Books on the Nightstand discussion
Podcast Episode Discussions
>
Episode 120: Can a computer tell you what you should read?
date
newest »
newest »
Mod
I have used the website www.bookseer.com to get book suggestions. You enter a book you enjoyed and it suggests some similar titles. Most of the time I've already read the books the seer mentions.Besides BOTNS, I get suggestions from a great bimonthly periodical called "Book Marks" and from a monthly newsprint-style publication called "Book Page" that is free from my local library.
Computer programs never 'get' me because my tastes are so eclectic. I use Goodreads for recommendations which is the reason my TBR list has got so out of control since I've been on here!
ReadnPonder wrote: Besides BOTNS, I get suggestions from a great bimonthly periodical called "Book Marks" and from a monthly newsprint-style publication called "Book Page" that is free from my local library.I use both of these as well. I also get ideas from NPR and from the Guardian and BBC book podcasts. I find the human touch works better for me than a computer unless it's a simple one-to-one ratio like, "I like Ian Rankin" and it can spit out other Scottish mysteries and it's more fun for me to suss those out myself and I'd then I'd still need to research them before I read them anyways because I'm all OCD like that about wasting my reading time. My tastes, like Esther's, are eclectic at best.
I loved the analogy to Pandora and the Music Genome Project. I think it's possible (though far from simple) to do something similar for books.For those of us with eclectic tastes, this would still work - I have pandora stations for many different moods or styles, and I could imagine a similar recommendation engine for books which would separate suggestions based on a thematic group.
Esther wrote: "Computer programs never 'get' me because my tastes are so eclectic. I use Goodreads for recommendations which is the reason my TBR list has got so out of control since I've been on here!"I really know what you mean... same for ever since I picked up BOTNS also :)
Don't think computer would get me try a book. BOTNS gives me many ideas some I get to read others no. I also use Library Thing and look for someone who has loved the same books I have and then see what else is on their list and then exchange occasional e-mails with people of similar interests.
I've used both www.whatshouldireadnext.com and www.literature-map.com before, and have found good things through both. But recommendations from a computer and from a person seem like an apples to oranges comparison to me. I find the computer/ websites work well if I know what sort of thing I'm in the mood for and want a pretty close recommendation. They won't really get me anywhere "new".
I thought this episode had mentioned a resource for finding out about upcoming author signings in your area. I could be mistaken, but I thought this would be a good place to start :) A quick google search didn't reveal much... I know I heard about it somewhere! I always seem to find out about author signings after they happen... anyone know of a good online resource? thank you!
Wil wrote: "I thought this episode had mentioned a resource for finding out about upcoming author signings in your area. I could be mistaken, but I thought this would be a good place to start :) A quick goog..."I use AuthorsTrack (http://www.authorstrack.com/). I also "friend" bookstores in my area on Facebook because they'll usually post upcoming events there.
As for the question about trusting a computer for book recommendations, I would probably give it a try but would trust friends and librarians much more. I am partial to librarians since I work in a school library.