Goodreads, you should join.

[Lummel]

OK, it's about characters, I'm with you now. I certainly felt that way about Mary Wollstonecraft, reading Godwin's life of her, fictional characters, no not really, certainly not to the same extent. (maybe I should put that on a my profile for a dating website: hey women, think you're like Mary Wollstonecraft? Then come this way for love and comfort! it might have a certain appeal.)

Yeah I looked at your westeros best of fantasy and science fiction sheleves. And I thought: wot no 'left hand of heaven'? So what are you expecting us to do? Make recommednations for it? Say yay or neigh?

[Datepalm]

OK, it's about characters, I'm with you now. I certainly felt that way about Mary Wollstonecraft, reading Godwin's life of her, fictional characters, no not really, certainly not to the same extent. (maybe I should put that on a my profile for a dating website: hey women, think you're like Mary Wollstonecraft? Then come this way for love and comfort! it might have a certain appeal.)

I was thinking that about George Orwell recently, (I'm going to die alone with cats, aren't I?) and decided it was creepy to tag based on author/biography subject, in that sense. I'm going with fairly low standards here, like, 'tertiary character that came off as kind of hot at some point'.

Yeah I looked at your westeros best of fantasy and science fiction sheleves. And I thought: wot no 'left hand of heaven'? So what are you expecting us to do? Make recommednations for it? Say yay or neigh?

If everyone makes their own shelf, with the same name, tagging whatever books they feel like, we'll (eventually, automatically) get an aggregate shelf that will rank how many times each book has been 'voted' for, thus we'll be able to see that someone thinks "X" is just brilliant, and that 12 people think "Y" is just brilliant, giving us both a ranking for newbies and a 'books I must get around to' for the rest.

re-Left Hand of Darkness - I think its brilliant and fascinating, but its also a bit empty somehow. I think i'm still working through what I think about it on some level though - I might add it yet.

[Galactus]

Some of those recommendations are very vague "Anything good" some are very specific "Paranormal SF romance with a haunted house"

[Lummel]

I was thinking that about George Orwell recently, (I'm going to die alone with cats, aren't I?) and decided it was creepy to tag based on author/biography subject, in that sense. I'm going with fairly low standards here, like, 'tertiary character that came off as kind of hot at some point'.

If everyone makes their own shelf, with the same name, tagging whatever books they feel like, we'll (eventually, automatically) get an aggregate shelf that will rank how many times each book has been 'voted' for, thus we'll be able to see that someone thinks "X" is just brilliant, and that 12 people think "Y" is just brilliant, giving us both a ranking for newbies and a 'books I must get around to' for the rest.

re-Left Hand of Darkness - I think its brilliant and fascinating, but its also a bit empty somehow. I think i'm still working through what I think about it on some level though - I might add it yet.

Well you might still die alone with cats, but at least now if we meet an ex-public school boy who converted to socialism as a result of his experiences in the far east and has fought against fascism and writes books we can point him in your direction. So long as he likes passiflora of course.

I'm with you now on the shelving, ok, that looks like it could work.

Reading left hand of darkness I wanted as Genly to reach out and grasp Estraven's shoulder just in a gesture of human sympathy even while knowing that he shouldn't. And the alienness of his own fellow Earthlings seemed very real to me too, like when you come back from a foreign country and your own langauge feels wrong in your mouth. So my experience of it was different to yours I think.

Some of those recommendations are very vague "Anything good" some are very specific "Paranormal SF romance with a haunted house"

That's just the nature of the beast I'm afraid. I'm sure you'll make decent recommendations, but yes, asking for 'anything good' is just an invitation to disappointment.

[Datepalm]

Reading left hand of darkness I wanted as Genly to reach out and grasp Estraven's shoulder just in a gesture of human sympathy even while knowing that he shouldn't. And the alienness of his own fellow Earthlings seemed very real to me too, like when you come back from a foreign country and your own langauge feels wrong in your mouth. So my experience of it was different to yours I think.

When you bring it out like that, yes, I can see something devastatingly sad in this image of two people in a tent on an ice sheet who are both immensely adrift and lonely, but still can't, or won't - for perfectly sound, real reasons - form a human connection that could help.

I did find it hard to...well, ignore isn't quite the right word, since I don't think it needs to be ignored, the gender issues that she brings up though. I was just paying more attention to that sort of mindfuck where Genly can't figure out how to read a situation without knowing if he's dealing with a man or with a woman, (which is at least part of whats creating his alienation) and I realise I can't read the situation either, and i'm holding two slightly differently nuanced versions of the entire book in my head as i'm reading it, one in which Estraven is a man and one where she's a woman, and ofcourse the whole point is that neither is correct, but no amount of telling myself to collapse them together (or to create something neutral) quite manages it anyway, being that i'm a product of a gender-binary society and all that, and I suppose I missed something of the emotional content of the book along the way.

[jdiddyesquire]

When you bring it out like that, yes, I can see something devastatingly sad in this image of two people in a tent on an ice sheet who are both immensely adrift and lonely, but still can't, or won't - for perfectly sound, real reasons - form a human connection that could help.

I did find it hard to...well, ignore isn't quite the right word, since I don't think it needs to be ignored, the gender issues that she brings up though. I was just paying more attention to that sort of mindfuck where Genly can't figure out how to read a situation without knowing if he's dealing with a man or with a woman, (which is at least part of whats creating his alienation) and I realise I can't read the situation either, and i'm holding two slightly differently nuanced versions of the entire book in my head as i'm reading it, one in which Estraven is a man and one where she's a woman, and ofcourse the whole point is that neither is correct, but no amount of telling myself to collapse them together (or to create something neutral) quite manages it anyway, being that i'm a product of a gender-binary society and all that, and I suppose I missed something of the emotional content of the book along the way.

I've wanted to read Left Hand of Darkness forever. I've just never been able to get into it. One of these days...

[Mack Kilimaro]

You say it like its a dichotomy....nah, its just books with a character or two I find crush-worthy. Honestly, I thought there'd be more.

OK, color me curious. Who fits this bill from Harry Potter #2 and #7? I will endeavor to be more like these persons.

I must need to think outside the box more on this shelf stuff. I really can't think of one that would fit more than a handful of books.

[Vrana]

I'm trying to say at least a little about every book I've read in the review section (I'm making some slow progress though) and I've found a few books which I read, enjoyed at the time and can remember practically nothing about. I think to say that you found a book totally forgettable is quite useful. It's a good flag - 'here read this for mindless fun if you want but if you want something that will stick with you for a long time: read something else'.

Good idea. I prefer this over just the star system, which to me is too arbitrary and doesn't really say anything.

I realized belatedly that to add a book you don't have to rate it with that 1-5 star system I universally and fervently hate. So the next time I'm scheduled for some important computer work from home, I'll get on to rectifying that.

I thought of a particularly appealing shelf-name, books-that-are-so-good-that-even-if-the-author's-not-alive-I'd-dig-them-up-to-worship.

[Datepalm]

OK, color me curious. Who fits this bill from Harry Potter #2 and #7? I will endeavor to be more like these persons.

Oh. Voldemort, duh.

[Contrarius]

In the spirit of the OP, my profile can be found here:

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5393057-contrarius

[Contrarius]

The only reason I'm really concerned about edition is for my own records. About 90% of the stuff I'm 'reading' these days is in audiobook format and I'm trying to differentiate between what I've read and what was read to me :P

This is one thing that is annoying to me on goodreads. They don't appear to include audiobook editions!

[Liadin]

I realized belatedly that to add a book you don't have to rate it with that 1-5 star system I universally and fervently hate. So the next time I'm scheduled for some important computer work from home, I'll get on to rectifying that.

Indeed. A large number of my books are just "read."

Goodreads is starting to make me think, actually, that ratings shouldn't be allowed without reviews. I do like having a rating at the top of a review--mostly because it helps me avoid reading 5-star gushers over and over when I'm trying to figure out what a book's weak points might be and whether that's likely to matter to me. It's kind of nice to have a shorthand that tells you whether the review is going to be undiluted praise, mixed, mostly disappointment, etc. But when I look at someone else's profile and go to "compare books" (which I do all of the time), most people haven't reviewed much if at all and I'll see books where we disagreed and start thinking "she only gave book X 2 stars? And she gave book Y 4 stars?! What is this person thinking? Are we on the same page at all?!" And since the person hasn't explained her ratings, I have no idea.

The alternative being what I do, of course, where I just mark lots of books as read without any indication at all of what I thought of them (unless they're bad enough to be on the "embarrassed to have read" shelf, but you can't see that from the compare books page). Very helpful I'm sure. :P

[Clevtrev3]

But when I look at someone else's profile and go to "compare books" (which I do all of the time), most people haven't reviewed much if at all and I'll see books where we disagreed and start thinking "she only gave book X 2 stars? And she gave book Y 4 stars?! What is this person thinking? Are we on the same page at all?!" And since the person hasn't explained her ratings, I have no idea.

I don't think I'm able to articulate the strengths and weaknesses of a book well enough for a review. I rarely have trouble rating a book but if someone were to ask me why I gave a book a particular rating I'd have a tough time explaining my reasoning. I simply rate my books and comment in a couple "Currently reading..." threads whether I liked the book or not.

[Lummel]

Good idea. I prefer this over just the star system, which to me is too arbitrary and doesn't really say anything.

I realized belatedly that to add a book you don't have to rate it with that 1-5 star system I universally and fervently hate. So the next time I'm scheduled for some important computer work from home, I'll get on to rectifying that.

I thought of a particularly appealing shelf-name, books-that-are-so-good-that-even-if-the-author's-not-alive-I'd-dig-them-up-to-worship.

Yes exactly. It's not just that my four-star book won't be the same as your four-star book but is my four star today the same as my four star in a couple of months time, or next year.

Oh. Voldemort, duh.

Datepalm loves Voldemort! Datepalm loves Voldermort! Ahem, sorry, couldn't help myself there.

This is one thing that is annoying to me on goodreads. They don't appear to include audiobook editions!

I've seen some audiobook editions - thing is they aren't flagged as being audio book editions, you have to look at the small print.

...when I look at someone else's profile and go to "compare books" (which I do all of the time), most people haven't reviewed much if at all and I'll see books where we disagreed and start thinking "she only gave book X 2 stars? And she gave book Y 4 stars?! What is this person thinking? Are we on the same page at all?!" And since the person hasn't explained her ratings, I have no idea.

Yes I'm on the same page as you on this one Liadin. Even if you've got the same rating as someone else it's the what they liked or disliked about it that's interesting and if it's a book you haven't read - well I don't know if I will enjoy your four-star book, but I can read your review and that gives me a better idea if we enjoy the same kinds of things.

I don't think I'm able to articulate the strengths and weaknesses of a book well enough for a review. I rarely have trouble rating a book but if someone were to ask me why I gave a book a particular rating I'd have a tough time explaining my reasoning. I simply rate my books and comment in a couple "Currently reading..." threads whether I liked the book or not.

Don't worry. There is no right or wrong way to do it. It doesn't have to be a 'review' like they would publish in the newspaper, or explain your reasoning. It's your space - preach it like you feel it.

I've put down one and two word reviews, got some that stop mid sentence, have got no flow etc. Others say 'I loved this book because' or 'I liked this about the book'. A few I've got more to say.

The reviews are the best feature for me at the moment. I can write what I want, come back to the review and change it after I've thought on it. If I re-read a book I can revisit the review. It's like a book journal but easier to find things with the possibility of updating your reviews on past reading. Plus you can read other people's reviews - it's great for nosey people like me.

[Datepalm]

I feel really liberated since I stopped giving out stars, and force myself to write a bit of a review, even if its just a few sentences. I'll probably still give 1 star rating for books to really, really stay away from though.

[Contrarius]

I've seen some audiobook editions - thing is they aren't flagged as being audio book editions, you have to look at the small print.

Yup. I posted a question about this issue on one of the feedback forums this evening, and got some good info in return. And very quickly too, I might add.

It seems that most of the edition listings are added automatically from the Amazon and B and N web sites -- but audiobooks are NOT automatic adds. So they have to be added manually. Staff can do that, or private members can do it themselves. But since the info has to actually be typed in, of course it lags far behind the print editions. So -- all you audiobook addicts like me, get busy and add the audio editions whenever you review a book!

[ambyr]

Reading other people's reviews is my favorite part of the site, so I am sad when people only star books, even though it is of course a perfectly valid use of Goodreads.

I do like that you can go to people's profiles and see a little graph of what percent books they give which rating; it helps me "grade on a curve," so to speak. Someone with an average rating of 2.5 giving a book 5 stars makes me sit up and take notice in a way that someone with an average rating of 4 giving the same grade doesn't.

[jdiddyesquire]

This is one thing that is annoying to me on goodreads. They don't appear to include audiobook editions!

Ya, I may apply to be a librarian for exactly this purpose. Everything needs to get audio additions added.

I usually have an audio book going when I'm in the car or at the gym in addition to whatever I'm reading.

[beniowa]

I admit most of my books don't have reviews. Often I can't articulate all the reasons for a rating right after I finish a book. Plus, I have large backlog and I haven't had the time to go through them all. I will eventually though.

[sologdin]

Someone with an average rating of 2.5 giving a book 5 stars makes me sit up and take notice in a way that someone with an average rating of 4 giving the same grade doesn't.

agreed--a low average rating indicates that the higher ratings might be worth something. the contrapositive is also true: a goodreader with an average book rating of 4.5 who gives out a one-star must indicate something useful about that one-starred text.

that said, a goodreader whose average rating approaches 5 stars indicates that the ratings aren't about the books, but are really about the goodreader. the extraordinary syllogism looks like this:

a ) persons who read good books are good persons.

b ) my goodreads are universally five star books.

c ) five star books are good books.

ergo: i am a good person.

of course, it could rather mean that goodreads works as intended, and goodreaders with 5-star average ratings are simply using the site as intended to avoid reading stuff that they don't like. is goodreads an aesthetic superconductor? does it provide gustatory selection such that goodreaders are perfectly matched with their own goodreads, cutting out badreads, and so on, through the review/recommendation mechanisms?