Playing catch-up...
So if I'm honest, I've been inconsistent about looking at the resource I chose, Early Word. I did sign-up for their e-mail update, Spreading the Word, which I've read. I've really liked that feature -- it puts the info right in front of me and doesn't mean me having to go to another web site. Through that I've been introduced to some new authors and upcoming TV/movie tie-ins that we might get asked about, and added a few more hold and books to the pile of "must-reads" on my coffee table. There's a lot of interesting and good info on Early Word, though it is often obscured by the volume of info available. For example, why is the first link under "Categories" to 2011-Summer? It's alphabetized, but is that the most effective use of prominent space on the home page? My experience with Web site usability makes me wonder if they've ever done any user testing.
One highly anticipated title of 2013 is from an author I've enjoyed. Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell is a compilation of offbeat, whimsical short stories. Like her previous book, Swamplandia!, she offers up her surreal take on changing tattoos, citrus-munching vampires, and the everyday world. If you've enjoyed Willful Creatures by Aimee Bender or The Fat Man in History and Other Stories by Peter Carey, you'll enjoy Vampires in the Lemon Grove.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Week 4: Goodreads
Better late than never...
I had signed up for Goodreads, but hadn't really done much with it. I took this opportunity to look at it a little more closely. Like with many social networking sites, it can suck you in, but the more you put into it the more you'll get out of it.
I spent a LOT of time on Listopia. After a while all those "Best of..." lists look the same. I tried out a few quizzes, too. Didn't do too badly, but I do question some of the answers!
I created a couple of shelves for books and added some of my titles. Pretty easy to do. I made friends with one colleague, and put a request into others. I recommended a book to Mary Kay L. Since she suggested a great picture book for a read-aloud and also likes quirky picture books, I suggested My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman. Like Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake, the plot centers on a female character that is a handful, and both stories have great twists at the end.
My overall impression of Goodreads -- a good way to get some personalized recommendations, but I think I'd trust Novelist before Goodreads for good read-alikes.
I had signed up for Goodreads, but hadn't really done much with it. I took this opportunity to look at it a little more closely. Like with many social networking sites, it can suck you in, but the more you put into it the more you'll get out of it.
I spent a LOT of time on Listopia. After a while all those "Best of..." lists look the same. I tried out a few quizzes, too. Didn't do too badly, but I do question some of the answers!
I created a couple of shelves for books and added some of my titles. Pretty easy to do. I made friends with one colleague, and put a request into others. I recommended a book to Mary Kay L. Since she suggested a great picture book for a read-aloud and also likes quirky picture books, I suggested My Little Sister Ate One Hare by Bill Grossman. Like Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake, the plot centers on a female character that is a handful, and both stories have great twists at the end.
My overall impression of Goodreads -- a good way to get some personalized recommendations, but I think I'd trust Novelist before Goodreads for good read-alikes.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Week 3: Let's Talk Books
Conversation 1: I want a book like Eat, Pray, Love.
The customer seems to be looking for a book with female protagonist, that is amusing and reflective. While I think she likes to be "in the know" on what's popular (I'd share the best seller list with this customer), I think I'd focus on a memoir that might inspire great conversation. One of my favorites is And I Shall Have Some Peace There: Trading in the Fast Lane for My Own Dirt Road by Margaret Roach. Although published a few years ago, I only recently read it. In this memoir, Roach chronicles her journey from high-demand, stressful corporate job (she worked for Martha Stewart) to her escape to farm life. Another possibility is Here, There, Elsewhere: Stories from the Road by travel writer William Least Heat Moon. In this travelogue, the author chronicles his journeys all over the world, from Mayan villages to the vineyards of Long Island. I really enjoyed how the stories took the seemingly mundane and made everything so memorable.
Conversation 2: I like vampires, but I hated Twilight.
I understand this customer, as I hated Twilight myself. If s/he hasn't read it yet would suggest trying Ann Rice's classic series, beginning with Interview With the Vampire. It's very dark, Gothic fiction. Although the story unfolds slowly, it doesn't feel like a slow read. For something completely different, they might like the Southern Vampire series by Katherine Harris. It's a fabulous, darkly funny series. It's a fast-paced read, with lots of interesting characters. I really enjoy the characterizations, in this fast-paced series. Another fast-paced, funny vampire story would be Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. This pseudo-biography presents a revisionist history of why Lincoln fought against slavery in a quick, easy read.
Conversation 3: River of Doubt read-alikes, please.
This was the most challenging of the three conversations for me. I thought of a few older titles I read that I considered fast-paced, suspenseful, non-fiction stories. The Lost City of Z by David Grann tells the story of English explorer Percy Fawcett, who disappeared in the jungles of Brazil while searching for a rumored city he called Z. This mystery-adventure is an entertaining, compelling read. Another "oldie but goodie" is Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer, is the story of an expedition up Mount Everest that went very, very wrong. Krakauer chronicles his treacherous, and disastrous journey in a compelling way. Amidst the story of his own struggles, Krakauer describes the history of Everest's many climbers.
The customer seems to be looking for a book with female protagonist, that is amusing and reflective. While I think she likes to be "in the know" on what's popular (I'd share the best seller list with this customer), I think I'd focus on a memoir that might inspire great conversation. One of my favorites is And I Shall Have Some Peace There: Trading in the Fast Lane for My Own Dirt Road by Margaret Roach. Although published a few years ago, I only recently read it. In this memoir, Roach chronicles her journey from high-demand, stressful corporate job (she worked for Martha Stewart) to her escape to farm life. Another possibility is Here, There, Elsewhere: Stories from the Road by travel writer William Least Heat Moon. In this travelogue, the author chronicles his journeys all over the world, from Mayan villages to the vineyards of Long Island. I really enjoyed how the stories took the seemingly mundane and made everything so memorable.
Conversation 2: I like vampires, but I hated Twilight.
I understand this customer, as I hated Twilight myself. If s/he hasn't read it yet would suggest trying Ann Rice's classic series, beginning with Interview With the Vampire. It's very dark, Gothic fiction. Although the story unfolds slowly, it doesn't feel like a slow read. For something completely different, they might like the Southern Vampire series by Katherine Harris. It's a fabulous, darkly funny series. It's a fast-paced read, with lots of interesting characters. I really enjoy the characterizations, in this fast-paced series. Another fast-paced, funny vampire story would be Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. This pseudo-biography presents a revisionist history of why Lincoln fought against slavery in a quick, easy read.
Conversation 3: River of Doubt read-alikes, please.
This was the most challenging of the three conversations for me. I thought of a few older titles I read that I considered fast-paced, suspenseful, non-fiction stories. The Lost City of Z by David Grann tells the story of English explorer Percy Fawcett, who disappeared in the jungles of Brazil while searching for a rumored city he called Z. This mystery-adventure is an entertaining, compelling read. Another "oldie but goodie" is Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer, is the story of an expedition up Mount Everest that went very, very wrong. Krakauer chronicles his treacherous, and disastrous journey in a compelling way. Amidst the story of his own struggles, Krakauer describes the history of Everest's many climbers.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Week 2: Recommendations
I recommended a couple of books to Mary Kay L. I used Novelists "Title Read-Alikes" to find a few possibilities, then compared appeal terms that she focused on in her reviews. Hopefully they're pretty good matches.
Week 2: What's Appealing to Me
Picking 2 books to write about was more challenging than I thought it would be. Trying not to describe the plot but focus on appeal elements was an interesting exercise. I chose two older books that I really enjoyed and thought were very different, but once I started thinking about them in terms of appeal rather than plot I noticed what they had in common.
Charms for the Easy Life by Kaye Gibbons
Set in rural North Carolina during World War II, this quirky, heartwarming tale tells the intergenerational story of three strong women through a richly detailed, character-driven, family saga of life and love.
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
This coming-of-age story is an off-beat, funny, sarcastic and entertainingly realistic look at 2 recent high school graduates' road trip, which balances tender, tearful moments with an ironic tone, and includes complex math problems, historical references, word puzzles, and footnotes.
Set in rural North Carolina during World War II, this quirky, heartwarming tale tells the intergenerational story of three strong women through a richly detailed, character-driven, family saga of life and love.
This coming-of-age story is an off-beat, funny, sarcastic and entertainingly realistic look at 2 recent high school graduates' road trip, which balances tender, tearful moments with an ironic tone, and includes complex math problems, historical references, word puzzles, and footnotes.
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