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Exciting News About Goodreads: We're Joining the Amazon Family!
When Elizabeth and I started Goodreads from my living room seven years ago, we set out to create a better way for people to find and share books they love. It's been a wild ride seeing how the company has grown and watching as more than 16 million readers from across the globe have joined Goodreads and connected over a passion for books.
Today I'm really happy to announce a new milestone for Goodreads: We are joining the Amazon family. We truly could not think of a more perfect partner for Goodreads as we both share a love of books and an appreciation for the authors who write them. We also both love to invent products and services that touch millions of people.
I'm excited about this for three reasons:
1. With the reach and resources of Amazon, Goodreads can introduce more readers to our vibrant community of book lovers and create an even better experience for our members.
2. Our members have been asking us to bring the Goodreads experience to an e-reader for a long time. Now we're looking forward to bringing Goodreads to the most popular e-reader in the world, Kindle, and further reinventing what reading can be.
3. Amazon supports us continuing to grow our vision as an independent entity, under the Goodreads brand and with our unique culture.
It's important to be clear that Goodreads and the awesome team behind it are not going away. Goodreads will continue to be the wonderful community that we all cherish. We plan to continue offering you everything that you love about the site—the ability to track what you read, discover great books, discuss and share them with fellow book lovers, and connect directly with your favorite authors—and your reviews and ratings will remain here on Goodreads. And it's incredibly important to us that we remain a home for all types of readers, no matter if you read on paper, audio, digitally, from scrolls, or even stone tablets.
For all of you Kindle readers, there's obviously an extra bonus in this announcement. You've asked us for a long time to be able to integrate your Kindle and Goodreads experiences. Making that option a reality is one of our top priorities.
Our team gets out of bed every day motivated by the belief that the right book in the right hands can change the world. Now Goodreads can help make that happen in an even bigger and more meaningful way thanks to joining the Amazon family. (And if you want to be part of this, please check out our Jobs page for open positions. We've got a lot of hires to make!)
This is an emotional day for me. Goodreads is more than a company to me – it's something that Elizabeth and I created because we wanted it to exist. Since then it has grown a lot and become a place we love working at, full of incredibly smart and passionate people who also believe in our mission. I feel a little like a college graduate – happy to come to this milestone, nostalgic for the past amazing seven years, and incredibly, incredibly, excited for the future.
Otis
P.S. For the more official version of the announcement, here's the press release that went out today.
P.P.S. Please let us know – what integration with Kindle would you love to see the most?
Today I'm really happy to announce a new milestone for Goodreads: We are joining the Amazon family. We truly could not think of a more perfect partner for Goodreads as we both share a love of books and an appreciation for the authors who write them. We also both love to invent products and services that touch millions of people.
I'm excited about this for three reasons:
1. With the reach and resources of Amazon, Goodreads can introduce more readers to our vibrant community of book lovers and create an even better experience for our members.
2. Our members have been asking us to bring the Goodreads experience to an e-reader for a long time. Now we're looking forward to bringing Goodreads to the most popular e-reader in the world, Kindle, and further reinventing what reading can be.
3. Amazon supports us continuing to grow our vision as an independent entity, under the Goodreads brand and with our unique culture.
It's important to be clear that Goodreads and the awesome team behind it are not going away. Goodreads will continue to be the wonderful community that we all cherish. We plan to continue offering you everything that you love about the site—the ability to track what you read, discover great books, discuss and share them with fellow book lovers, and connect directly with your favorite authors—and your reviews and ratings will remain here on Goodreads. And it's incredibly important to us that we remain a home for all types of readers, no matter if you read on paper, audio, digitally, from scrolls, or even stone tablets.
For all of you Kindle readers, there's obviously an extra bonus in this announcement. You've asked us for a long time to be able to integrate your Kindle and Goodreads experiences. Making that option a reality is one of our top priorities.
Our team gets out of bed every day motivated by the belief that the right book in the right hands can change the world. Now Goodreads can help make that happen in an even bigger and more meaningful way thanks to joining the Amazon family. (And if you want to be part of this, please check out our Jobs page for open positions. We've got a lot of hires to make!)
This is an emotional day for me. Goodreads is more than a company to me – it's something that Elizabeth and I created because we wanted it to exist. Since then it has grown a lot and become a place we love working at, full of incredibly smart and passionate people who also believe in our mission. I feel a little like a college graduate – happy to come to this milestone, nostalgic for the past amazing seven years, and incredibly, incredibly, excited for the future.
Otis
P.S. For the more official version of the announcement, here's the press release that went out today.
P.P.S. Please let us know – what integration with Kindle would you love to see the most?
Comments Showing 1,601-1,650 of 2,216 (2216 new)
That's unfortunate. I don't shop on Amazon and don't want my personal information and data given to them. I can't support a site that aligns themselves with a company who treats their employees horribly, skirts sales tax laws, and operates using predatory business practices. So long, Goodreads, it's been fun.
deleted user wrote: "I hope you die of cancer in your expensive home. I will pray for it."That's an especially nice sentiment. Coming from you, though (Sumeer), not a surprise.
Kimberley wrote: "Then don't write there or, if GR decides to force us to put reviews on both sites, don't write any more reviews/take off the reviews you do have already. ..."Which is of course, precisely the wrong way to manage a user-driven website. You don't limit, cut-off options and choices for participation. Thanks Kimberly.
If Goodreads starts prompting me to log in with my Amazon.com login (which I do not have, being in the UK, and do not want, being in the UK) as did Shelfari, I'll be leaving here in the same way as I left Shelfari.
I would not like any information shared between the two accounts without my explicit consent. If that's the way it ends up rolling, I'll probably leave Goodreads, which would be a shame, since I've really enjoyed it so far.
Peter wrote: "But Google Plus accounts are free, and if you have a Gmail address I believe you already have a G+ account. It's a bit like Facebook, but considerably less juvenile. And they're more respectful of the privacy of their users, I think...."I myself, do not trust either Facebook or Google+ with the way they manage data--and in so many ways, its simply that their management style sucks. They're notoriously two-faced; they hold one palm out before them flat and open but the other is behind their back and closed in a fist.
Finding an alternative to these juggernauts is difficult. An interesting one is called, 'The Diaspora Project' (Diaspora for short) which is modeled on Facebook but which does indeed, re-arrange all policies and security to favor the user rather than the company. Its open-source and one's personal data is all kept stored on your PC rather than on their servers.
A few months ago the owners even went as far as divorcing themselves from ownership completely and turned the whole project code over to the open-source programming community so that no one really 'owns' it anymore. I'm not sure how well its actually doing but maybe this is the way to go.
I'm really warming to LibraryThing. I found it rather overwhelming at first, but am starting to get the hang of things already.
A very interesting comparison of Goodreads and LibraryThing is to be found here: http://bookriot.com/2012/07/31/goodre...
A very interesting comparison of Goodreads and LibraryThing is to be found here: http://bookriot.com/2012/07/31/goodre...
Book wrote: "To be fair, the Chandlers were probably already millionaires, thanks to a family that once outright owned the Times Mirror company (which included the LA Times) and then owned a large share of the Tribune Company (many more newspapers and TV stations.) This is from a 2006 LA Times story about the Chandler family and their fight to force a sale or breakup of Tribune:"
Whoa, thanks for sharing that. What an insidious thing GR's turned out to be.
Felicitas wrote: "So I hope all the missing book covers come back to Goodreads?!"I'd love this too!
Feliks wrote: "Kimberley wrote: "Then don't write there or, if GR decides to force us to put reviews on both sites, don't write any more reviews/take off the reviews you do have already. ..."Which is of course,..."
I don't think they're going to do that. They will probably give us an option to post or not post reviews on Amazon. Or it may remain totally separate. I'm not advocating for Amazon to be forcing anyone to do anything. But if they try to, those who don't like it can leave. It's just about the only way the consumer has to voice dissatisfaction with a company.
Carolyn wrote: "If Goodreads starts prompting me to log in with my Amazon.com login (which I do not have, being in the UK, and do not want, being in the UK) as did Shelfari, I'll be leaving here in the same way as..."I use both GR and amazon, and will welcome links between the two for many purposes. Why are you so opposed?
Brixton wrote: "Book wrote: "To be fair, the Chandlers were probably already millionaires, thanks to a family that once outright owned the Times Mirror company (which included the LA Times) and then owned a large ..."Insidious? GR has given us a wonderful site, and will continue to do so. Why do you think you should get that for free?
Lewis wrote: "I use both GR and amazon, and will welcome links between the two for many purposes. Why are you so opposed? "Because I view Amazon as an Evil Empire.
I left Shelfari to get away from Amazon; now I have to move all my books again. :( Don't get me wrong I buy books from Amazon but the main point of Goodreads was that it wasn't affiliated with a corporate giant whose sole mission is to collect my private data in order to sell me stuff.
I'm checking out Libib and Booklikes at the moment...
I'm checking out Libib and Booklikes at the moment...
Feliks wrote: "Finding an alternative to these juggernauts is difficult. An interesting one is called, 'The Diaspora Project' (Diaspora for short) which is modeled on Facebook but which does indeed, re-arrange all policies and security to favor the user rather than the company. Its open-source and one's personal data is all kept stored on your PC rather than on their servers. ..."I'm pretty sure that project ended up failing. I mean the reason they went "open source" was because they couldn't manage it anymore and just gave up and handed it to the "community" to do whatever they wanted with it. I mean it's nice to be an idealist and all, but it's all about the money.
Lewis wrote: "Why do you think you should get that for free?"I don't know where you got the idea I think "I" should get anything for free, because certainly I never said that anywhere. But since this is your assumption, I didn't use GRs for free. On the contrary, I worked for them for free (and I don't mean I've posted a few reviews; as a librarian, we're talking hundreds and hundreds of hours here). GRs lied about why and to what end. And now that work goes to improve amazon, a company I do not support for a multitude of reasons.
Best you read a few pages before you launch in, the accusation of "people think they should get something for free" has already been addressed in a variety of contexts (librarians paid in time/labour; people would have been willing to pay membership fees; etc), so please stop perpetuating this myth.
So sorry to hear this. I will be canceling my account.
Aves wrote: "That's galling, to have had the link to this thread removed from the Goodreads.com homepage. To what end? To back up the original owners' callow and disingenuous assertions that everything will be as it was, tomorrow?"Someone tune up "Edelweiss."
Feliks wrote: "Finding an alternative to these juggernauts is difficult. An interesting one is called, 'The Diaspora Project' (Diaspora for short) which is modeled on Facebook but which does indeed, re-arrange all policies and security to favor the user rather than the company. Its open-source and one's personal data is all kept stored on your PC rather than on their servers. "Diaspora was a failure from the beginning. Too much pressure from VCs, a dubious Kickstarter campaign, perceived vaporware, and unfortunately one of the founders committed suicide.
Diaspora was never really a contender, it just received lots of buzz on tech sites for some reason, probably from everyone's dislike of FB. But if everyone dislikes FB so much why don't they quit using it?
And I find it interesting that the link to this "exciting news" was removed from the front page (I don't see it anymore) not too very long after it went up.
deleted user wrote: "I hope you die of cancer in your expensive home. I will pray for it."Thank you for leaving and good riddance. GR will be better without you and anyone else who feels the same way.
I would like to see bookswap back. I miss giving my books to other readers who are looking for that title. It is recycling at its best.
Lindarobbins57 wrote: "I am happy for your joining at the hip with amazon.com. I have an amazon.com account and use their Prime account for free shipping and 1-2 day delivery when I can. However, I do not have an amazon ..."You don't have to have a kindle to read an Kindle e-book. You just need the kindle app for phone, Mac or PC.
I am thrilled to hear the news about the Amazon acquisition! Congrats to your team. This coupling makes sense and I've expected it for years!Amazon has the best data out there on the book ecosystem and we all remember the pain at having to stop using it. Access to that data will improve GR. Also, I can't wait for the data on my preferences to make its way to Amazon and Audible and anticipate how much better those services are going to be because of their partnering with you.
Congrats again. I've been through acquisitions of startups myself. I know how exciting and dramatic and exhausting it is. Not only should this be rewarding, but I feel sure it will be a great thing for both companies.
Ironstring wrote: "I have been a dedicated Nook user, and all my book reviews here have been of Nook books or ebooks I have loaded onto my Nook from the libary or Google Play. I chose Nook because B & N always allow..."ummm you have always been able to side load content onto the kindle - I've had one since 2008 and have been buying from non-DRM'd publishing houses since then either using the .mobi or the .prc format - so this whole can't side load to kindle is a bunch of BS
David wrote: "I'm giving Booklikes a go at present - seems you can theoretically export your bookshelves from Goodreads to z .csv file (excel) and then upload it into Booklikes - it hasn't worked yet - got a mes..."
Been waiting for hours for my books to appear on the main shelf. Did it work for you?
(I am a little disappointed to note that Amazon features quite heavily on Booklikes.)
Been waiting for hours for my books to appear on the main shelf. Did it work for you?
(I am a little disappointed to note that Amazon features quite heavily on Booklikes.)
Amy wrote: "What about us Nookies?"You realize that Amazon and B&N are competitors. They will not integrate this for the Nook. The whole purpose of this merger is to eventually kill off B&N, which sucks.
Laurisa wrote: "Amy wrote: "What about us Nookies?"You realize that Amazon and B&N are competitors. They will not integrate this for the Nook. The whole purpose of this merger is to eventually kill off B&N, whic..."
I can say in my hometown in No. FL B&N killed off, was responsible for two independent booksellers closing; two or more, years ago...so my sympathy does not go to B&N, sorry.
Dylan wrote: "Vivl wrote: "Peter wrote: I can't find Sumeer's original post and list. Could it perhaps have been deleted?I made a copy. The only difference with the original list is that I removed one that is ..."
Curious. Is there any open-source web software out there which one could use to start up a Goodreads-type site?
I manage a Facebook group of erotica writers, and we would be interested in starting a bookshelving site more geared toward our genres of ebooks. With the demise of Goodreads, I see that numerous other existing site names are being tossed around, but haven't seen much discussion of simply starting one. I tried to Google for open-source stuff, but found only general social networking templates which would have to be considerably programmed and modified.
Also, there's the fact that we don't really know if these existing options are erotica-friendly. Amazon really isn't (they banned one of my books without giving a reason) so obviously Goodreads will no longer be an option.
If anyone has any thoughts or info regarding this, please drop me a line at dylancross7@gmail.com.
Dylan,
There is software to do that and we are in the process of putting the finishing touches to such a site now. It's called ThirdScribe and you can sign up at http://join.thirdscribe.com and read a bit more on it on our blog, http://blog.thirdscribe.com .
We don't use Amazon's API and we're set up a little different than GoodReads, but members can join for free and rate and review any book listed on the site (authors have to list their books, we don't use an API). The intent is to encourage connection between readers and authors. Imagine it as a combination of Facebook, GoodReads and WordPress.com.
We're launching out Beta soon, so sign up to request access early.
Congratulations to you and I think this will be a boon to those of us who use a kindle. I love paper books and try to support independent booksellers wherever I can, but I think they need to accept that the way we are using books and words is changing. Good for you!
Douglas wrote: "Marcus wrote: "Well if Amazon wanted GR that badly perhaps it's time to gather up and start a new FREE on line service like GR once was."I don’t know whether this is now possible.
Paradise lost … Innocence once lost can never be regained.
I don’t know whether I will ever again invest hundreds of hours of painstaking work in a “free” web cloud enterprise, only to realize that somebody can “monetize” my voluntary work and that of a thousand others. "
What about if all who work to build the site are given stakes in the enterprise proportionate to the time they put in? That should help to prevent "monetization" of the site. At a minimum, you would be repaid if the site ever sold.
Peter wrote: "Douglas wrote: "Marcus wrote: "Well if Amazon wanted GR that badly perhaps it's time to gather up and start a new FREE on line service like GR once was."I don’t know whether this is now possible...."
Peter and Douglas,
ThirdScribe is member supported, not add supported. We'll be open as long as we have members. Launching soon.
http://join.thirdscribe.com
@David: Thanks for the heads up! Sounds like it will take a while though.
I also tried Libib.com but a lot of my books couldn't be imported and when I tried to add them manually I couldn't find them in the Libib database. Complete waste of time. :/
"I don’t know whether I will ever again invest hundreds of hours of painstaking work in a “free” web cloud enterprise, only to realize that somebody can “monetize” my voluntary work and that of a thousand others."
After what happened last year I was stupid enough to believe that Goodreads was at least a little different from other websites. Remember when they said: "[...] moving to other datasources will be better for Goodreads and our members in so many ways that we had to do it."? I just didn't see that this was actually a commercial move.
I also tried Libib.com but a lot of my books couldn't be imported and when I tried to add them manually I couldn't find them in the Libib database. Complete waste of time. :/
"I don’t know whether I will ever again invest hundreds of hours of painstaking work in a “free” web cloud enterprise, only to realize that somebody can “monetize” my voluntary work and that of a thousand others."
After what happened last year I was stupid enough to believe that Goodreads was at least a little different from other websites. Remember when they said: "[...] moving to other datasources will be better for Goodreads and our members in so many ways that we had to do it."? I just didn't see that this was actually a commercial move.
David wrote: "Ska wrote: "David wrote: "I'm giving Booklikes a go at present - seems you can theoretically export your bookshelves from Goodreads to z .csv file (excel) and then upload it into Booklikes - it has..."I took a look at BookLikes as well, signing up for an account. I didn't try to add my books, as the omnipresence of Amazon ruined it for me.
By reading the comments I guess I'm the only kindle user who is unhappy XD Well, I rooted my device, because Amazon is quite the pain in the neck with people -like me- who don't live in the US. That being said, I really don't care about the future developments between GR and Voldemort regarding the kindle.My true concern is about the community :(
Jeshu wrote: "By reading the comments I guess I'm the only kindle user who is unhappy XD"Oh, you've plenty of fellow Kindle users who are unhappy. :) I adore my Kindles and I like Amazon well enough as a retailer, but I've no desire for them to put their fingers in the Goodreads pie.
Laurisa wrote: "Amy wrote: "What about us Nookies?"You realize that Amazon and B&N are competitors. They will not integrate this for the Nook. The whole purpose of this merger is to eventually kill off B&N, whic..."
I am saddened by the decline of B&N since I love to wander in a book store, but that is not the fault of amazon. Things change, and B&N has not reacted particularly well to the changes in its industry.
"Peter wrote: I can't find Sumeer's original post and list. Could it perhaps have been deleted...
Am I missing something, or have all of Sumeer's posts in this thread disappeared? If so, talk about your iron fist! But of course that's quite typical in this day and age. Dissent must be silenced.
No, he has left us, that's all. All of his posts are now under [deleted user], like this example http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/41....
Morteza wrote: "Cathy wrote: "So another good site succumbs to the lure of the big name...I hope the original purpose of Goodreads won't be lost. If it is, I'll return to pencil/paper to record my reading."Right!"
Instead of going all the way back to pencil and paper, there are several good tools for managing your library on your home computer (sorry, no socialization) on CNET's http://www.download.com site, for free.
Amazon has stated explicitly that it wants to put all other publishers out of business. And it hasn't been too kind to independent bookstores, libraries, and writers either. I'm shocked and horrified you'd sell the business to them. I'm canceling my account.
Amazon prohibits authors from announcing their books in its reader forums, because it agrees with some forum participants that such announcements are spam. This literally throws out the "baby" with the "bath water," by prejudging all new authors and publishers as amateurs.Instead, Amazon provides a separate forum for authors. They might as well have named it "the trash bin."
The rapid rise of self-publishing, which Amazon has created, has produced a mountainous haystack in which an unknown number of diamonds are hidden. Serious readers -- and serious authors -- have found Goodreads to be a valuable resource. As it integrates with Amazon, I do hope it doesn't get buried inside that haystack. If it does, the independence formerly enjoyed by ambitious and talented authors will be lost, I fear -- replaced by corporate exploitation of formula characters, formula plots, formula genres etc., etc., based entirely on easy profit potential.
Lewis wrote: "Brixton wrote: "Book wrote: "To be fair, the Chandlers were probably already millionaires, thanks to a family that once outright owned the Times Mirror company (which included the LA Times) and the..."Insidious? GR has given us a wonderful site, and will continue to do so. Why do you think you should get that for free?
They have used hundreds of thousands of hours of users time WITH NO REMUNERATION to build their database and keep the site running smoothly.
They use the features of the site to attract an audience for their ads (for which they are paid) JUST LIKE COMMERCIAL TV.
They sell user provided content to other sites WITHOUT PAYING THE CONTENT PRODUCER.
They sell data derived from user data FREELY PROVIDED.
Do you still believe this is a FREE site, just because we do not pay with cash?
Kjen wrote: "I'm a loyal Amazon customer and love my Kindle...probably too much;)...However, my feelings in a nutshell:"It means the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts.""
excellent quote....hope they are overcome by the goodies in the end then.
Jacquie wrote: "for me, I would like to be able to post one review and have it go to both sites" Good thought, I agree.
Rob wrote: "Dylan wrote: "Vivl wrote: "Peter wrote: I can't find Sumeer's original post and list. Could it perhaps have been deleted?I made a copy. The only difference with the original list is that I remove..."
Sounds interesting, but I have two questions:
1) I take it that works by deceased authors won't be included?
2) Is ThirdScribe for erotica only?
Last summer I joined LibraryThing, paying for a lifetime membership and imported all of my books but found the interface strange. Because I was used to Goodreads and frankly, I was happy here. Today I am very glad I did as it is facing a backlog of loading books. I read yesterday that they had 250,000 books being uploaded onto their site.I have been an Amazon customer since 1997, when they shipped a free travel mug with your order. I rely on them heavily for books as a Kindle user. I post reviews there frequently. So they already have all of my data and are unlikely to find anymore here at Goodreads.
But I am leaving anyway, because I cannot support the growth of one corporation to the size that Amazon is threatening to become. If it sold anything but books, I wouldn't care.
Like Thomas Jefferson, "I cannot live without books." Books are ideas. They are dreams. I can't support a company that looks to corner the market of what dreams and ideas are sold.
Peter wrote: "No, he has left us, that's all. All of his posts are now under [deleted user], like this example http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/41...."How confusing, another Peter!
Sumeer did indeed depart, but some of his/her posts seem to have been deleted as well - in particular, one which listed alternatives to Goodreads. We can't know who deleted them, and it could have been Sumeer (although in that case, why didn't he or she delete all of them?). But it's pretty much the standard corporate playbook to start censoring posts that are critical of unpopular corporate decisions. And certainly Amazon is known for deleting posts it doesn't like.
They're also known for ruining some of the websites that they buy or control, for that matter! Shelfari and Askville, for example. I'm sure that others here can come up with other examples.
Hi Elizabeth, Hi Otis,This is a HUGE announcement for you-- I imagine you're spending a week or so digesting it.
I'm a GoodReads reader, an author, and most unusually, an editor-at-large for Audible.com.
I remember one time, I wanted to give away one of my audiobooks, and GoodReads wasn't quite set up for that yet! ;-)
As a story-glutton, I go back and forth between sight reading and audio listening so often I barely remember the difference anymore, I'm excited with this turn of events, that maybe I can share my audio book connections as well as their complimentary ebook and print editions.
Congrats on this turning point after all your years of work and dreaming...
Susie
If you find any good ones, could you post your thoughts about them here? Or possibly also on the new Escaping Amazon community on Google Plus?
I don't know how many Goodreads users will be leaving, but those of us who are need to find a new home!