To Obsess Over Consumer Ratings & Reviews or Not to Obsess; That is the Question
This exercise will demonstrate unequivocally that consumer reviews of the exact same book often differ dramatically. A list of 130 books which I rated, reviewed and posted on Goodreads is provided. Within each rating category (5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 stars), books are listed in alphabetical order by author. Discover how often and radically your opinion differs from mine.
5 Stars = "Outstanding! Highly Recommended" (19 of 130 = 15%)
Non-Fiction
Son of the Morning Star by Evan S. Connell
Cracking Da Vinci's Code by James L. Garlow & Peter Jones
Fiction
The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children Series - I) by Jean M. Auel
The Valley of the Horses (Earth's Children Series - II) by Jean M. Auel
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
Alas Babylon by Pat Frank
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Scarecrows by Christine Hayton
Aztec (The Aztec Trilogy I) by Gary Jennings
The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower Series - II) by Stephen King
The Stand by Stephen King
Cain at Gettysburg by Ralph Peters
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
My Name is Asher by Chaim Potok
The Promise by Chaim Potok
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
4 Stars = "Very Good. Recommended" (38 of 130 = 30%)
Non-Fiction
I Had a Hammer by Hank Aaron
1,000 Years, 1,000 People by Gottlieb & Bowers
The Marine Machine by William Mares
We Were Soldiers Once...And Young by Harold G. Moore
The War: An Intimate History, 1941 - 1945 by Geoffrey C. Ward & Ken Burns
Fiction
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
The Mammoth Hunters (Earth's Children Series - III) by Jean M. Auel
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
Me, Myself and Why? by Mary Janice Davidson
Three Roads to the Alamo by William C. Davis
Coyote Summer by Michael W. Gear
The Morning River by Michael W. Gear
To Kill a Mockingbird by Lee Harper
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Earnest Hemingway
Good-Bye Mister Chips by James Hilton
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
The Wastelands (The Dark Tower Series - III) by Stephen King
Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower Series - IV) by Stephen King
Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower Series - V) by Stephen King
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice Series - I) by George R.R. Martin
A Clash of Kings (A Song of Fire and Ice Series - II) by George R.R. Martin
A Storm of Swords (A Song of Fire and Ice Series - III) by George R.R. Martin
A Feast of Crows (A Song of Fire and Ice Series - IV) by George R.R. Martin
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
The Sand Pebbles by Richard McKenna
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Dust by Charles R. Pellegrino
In the Beginning by Chaim Potok
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (The Harry Potter Series - III) by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (The Harry Potter Series - IV) by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (The Harry Potter Series - V) by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (The Harry Potter Series - VI) by J.K. Rowling
The Human Comedy by William Saroyan
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - III) by J.R.R. Tolkien
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
3 Stars = "Good. Worth Reading" (62 of 130 = 48%)
Non-Fiction
Damon Runyon by Jimmy Breslin
In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam by Robert S. McNamara
Fiction
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Watership Down by Richard Adams
The Plains of Passage (Earth's Children Series - IV) by Jean M. Auel
The Shelters of Stone (Earth's Children Series - V) by Jean M. Auel
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness by Alan Burgess
A Clockwork Orange| by Anthony Burgess
Tai-Pan by James Clavell
When the Horses Came by Amanda Cockrell
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games Trilogy - I) by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire (The Hunger Games Trilogy - II) by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay (The Hunger Games Trilogy) by Suzanne Collins
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
The Never Ending Story by Michael Ende
Flight Lessons by Patricia Gaffney
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
A Farewell to Arms by Earnest Hemingway
Dune by Frank Herbert
Hanto Yo by Ruth Beebe Hill
Battleship Earth by L. Ron Hubbard
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Aztec Autumn (The Aztec Trilogy - II) by Gary Jennings
From Here to Eternity by James Jones
Some Came Running by James Jones
If the South Had Won the Civil War| by Mackinlay Kantor
The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower Series - I) by Stephen King
Song of Suzanna (The Dark Tower Series - VI) by Stephen King
The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower Series - VII) by Stephen King
Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz
Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn
The Testament by Eric Van Lustbader
The Late George Apley by John P. Marquand
A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Fire and Ice Series - V) by George R.R. Martin
Peyton Place by Grace Matallious
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Kappillian of Malta by Nicholas Monsaarat
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Almost Adam by Petru Popescu
Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter
The Wanderers by Richard Price
The Inverted World by Christopher Priest
The Cardinal by Morton Robinson
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (The Harry Potter Series - I) by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (The Harry Potter Series - II) by J.K. Rowling
Guys and Dolls by Damon Runyon
The Killer Angels by Michael Sharra
Gods and Generals by Jeff Sharra
The Terror by Dan Simmons
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
Quo Vadis by Henry K. Stenkiewicz
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - I) by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - II) by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Shoes of the Fisherman by Morris L. West
Our Town by Thornton Wilder
Judas My Brother by Frank Yerby
2 Stars = Not terrible, but not very good. Not recommended" (7 of 130 = 5%)
Non-Fiction
Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield
About Face: Odyssey of an American Warrior by David H. Hackworth
Mein Kampf by Adolph Hitler
The Duck Commander Family by Willie Robertson
Fiction
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Shortgrass Song by Mike Blakely
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
1 Star = Not good. Not recommended (4 of 130 = 3%)
Fiction
The Holy Bible: King James Version by Anonymous
The Land of the Painted Caves (Earth's Children Series - VI) by Jean M. Auel
The Book of Mormon by Joseph Smith, Jr.
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
The fact that one reader's "best book ever" may be another reader's "worst book ever" is precisely why consumer ratings and reviews have less impact upon purchasing decisions than many are led to believe. So, rather than obsessing over and soliciting reviews, redirect that time and effort toward writing something worthwhile reading. People will purchase and read your book. Some will rate and review it, but most will not. That doesn't matter. What does matter is that they purchased and read your book.
5 Stars = "Outstanding! Highly Recommended" (19 of 130 = 15%)
Non-Fiction
Son of the Morning Star by Evan S. Connell
Cracking Da Vinci's Code by James L. Garlow & Peter Jones
Fiction
The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children Series - I) by Jean M. Auel
The Valley of the Horses (Earth's Children Series - II) by Jean M. Auel
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
Alas Babylon by Pat Frank
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Scarecrows by Christine Hayton
Aztec (The Aztec Trilogy I) by Gary Jennings
The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower Series - II) by Stephen King
The Stand by Stephen King
Cain at Gettysburg by Ralph Peters
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
My Name is Asher by Chaim Potok
The Promise by Chaim Potok
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
4 Stars = "Very Good. Recommended" (38 of 130 = 30%)
Non-Fiction
I Had a Hammer by Hank Aaron
1,000 Years, 1,000 People by Gottlieb & Bowers
The Marine Machine by William Mares
We Were Soldiers Once...And Young by Harold G. Moore
The War: An Intimate History, 1941 - 1945 by Geoffrey C. Ward & Ken Burns
Fiction
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
The Mammoth Hunters (Earth's Children Series - III) by Jean M. Auel
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
Me, Myself and Why? by Mary Janice Davidson
Three Roads to the Alamo by William C. Davis
Coyote Summer by Michael W. Gear
The Morning River by Michael W. Gear
To Kill a Mockingbird by Lee Harper
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Earnest Hemingway
Good-Bye Mister Chips by James Hilton
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
The Wastelands (The Dark Tower Series - III) by Stephen King
Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower Series - IV) by Stephen King
Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower Series - V) by Stephen King
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice Series - I) by George R.R. Martin
A Clash of Kings (A Song of Fire and Ice Series - II) by George R.R. Martin
A Storm of Swords (A Song of Fire and Ice Series - III) by George R.R. Martin
A Feast of Crows (A Song of Fire and Ice Series - IV) by George R.R. Martin
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
The Sand Pebbles by Richard McKenna
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Dust by Charles R. Pellegrino
In the Beginning by Chaim Potok
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (The Harry Potter Series - III) by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (The Harry Potter Series - IV) by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (The Harry Potter Series - V) by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (The Harry Potter Series - VI) by J.K. Rowling
The Human Comedy by William Saroyan
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - III) by J.R.R. Tolkien
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
3 Stars = "Good. Worth Reading" (62 of 130 = 48%)
Non-Fiction
Damon Runyon by Jimmy Breslin
In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam by Robert S. McNamara
Fiction
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Watership Down by Richard Adams
The Plains of Passage (Earth's Children Series - IV) by Jean M. Auel
The Shelters of Stone (Earth's Children Series - V) by Jean M. Auel
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness by Alan Burgess
A Clockwork Orange| by Anthony Burgess
Tai-Pan by James Clavell
When the Horses Came by Amanda Cockrell
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games Trilogy - I) by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire (The Hunger Games Trilogy - II) by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay (The Hunger Games Trilogy) by Suzanne Collins
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
The Never Ending Story by Michael Ende
Flight Lessons by Patricia Gaffney
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
A Farewell to Arms by Earnest Hemingway
Dune by Frank Herbert
Hanto Yo by Ruth Beebe Hill
Battleship Earth by L. Ron Hubbard
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Aztec Autumn (The Aztec Trilogy - II) by Gary Jennings
From Here to Eternity by James Jones
Some Came Running by James Jones
If the South Had Won the Civil War| by Mackinlay Kantor
The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower Series - I) by Stephen King
Song of Suzanna (The Dark Tower Series - VI) by Stephen King
The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower Series - VII) by Stephen King
Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz
Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn
The Testament by Eric Van Lustbader
The Late George Apley by John P. Marquand
A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Fire and Ice Series - V) by George R.R. Martin
Peyton Place by Grace Matallious
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Kappillian of Malta by Nicholas Monsaarat
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Almost Adam by Petru Popescu
Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter
The Wanderers by Richard Price
The Inverted World by Christopher Priest
The Cardinal by Morton Robinson
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (The Harry Potter Series - I) by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (The Harry Potter Series - II) by J.K. Rowling
Guys and Dolls by Damon Runyon
The Killer Angels by Michael Sharra
Gods and Generals by Jeff Sharra
The Terror by Dan Simmons
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
Quo Vadis by Henry K. Stenkiewicz
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - I) by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - II) by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Shoes of the Fisherman by Morris L. West
Our Town by Thornton Wilder
Judas My Brother by Frank Yerby
2 Stars = Not terrible, but not very good. Not recommended" (7 of 130 = 5%)
Non-Fiction
Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield
About Face: Odyssey of an American Warrior by David H. Hackworth
Mein Kampf by Adolph Hitler
The Duck Commander Family by Willie Robertson
Fiction
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Shortgrass Song by Mike Blakely
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
1 Star = Not good. Not recommended (4 of 130 = 3%)
Fiction
The Holy Bible: King James Version by Anonymous
The Land of the Painted Caves (Earth's Children Series - VI) by Jean M. Auel
The Book of Mormon by Joseph Smith, Jr.
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
The fact that one reader's "best book ever" may be another reader's "worst book ever" is precisely why consumer ratings and reviews have less impact upon purchasing decisions than many are led to believe. So, rather than obsessing over and soliciting reviews, redirect that time and effort toward writing something worthwhile reading. People will purchase and read your book. Some will rate and review it, but most will not. That doesn't matter. What does matter is that they purchased and read your book.
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Christine,The fact that you have personally read 3/4 of the 130 books listed may support the theory that great minds think alike. However, since I have never been accused of having a great mind, it may merely be coincidence.
I agree that gender and age probably influence a reader's evaluation of Little Women. I have made a note of the five books by Canadian authors that you recommended and will be sure to let you know when I've read, rated and reviewed them.
Thank you for taking the time to read the blog post and, once again, expressing your thoughts regarding the contents.
Jim Vuksic
That's a lot of books I haven't read. In fact Harry Potter is the only one.
Michael wrote: "That's a lot of books I haven't read. In fact Harry Potter is the only one."Michael,
The fact that you have not read most of the books that I have means that there are a lot of books that you have read that I haven't. That's the problem: So many great books and so little time. My grandchildren constantly harassed me until I agreed to read the Harry Potter series. I'm glad they did.
Thank you for faithfully following the blog and taking the time to comment.
Jim Vuksic
I guess I'm not obsessing Jim. I scanned your list without making any judgments other than, "so that's what Jim thought of that one" a few times. I like the point you're making. We all have different tastes in literature, and, as the French say, "Vive la difference!"
Charles wrote: "I guess I'm not obsessing Jim. I scanned your list without making any judgments other than, "so that's what Jim thought of that one" a few times. I like the point you're making. We all have differe..."Charles,
I like the way you think. The French phrase, originally celebrating the obvious differences between males and females, may be applied to the wonderful benefits to be derived from variety in any aspect of life.
Thank you for taking the time to view the blog post and comment.
Jim Vuksic
"The Stand" is my all time favorite King book - definitely a 5. I would have given "The Martian Chronicles" by Bradbury that 5th star as well. "Little Women" was a book that got me started reading - I loved it. Now maybe you need to be a 10 year old Canadian girl to truly appreciate it and rate it higher than 2.
I noticed you are missing a couple outstanding (Canadian) authors, you would probably enjoy. "The Handmaids Tale" by Margaret Atwood, "The Depford Trilogy" (3 books - Fifth Business, Manticore, and World of Wonders) by Robertson Davies, and "And No Birds Sang" by Farley Mowat. I think we would agree on those. That's assuming you haven't read them - they've been around for a while.