CLUB!! Someone Knows My Name http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/875441.Someone_Knows_My_Name The reader reviews are pretty spot on: well written historical fiction, oddly engaging considering it's a man writing from a woman's perspective. But, the usual suspects when it comes to flaws: main character leads an amazing sort of life for an ordinary person; how does one manage to get to so many historically seminal spots in one lifetime? Main character is a bit broadly drawn; she's sympathetic, but, you know, not really someone you get too close to. Overall, though, it's a very interesting period in American history, one that we don't hear about very often (specifically, it's the story of am African slave during the American revolutionary period), so an engaging read. And today I've queued up the following, mostly based on NPR suggestions: Birth House Still Point of the Turning World How to Create the Perfect Wife: Britain's Most Ineligible Bachelor and his Enlightened Quest to Train the Ideal Mate The reviews on each of them would suggest they are the sort of book that a book club could sink their teeth into and really discuss (although Still Point is about the death of a child, so touchy topic for a "mom" group). |
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| Reynard Ridge | Apr 22 2013, 12:01 PM Post #47 |
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Drivin' The Short Bus
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I put that on my goodreads list ... are we friends on goodreads? I don't think so ... |
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| Ride'emCO | Apr 22 2013, 03:56 PM Post #48 |
Off visiting Candy Cave, be right back.
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I haven't gotten around to adding it, but I will now. :o) |
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| RHowell | Apr 23 2013, 03:41 AM Post #49 |
You're BANNED!
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When goodreads first came out I created an account and put books on it an then never used t again. I finally went back to use it and nothing is there anymore. Can y'all help me figure out what I'm supposed to be doing with my goodreads account? Right now it's like an 'empty bookshelf' |
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| Reynard Ridge | Apr 23 2013, 05:24 AM Post #50 |
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Drivin' The Short Bus
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I can tell you what I do with my goodreads account, if that helps. The whole point of goodreads for me is to keep an ongoing list of books I would like to read. Secondarily, if people ask me for book recommendations, I can go back to my "read list" and send them a review. So, how does that work? 1. I added a bunch of people as friends on goodreads who might have taste similar to mine; because they are friends, I can see what books they are reading, what books they have marked as "want to read" and which books they have reviewed. This is probably the number 1 place I find new books to read. I get regular updates in my email box as friends add books they have read or want to read. I have no idea how or why, but consider it 21st century magic. I probably clicked some box or another. 2. Whenever I see a book that interests me (generally through NPR or NYT, or postings like this one) I trot over to goodreads and add it to my "want to read shelf." I love to check out the reviews and see what other people think of the book, too. There are over a hundred books on that list now, so when I am looking for a new book, it's the first place I go. 3. Once I have read a book, I review it and move it to my "read" shelf. I assume my friends can see these; honestly this isn't so important to me, I review books so I can remember what I thought of them in the future, more than I care that anyone reads what I am writing. When you review a book, you can chose to post that review on FB or Twitter, or other social networking sites. I generally don't bother. Hope that helps! Edited by Reynard Ridge, Apr 23 2013, 05:25 AM.
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| Indy | Apr 23 2013, 06:00 AM Post #51 |
You're BANNED!
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For me, Goodreads is mostly a place to keep track of what I've read. I have a fairly short-term memory when it comes to books, especially when I'm in a fit of readng a lot. I can tell you which book I'm currently reading, but not be sure what the last one I read was even though it was last week and probably by the same author. I have actually purchased or borrowed books that I thought sounded good only to get part way in and realize I've already read them (not that re-reading is a bad thing, but that wasn't what I was going for in these cases). I used to keep a paper list but if I didn't have that list with me at a store, it wasn't very helpful. So now with Goodreads, I have a nice electronic running list of books I've read so I don't repeat. It's also great to keep track of books I want to read, whether I get those ideas through other people's GR pages or what. I have a handy GR app for my phone, complete with barcode scanner. So if I'm at a bookstore and see a book that sounds good, but I don't want to buy it right then, I can zap the barcode and it automatically goes to my "to-read" list. I'm very good at finding books I want to read only to forget the titles when it comes time to get a new book. This helps with that a lot. And I also like lists. So I have many lists in my GR account. I have the usual "read" and "to read" lists, plus one for favorites (which comes in handy when others want good book suggestions...with my short-term book memory, unless a book truly moves me I'll forget one that I liked if I read it more than a few months ago) and an "ugh" list of books I absolutely hated or couldn't finish, among others. |
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