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Daithi · 12-18-2008, 04:12 PM

I liked wayspooled's idea about us coming up with our own top 1001 books list, and I decided to do something about it. This morning I bought a web name -- 1001books.com -- and I am now in the process of designing a website that will allow the site's visitors to collaboratively create our own list of 1001 books.

Here are my plans for creating the list --

1) I am breaking the list down into different categories (see below), and if there are open slots then visitors can add books to the category they feel is most appropriate.

2) Visitors can vote for their favorite three books in each category. Visitors can also vote for three books they believe should NOT be in the list/category. So books will get a ranking based on these votes.

3) If a category is full, then visitors can Replace titles where the book is in the bottom 10% of a category. When books are added to the list they will get enough points to start them at 33% (to give them a chance on the list).

Here are my plans once the list is created --

1) If the book is out of copyright, and an ebook exists at Mobileread, I'd like to provide a link so that the book can be download. (Can I get permission from somebody at Mobileread to do that? Maybe a link to Feedbooks too?)

2) If the book is out of copyright, and an ebook DOES NOT exist at Mobileread (nor Feedbooks?), I'd like to simply mention that fact. Hopefully, this will provide us with a list of books that we should probably work on converting.

3) If the book is in copyright, and an ebook exists at Amazon or Sony, I'd like to provide a link so that visitors can buy the book. (other stores besides Amazon and Sony?)

4) If the book is in copyright, and an ebook DOES NOT exist at Amazon nor Sony, I'd like to provide links so that visitors can request the book be made available. (I'll also keep watch on these titles and when they become available I can email the visitor to let them know -- if they want to provide their email address).

I'd like to incorporate books that are part of a series, but I don't want a single series to dominate any category. So authors should be limited to only one title when that title is part of a series, but then I'd provide a button you could click to list all the entries in the series (which you could then Download, Buy, or Request Publisher Make Available). However, only the initial title is counted as being part of the top 1001 books.

I also happen to like short stories and want to give them a chance on the list, but I'd also like to keep the list to 1001 books. So I was thinking I'd treat short stories in the following manner --

- if the authors work is not in copyright then I'd recommend counting the authors "Complete Short Stories" as one book.
- if an author that is out of copyright has a particularly well known book of short stories, or a set of short stories that are easily grouped, it can be added as one book (e.g. Dickens' Sketches by Boz, and Dickens' Christmas Stories).
- if the authors work is in copyright then an actual book title with short stories is needed.
- the book should be added to the appropriate category (e.g. Anton Chekhov goes in 19th Century Lit. and Edgar Allan Poe goes in Horror).

Here is how I plan to brake down the 1001 books into categories

Classic Lit. (pre-1800) 50
Shakespeare 43 (All)
Dickens 23 (All)
19th Century Lit. 75
Modern Lit. 175
Mystery 75
Science Fiction 75
Fantasy 75
Thriller 50
Horror 25
Romance 15
Western 15
Plays 15
Poetry 15
Children 50
Fiction Misc. 50
Non-Fic Classics (pre-1500) 25
Non-Fic Political 50
Non-Fic Philosophy 25
Non-Fic Religion 25
Non-Fic Misc. 50
---------------------------- ----
1001

So that's what I am planning, and I imagine it is going to take a couple months to get this done. Any thoughts? (Besides its too much work -- that's my problem.)

12-18-2008, 04:12 PM	#46
Daithi Publishers are evil! Posts: 2,418 Karma: 36205264 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Rhode Island Device: Various Kindles	I liked wayspooled's idea about us coming up with our own top 1001 books list, and I decided to do something about it. This morning I bought a web name -- 1001books.com -- and I am now in the process of designing a website that will allow the site's visitors to collaboratively create our own list of 1001 books. Here are my plans for creating the list -- 1) I am breaking the list down into different categories (see below), and if there are open slots then visitors can add books to the category they feel is most appropriate. 2) Visitors can vote for their favorite three books in each category. Visitors can also vote for three books they believe should NOT be in the list/category. So books will get a ranking based on these votes. 3) If a category is full, then visitors can Replace titles where the book is in the bottom 10% of a category. When books are added to the list they will get enough points to start them at 33% (to give them a chance on the list). Here are my plans once the list is created -- 1) If the book is out of copyright, and an ebook exists at Mobileread, I'd like to provide a link so that the book can be download. (Can I get permission from somebody at Mobileread to do that? Maybe a link to Feedbooks too?) 2) If the book is out of copyright, and an ebook DOES NOT exist at Mobileread (nor Feedbooks?), I'd like to simply mention that fact. Hopefully, this will provide us with a list of books that we should probably work on converting. 3) If the book is in copyright, and an ebook exists at Amazon or Sony, I'd like to provide a link so that visitors can buy the book. (other stores besides Amazon and Sony?) 4) If the book is in copyright, and an ebook DOES NOT exist at Amazon nor Sony, I'd like to provide links so that visitors can request the book be made available. (I'll also keep watch on these titles and when they become available I can email the visitor to let them know -- if they want to provide their email address). I'd like to incorporate books that are part of a series, but I don't want a single series to dominate any category. So authors should be limited to only one title when that title is part of a series, but then I'd provide a button you could click to list all the entries in the series (which you could then Download, Buy, or Request Publisher Make Available). However, only the initial title is counted as being part of the top 1001 books. I also happen to like short stories and want to give them a chance on the list, but I'd also like to keep the list to 1001 books. So I was thinking I'd treat short stories in the following manner -- - if the authors work is not in copyright then I'd recommend counting the authors "Complete Short Stories" as one book. - if an author that is out of copyright has a particularly well known book of short stories, or a set of short stories that are easily grouped, it can be added as one book (e.g. Dickens' Sketches by Boz, and Dickens' Christmas Stories). - if the authors work is in copyright then an actual book title with short stories is needed. - the book should be added to the appropriate category (e.g. Anton Chekhov goes in 19th Century Lit. and Edgar Allan Poe goes in Horror). Here is how I plan to brake down the 1001 books into categories Classic Lit. (pre-1800) 50 Shakespeare 43 (All) Dickens 23 (All) 19th Century Lit. 75 Modern Lit. 175 Mystery 75 Science Fiction 75 Fantasy 75 Thriller 50 Horror 25 Romance 15 Western 15 Plays 15 Poetry 15 Children 50 Fiction Misc. 50 Non-Fic Classics (pre-1500) 25 Non-Fic Political 50 Non-Fic Philosophy 25 Non-Fic Religion 25 Non-Fic Misc. 50 ---------------------------- ---- 1001 So that's what I am planning, and I imagine it is going to take a couple months to get this done. Any thoughts? (Besides its too much work -- that's my problem.)