Pandora for books?

Barty · 03-12-2012, 05:12 PM

Is there something like a pandora for books? A site that analyzes the "DNA" of book(s)/author(s) and recommend those with similar DNA? I know Amazon has the customer who bought this also bought this, and explore similar items, but they're kinda iffy. Ditto goodreads.

I remember hearing about a blog where you can list some books you like, which may be very eclectic and disparate, and the person would come up with a recommendation, sometimes inspired sometimes not. I want something like that.

SleepyBob · 03-12-2012, 05:28 PM

How about Literature Map?

http://www.literature-map.com/joanne+k-2e+rowling.html

Hellmark · 03-12-2012, 05:29 PM

For what you want, you're destined to be entirely at the mercy of other people's reviews. With music, it is easy, you tag a song with a genre, and measure the beats per minute, and simply play a random song that is in the same style. Can't really do that for books.

Ken Maltby · 03-12-2012, 05:41 PM

Pandora makes use of some sophisticated algorithms to build its user stations playlists.
Some of them relate to how different sound profiles relate to the user's choices. Perhaps a similar
set of profile data for the factors that relate to reading choices could be manipulated by algorithms
of a similar nature.

Luck;
Ken

Hellmark · 03-12-2012, 05:45 PM

While my description earlier was overly simplistic, it still boils down to measurable qualities weighted by user preference. Remove the measurable qualities, and leave behind preference, you're not going to have as good of results/

carpetmojo · 03-12-2012, 06:11 PM

Write yer own series just the way you want 'em ?

Giggleton · 03-12-2012, 06:39 PM

Once google builds its strong AI, we should get some decent recommendations, well we can at least hope to.

latepaul · 03-12-2012, 07:28 PM

I keep thinking about trying to write something like this. There are programs out there that will do style analysis - there's a site you can upload a sample of your writing to and it will tell you what famous writer your most like.

Of course that's just one aspect. You could find a book that has a similar style of writing but doesn't work as a story. So then you have to look at things like genre, plot, characterisation, etc - how do you measure those? Or do you rely on the reader to rate them?

Then there's issues of privacy - you really need to collect lots of data and whilst it's anonymisable will people trust you?

And of course if such a thing is/were possible surely Amazon, Google or some other internet behemoth with vast resources and actual data would already have something like it?

latepaul · 03-12-2012, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giggleton

Once google builds its strong AI, we should get some decent recommendations, well we can at least hope to.

Once Google builds its strong AI lets hope it likes us.

Giggleton · 03-12-2012, 07:34 PM

What if, this strong AI is us?

SidianMSJones · 03-12-2012, 08:10 PM

Hi all. I'm Sidian from BookLamp.org. This forum thread popped up on my radar and I just wanted to let you know we exist.

Let me know if you have questions or anything.

Bookworm_Girl · 03-12-2012, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SleepyBob

How about Literature Map?

http://www.literature-map.com/joanne+k-2e+rowling.html

I like that website, and I also like whatshouldireadnext.com

I remember reading about the blog recommendation thing that the OP was talking about although I don't have a link to it.

BWinmill · 03-13-2012, 08:01 AM

I would like a system that suggest books that are different from what I normally read, yet are familiar enough to avoid the feeling of travelling through confusingly alien lands. (I seem to enjoy reading books outside of my favourite genres the most, yet have also had too many run-ins with literary induced acoma to find blind exploration appealing.)

andyh2000 · 03-13-2012, 08:28 AM

This is a fun site: http://www.whichbook.net/

It doesn't let you find books similar to an existing one but it does let you "describe" what you're interested in (by setting sliders on various axes) and finds matching books.

Andrew

latepaul · 03-13-2012, 08:36 AM

Some good links on this thread - keep 'em coming!

03-12-2012, 05:12 PM	#1
Barty doofus Posts: 2,513 Karma: 13036221 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	Pandora for books? Is there something like a pandora for books? A site that analyzes the "DNA" of book(s)/author(s) and recommend those with similar DNA? I know Amazon has the customer who bought this also bought this, and explore similar items, but they're kinda iffy. Ditto goodreads. I remember hearing about a blog where you can list some books you like, which may be very eclectic and disparate, and the person would come up with a recommendation, sometimes inspired sometimes not. I want something like that.

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03-12-2012, 05:28 PM	#2
SleepyBob Evangelist Posts: 420 Karma: 8522810 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wisconsin, USA Device: Kindle PW3	How about Literature Map? http://www.literature-map.com/joanne+k-2e+rowling.html

03-12-2012, 05:29 PM	#3
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,549 Karma: 3799999 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: O'Fallon, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3	For what you want, you're destined to be entirely at the mercy of other people's reviews. With music, it is easy, you tag a song with a genre, and measure the beats per minute, and simply play a random song that is in the same style. Can't really do that for books.

03-12-2012, 05:41 PM	#4
Ken Maltby Wizard Posts: 4,465 Karma: 6900052 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Heart of Texas Device: Boox Note2, AuraHD, PDA,	Pandora makes use of some sophisticated algorithms to build its user stations playlists. Some of them relate to how different sound profiles relate to the user's choices. Perhaps a similar set of profile data for the factors that relate to reading choices could be manipulated by algorithms of a similar nature. Luck; Ken

03-12-2012, 05:45 PM	#5
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,549 Karma: 3799999 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: O'Fallon, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3	While my description earlier was overly simplistic, it still boils down to measurable qualities weighted by user preference. Remove the measurable qualities, and leave behind preference, you're not going to have as good of results/

03-12-2012, 06:11 PM	#6
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	Write yer own series just the way you want 'em ?

03-12-2012, 06:39 PM	#7
Giggleton Banned Posts: 1,687 Karma: 4368191 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oregon Device: Kindle3	Once google builds its strong AI, we should get some decent recommendations, well we can at least hope to.

03-12-2012, 07:28 PM	#8
latepaul Wizard Posts: 1,264 Karma: 10203040 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: a variety (mostly kindles and kobos)	I keep thinking about trying to write something like this. There are programs out there that will do style analysis - there's a site you can upload a sample of your writing to and it will tell you what famous writer your most like. Of course that's just one aspect. You could find a book that has a similar style of writing but doesn't work as a story. So then you have to look at things like genre, plot, characterisation, etc - how do you measure those? Or do you rely on the reader to rate them? Then there's issues of privacy - you really need to collect lots of data and whilst it's anonymisable will people trust you? And of course if such a thing is/were possible surely Amazon, Google or some other internet behemoth with vast resources and actual data would already have something like it?

03-12-2012, 07:34 PM	#10
Giggleton Banned Posts: 1,687 Karma: 4368191 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oregon Device: Kindle3	What if, this strong AI is us?

03-12-2012, 08:10 PM	#11
SidianMSJones Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 5928 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: iPad	Hi all. I'm Sidian from BookLamp.org. This forum thread popped up on my radar and I just wanted to let you know we exist. Let me know if you have questions or anything.

03-13-2012, 08:01 AM	#13
BWinmill Nameless Being	I would like a system that suggest books that are different from what I normally read, yet are familiar enough to avoid the feeling of travelling through confusingly alien lands. (I seem to enjoy reading books outside of my favourite genres the most, yet have also had too many run-ins with literary induced acoma to find blind exploration appealing.)

03-13-2012, 08:28 AM	#14
andyh2000 Avid reader Posts: 825 Karma: 6377682 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: UK Device: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 / Kindle Paperwhite	This is a fun site: http://www.whichbook.net/ It doesn't let you find books similar to an existing one but it does let you "describe" what you're interested in (by setting sliders on various axes) and finds matching books. Andrew

03-13-2012, 08:36 AM	#15
latepaul Wizard Posts: 1,264 Karma: 10203040 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: a variety (mostly kindles and kobos)	Some good links on this thread - keep 'em coming!