26.1.2012 GoodReads

It was in Aravind_P's yearly round up post in InfyBlogs that I first saw the site mentioned for the first time. Now this is a guy I have respect for, for he writes awesome movie and book reviews. (By movies, the reference is not to your latest random masala any-alphabet-for-first-letter-ollywood flick released over the weekend and by books the reference definitely was not to those poignant IIT-ian sagas of getting hooked,in short, the best seller list of flipkart.) Plus, he shares my other love - Bookshop browsing. So, I dont remember verbatim what Aravind posted about it, but he highly recommended the site, and he apparently had a "librarian" access/status in the thing.

I checked the site then and there, but then saw it required a registration, and I assumed they would want the email verification (this is such a turn off. Turned out that they dont. Spammers and other cyber miscreants dont tread this way it seems.) and all, plus it was office network, so I left it at that, and now that I am taking a week off, all to myself, thanks to that bout of severe viral fever who has left in time like a good regular guest that he is, I made an account and delved into the parallel world that is the site.

Dear reader if you are a reader, (haha. clever, huh?). Lameness apart, if you are a passionate bibliophile, (now dont get me wrong. We are not talking about Ben-Streetman's-Solid-State-Devices or Fun-With-Pointers breed of books. People who like that please form a separate queue and get in that space-shuttle-like bus. Thanks.) please check out this website www.goodreads.com. Even otherwise you'll end up liking the site, but if you love books, then you're going to fall for this site. Its a social networking platform sans its evils. It has the good features of your popular social networking site (built on a stolen idea in the first place) incorporated, to a good purpose.

I havent explored the site completely yet, all these are my first impressions. Which, as you will know by now, has completely won me over. I was first asked to select my favorite genres from a given list (this can be edited later, as I found out later). They gave me a list of recommended books for each genre, and the list was quite good. I started with some of the books that I'd read, reviewed them by giving my ratings to them. Each book has a profile page of its own, where people post their reviews. If you're creatively challenged and constipated for words or just plain inscure and incapable like me (all three) to write a review of a book, heck, just rate it by giving stars out of five. You can add each book to the Read, Curently Reading or the Want to Read category. I added some of the ones I read. (I wanted to add those Malory Towers, Secret Seven, Famous Five books, but then decided against it. Part of growing up, I suppose. Woohoo.) I havent completely added all the books I've read, but even then the number wouldnt cross 45, generous case. And there are books I wish I hadnt read (Enid Blyton doesnt come under this). And the ones I read so long ago that they're almost as good as unread. Only dont compare yourself with people there because I swear I saw people who had like 1000 books written against them and (Im pretty sure) they arent vampires. And there's actually no point in comparing as well. I dont think anyone is going to judge you because of that. Adding the books you read to your profile was a good exercise for me since each book has an associated time of reading, a story associated with procuring that book in the first place, experiences while reading them, some pictures you framed in your mind as you read the book,..many of them come back. Well, all of them may come back to you. My memory is horrible. What was I saying?

There are like  hundreds of reviews written for each book unless it is that obscurely not famous as a work, and this was a high point for me. I looked out for reviews that panned books which were my favorite, to hear the other side and check if my love for the book stood the test. It was sheer enlightenment to see a work judged from so many angles. Each person sees a new whole perspective to the story. Even with favorable reviews, I read things that made me see it in a new different light, and the level of detail to which some people scrutinizes and thinks over on while they read amaze me.

There are user profiles, and you can become friends, upon which their updates will come up in your feeds as well. Only the updates are not some totally pointless and irrelevant details of the relationship status that you dont care two and a half hoots about, but about the books they read, marked to read, quotes etc. And the user profiles look the same way too. Their bookshelves, friends etc.

There were also pages dedicated to authors, and you have the option to become a fan of one, or follow them too,if  they're active on goodreads or not dead. Well, actually I'm not very clear upon how this works too. Clarified update later. See, sometimes procrastination is inevitable. (I just justified procrastination. God the levels to which I ...)

I searched for Aravind since I knew his complex second name, (which actually makes one unique among so many Aravinds) and sent him the request he cant refuse. He welcomed me, (yeah there is a simple basic message system in place too) and suggested this group Indian Readers. Talking of which, needless to say there is the concept of Groups/Communities. I sent a request to the moderator which, uhm, he had the power to refuse, but accepted graciously shortly afterwards, and I was in. The group seems like fun, and I havent read their discussion forum yet. They just sent me a mail saying the group will be reading "To Kill a Mocking Bird"and Vikram Seth's "The Golden Gate" this month. (Hearing of the latter for the first time. Should check out.)

Reading targets. Cool idea! (May be because its the first time I'm a member of  Reading Club of any sorts)

Speaking of which, you can regularly update your Currently Reading Section with the pages you read, and they'll do the math, calculate in percentage your progress and update it in your profile, which is actually a good booster. It now says I am 14% into Catch 22. (Catch 3.08, that is. haha.Not funny? Okay.)

I really hope this becomes an addiction, and that this systematizes my reading, and much more.

So much for first impression. I'm really getting sleepy now, and this spurt of words has to stop. Dear fingers, I said stop typing.

Best Part: I am not Rameez Rahman, 24, Male, Systems blah blah blah of the blah studied at blahhah

I am...

 

They have a pretty good Android App too. Free.

Hitting bed.