Amazon Book Club?

hleo12 · 01-04-2023, 11:42 AM

I just noticed this and I'm not sure if this is anything new or what. It does say 'early acces'

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https://www.amazon.com/amazonbookclubs

I tried creating one and it says it's not available for my account yet. Looks like you can only join currently opened bookclubs (I'm not really a fan of all those mainstream books).

Can anybody else try creating your own clubs? I'm just curious. I'll probably never use this feature.

I wonder if they will integrate this feature on the ereaders.

Paperbackstash · 01-04-2023, 12:52 PM

No, it's not new, but it's a bit odd and confusing. It's been there over a year and always says beta, but I can't tell where they're going with the idea

tomsem · 01-04-2023, 12:55 PM

There is a How It Works link, but there's no information there.

If you search for, say 'science fiction', it returns a bunch of Clubs, some Private (Request to Join) and some Public (Join this club). Some of them have a few hundred members, and some show Current book.

So it appears each Club has an online forum to post and read posts (moderated by??). It's not tied to Kindle, just anyone who has interest in discussing books. Obviously, Amazon is hoping to sell more books.

I joined the featured Lord of the Rings Club, it's been going for 4 months already, they've already gone through the trilogy, and up to chapter 13-19 of The Hobbit. The discussions there are kind of boring. But I guess there are periodic Live streams from the moderator (an Amazon employee and IMDb alumnus).

There was a previous, similar feature: Discuss this book, but it came and went a few years ago. The difference here is that you are in a group of people and maybe that will prove 'stickier'.

Quoth · 01-04-2023, 01:43 PM

And then they bought Goodreads and IMDB

hleo12 · 01-04-2023, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

There is a How It Works link, but there's no information there.

I clicked that link and it just took me to a page with rec books to buy.

This looks like a continuously failed attempt of Amazon to create a social media for books.

Paperbackstash · 01-04-2023, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

There is a How It Works link, but there's no information there.

If you search for, say 'science fiction', it returns a bunch of Clubs, some Private (Request to Join) and some Public (Join this club). Some of them have a few hundred members, and some show Current book.

So it appears each Club has an online forum to post and read posts (moderated by??). It's not tied to Kindle, just anyone who has interest in discussing books. Obviously, Amazon is hoping to sell more books.

I joined the featured Lord of the Rings Club, it's been going for 4 months already, they've already gone through the trilogy, and up to chapter 13-19 of The Hobbit. The discussions there are kind of boring. But I guess there are periodic Live streams from the moderator (an Amazon employee and IMDb alumnus).

There was a previous, similar feature: Discuss this book, but it came and went a few years ago. The difference here is that you are in a group of people and maybe that will prove 'stickier'.

I've just eyed around on the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, and it does look like it's become more active / with some fuller features for their promoted clubs. It's been slow moving, though. I noticed the book club beta...trying to recall, looked it up, apparently back in 2020 - this article states was opened but they didn't have any discussion features open on it at all and it was only half done, https://the-digital-reader.com/amazo...book-clubs-in/

They are finally moving with it but it's pretty underutilized and under-promoted. They have the opportunity to do fun things with it but it seems a little half-hearted until now.

Paperbackstash · 01-04-2023, 02:52 PM

Ugh, now I'm browsing the feature again. Looks like has built up some. I would join if could find some fun ones that relate to me.
ETA - Nevermind, still not finding much on there really.

christianbk · 01-05-2023, 12:11 AM

I poked around. The functionality is barebones as you can expect. Lots of, "Hello! I'm looking forward to discussing!" without any actual, you know, discussion.

I'm not sure how much online book clubs can really work.

I've poked around and recently tried out Fable. It's a fair amount better streamlined than the Amazon Book Club functionality, and it sort of works. The service makes $$$ with some premium book clubs you have to pay for as well as purchasing eBooks through them, which allows some functionality on their platform. It works fairly slick, but I haven't really found a groove with it yet.

I don't know. I feel like community on Reddit or even joining a Discord with some like-minded folks feels OK enough for online book club stuff.

Quoth · 01-05-2023, 03:12 AM

Or even here

hleo12 · 01-05-2023, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by christianbk

I don't know. I feel like community on Reddit or even joining a Discord with some like-minded folks feels OK enough for online book club stuff.

With how closed off Amazon is I doubt they'd be willing to go use another service. And they better not get any ideas about buying discord

01-04-2023, 11:42 AM	#1
hleo12 Guru Posts: 655 Karma: 5078890 Join Date: Feb 2014 Device: Kobo Glo (deceased), Kindle 4th, Kindle Basic 10th Generation	Amazon Book Club? I just noticed this and I'm not sure if this is anything new or what. It does say 'early acces' https://www.amazon.com/amazonbookclubs I tried creating one and it says it's not available for my account yet. Looks like you can only join currently opened bookclubs (I'm not really a fan of all those mainstream books). Can anybody else try creating your own clubs? I'm just curious. I'll probably never use this feature. I wonder if they will integrate this feature on the ereaders.

01-04-2023, 12:55 PM	#3
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,939 Karma: 27060151 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	There is a How It Works link, but there's no information there. If you search for, say 'science fiction', it returns a bunch of Clubs, some Private (Request to Join) and some Public (Join this club). Some of them have a few hundred members, and some show Current book. So it appears each Club has an online forum to post and read posts (moderated by??). It's not tied to Kindle, just anyone who has interest in discussing books. Obviously, Amazon is hoping to sell more books. I joined the featured Lord of the Rings Club, it's been going for 4 months already, they've already gone through the trilogy, and up to chapter 13-19 of The Hobbit. The discussions there are kind of boring. But I guess there are periodic Live streams from the moderator (an Amazon employee and IMDb alumnus). There was a previous, similar feature: Discuss this book, but it came and went a few years ago. The difference here is that you are in a group of people and maybe that will prove 'stickier'. Last edited by tomsem; 01-04-2023 at 01:48 PM.

01-04-2023, 02:52 PM	#7
Paperbackstash Wizard Posts: 1,656 Karma: 20102554 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Central Florida Device: Oasis 3, PW 3 & 5, Fire HD 8 & 10	Ugh, now I'm browsing the feature again. Looks like has built up some. I would join if could find some fun ones that relate to me. ETA - Nevermind, still not finding much on there really. Last edited by Paperbackstash; 01-04-2023 at 02:58 PM.

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01-04-2023, 12:52 PM	#2
Paperbackstash Wizard Posts: 1,656 Karma: 20102554 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Central Florida Device: Oasis 3, PW 3 & 5, Fire HD 8 & 10	No, it's not new, but it's a bit odd and confusing. It's been there over a year and always says beta, but I can't tell where they're going with the idea

01-04-2023, 01:43 PM	#4
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,033 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	And then they bought Goodreads and IMDB

01-05-2023, 12:11 AM	#8
christianbk Zealot Posts: 101 Karma: 2179144 Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Washington State Device: At least one of each brand	I poked around. The functionality is barebones as you can expect. Lots of, "Hello! I'm looking forward to discussing!" without any actual, you know, discussion. I'm not sure how much online book clubs can really work. I've poked around and recently tried out Fable. It's a fair amount better streamlined than the Amazon Book Club functionality, and it sort of works. The service makes $$$ with some premium book clubs you have to pay for as well as purchasing eBooks through them, which allows some functionality on their platform. It works fairly slick, but I haven't really found a groove with it yet. I don't know. I feel like community on Reddit or even joining a Discord with some like-minded folks feels OK enough for online book club stuff.

01-05-2023, 03:12 AM	#9
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,033 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Or even here

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