blog post
reading is the ultimate aphrodisiac
posted by Jessica on April, 01
Admit it. We all do it. Before a first date, a quick Google search of your date's name can be extremely informative. Maybe you'll find his past triathlon times (sexy), criminal record (not sexy), and maybe his entire bookshelf catalogued on Goodreads -- a true mother lode of information.
How do you interpret this information? Are there certain books or writers whose presence would incite your passion? On the flip side, would you cancel the date based on a glowing review of a book you hated?
Currently topping the New York Times most emailed list is an essay by Rachel Donadio about literary dealbreakers for romance, explaining that "listing your favorite books and authors is a crucial, if risky, part of self-branding" on social networking sites. Hundreds of people have posted on her blog to share their personal dealbreakers (Ayn Rand, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dan Brown are most frequently cited as writers that kill the mood). But plenty of people have also written in to say that dating is hard enough without adding literary snobbery into the mix.
The "compare books" tool on Goodreads allows you to see how similar your bookshelves are to anyone else's. Many Goodreads members send friend requests to readers with similar tastes. But what's the proper threshold? 25% similarity? 50%? 75%? If I find a reader with 100% compatibility, does that mean he's my soulmate?
Good luck interpreting the statistics of love. For now, my only dealbreaker is if he says he doesn't like to read at all.
Have you met someone special on Goodreads? Are your Goodreads bookshelves an archive of a solitary pastime or a public representation of your identity? Tell us your stories in the Goodreads Feedback group!
posted by Jessica on April, 01
Admit it. We all do it. Before a first date, a quick Google search of your date's name can be extremely informative. Maybe you'll find his past triathlon times (sexy), criminal record (not sexy), and maybe his entire bookshelf catalogued on Goodreads -- a true mother lode of information.
How do you interpret this information? Are there certain books or writers whose presence would incite your passion? On the flip side, would you cancel the date based on a glowing review of a book you hated?
Currently topping the New York Times most emailed list is an essay by Rachel Donadio about literary dealbreakers for romance, explaining that "listing your favorite books and authors is a crucial, if risky, part of self-branding" on social networking sites. Hundreds of people have posted on her blog to share their personal dealbreakers (Ayn Rand, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dan Brown are most frequently cited as writers that kill the mood). But plenty of people have also written in to say that dating is hard enough without adding literary snobbery into the mix.
The "compare books" tool on Goodreads allows you to see how similar your bookshelves are to anyone else's. Many Goodreads members send friend requests to readers with similar tastes. But what's the proper threshold? 25% similarity? 50%? 75%? If I find a reader with 100% compatibility, does that mean he's my soulmate?
Good luck interpreting the statistics of love. For now, my only dealbreaker is if he says he doesn't like to read at all.
Have you met someone special on Goodreads? Are your Goodreads bookshelves an archive of a solitary pastime or a public representation of your identity? Tell us your stories in the Goodreads Feedback group!