Social reading?

[hrosvit]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

If you are not at all influenced by other people's opinions on books, then how do you winnow down the all the books? I'm skeptical that anyone is completely uninfluenced by other people's opinions of books. If that is actually true for you, then you are a decided minority. I'm not going to buy a book just because someone recommends a book, but depending on who that person is, their recommendation might persuade me to take a look at the book. It depends on the person, of course. My tastes are my own, but few if any person's tastes are totally unique. Some people's tastes are more akin to mine, and I give some weight to their recommendations. Other people have tastes so different from mine that I can only nod and smile at their recommendations.

I have authors I trust and download new books "sight unseen" from them, without even reading the summaries. I also search in the specific genres I like, and read the summaries, and possibly an excerpt, of authors I am unfamiliar with.

I religiously read reviews on Amazon for other types of products, but have never even glanced at the reviews for a book. Too often when talking to a person whose tastes are similar to mine about a book we have both read, I am confronted by a diametrically opposite opinion. There are a couple of authors who write in genres I read, and sell millions and millions of books. Their plot summaries seem interesting to me. But when I read their prose, it sounds like the writing of a 7th grader. Reading the entire book would drive me batsh!t crazy.

I think a plot or storyline is something that could maybe be recommended, but the appeal of the way the author uses the language is too personal, to me. And while I could read a poor plot if "written well", I can't take a great story with poor writing. So, recommendations don't interest me. I wouldn't trust them.

In the opposite direction, if one of my favorite authors put out a new book and every single opinion said it was terrible, that wouldn't cause me to not read it. So I see no reason for recommendations that are positive to entice me.

[QuantumIguana]

Then how did you ever discover those authors in the first place? Was it wholly random? Perhaps you are truly uninfluenced by the opinion of any other reader, but if so, that's not the case with most readers.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by hrosvit

I don't know how accurate this is. I have never, in my entire life, purchased and/or read a book based on a recommendation from another person. My tastes are my own, and even those people who have somewhat similar tastes often dislike the books I like, and vice versa. I listen to reviews/opinions on electronics, vehicles, etc., but never on books. Not exactly sure why.

I hate to tell you this, but that isn't possible. At the very least the fact that the book was published means that it has the endorsement of the publisher.

[hrosvit]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

I hate to tell you this, but that isn't possible. At the very least the fact that the book was published means that it has the endorsement of the publisher.

We're discussing social networking and the recommendations of people to you. Or, at least, I was under that impression. The fact that I read a book published by a company seems a very tenuous argument for "recommendation".

[hrosvit]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

Then how did you ever discover those authors in the first place? Was it wholly random? Perhaps you are truly uninfluenced by the opinion of any other reader, but if so, that's not the case with most readers.

Usually wandering through bookstores or libraries (or websites) looking for things that looked interesting. Reading dust jackets, and then reading a few pages.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by hrosvit

We're discussing social networking and the recommendations of people to you. Or, at least, I was under that impression. The fact that I read a book published by a company seems a very tenuous argument for "recommendation".

I didn't realize that that is what you were talking about, because you mentioned Amazon reviews, and I don't consider those to be directed towards a specific person.

The reason why I mentioned publishers is because when I was little I used to buy many SF books from a specific publisher, and I was never disappointed by my purchases. The fact that the book was printed was recommendation enough. Most people around me didn't read SF, so they wouldn't be in a position to recommend anything to me.

[hrosvit]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

I didn't realize that that is what you were talking about, because you mentioned Amazon reviews, and I don't consider those to be directed towards a specific person.

The reason why I mentioned publishers is because when I was little I used to buy many SF books from a specific publisher, and I was never disappointed by my purchases. The fact that the book was printed was recommendation enough. Most people around me didn't read SF, so they wouldn't be in a position to recommend anything to me.

I know a lot of people tend to buy from specific publishers. I don't have any idea who the publisher of any one of my favorite books is. I would be hard pressed to name more than six or eight publishers. I realize I may not be representative of the rest of this community.

I was speaking of recommendations from a social point of view. I mentioned Amazon reviews mostly with regards to other purchases, illustrating that I do take "advice" from people on other items, just not on books. Sorry if it was poorly stated.

[QuantumIguana]

A publisher is a much stronger filter than any recommendation could ever be. That book isn't going to be on the shelves at all if the publisher doesn't accept it. When you're browsing for books in store, and you pick up a copy to flip through the pages to see if it might be worthwhile, might it not be possible that someone's recommendation influenced you to take a look at that book? Someone who is genuinely uninfluenced by the recommendations of others would be about as rare as hen's teeth, but it is of course possible.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by hrosvit

I was speaking of recommendations from a social point of view. I mentioned Amazon reviews mostly with regards to other purchases, illustrating that I do take "advice" from people on other items, just not on books. Sorry if it was poorly stated.

What is the difference between having a book recommended by the publisher of by an Amazon customer?

[hrosvit]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

When you're browsing for books in store, and you pick up a copy to flip through the pages to see if it might be worthwhile, might it not be possible that someone's recommendation influenced you to take a look at that book?

You mean like the voices in my head?

I'm not sure who else you're talking about. I really don't discuss books with people. I don't read reviews. I guess theoreticaly someone could be inserting sublimnal advertising into my various other media, but I'm not that paranoid. And, if they are, I mostly approve of their choices.

And, again, I don't think that saying that I am reading a book that was actually published qualifies as a recommendation by the publisher. If you want to claim that, I won't argue; I have no argument against that. If that's the case, then, yes, I do take recommendations in the form of the actual publishing of a book. But doesn't that mean that every book that has ever been published has been "recommended" to me, which puts me back in the exact same situation; deciding on my own what books to read?

[hrosvit]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

What is the difference between having a book recommended by the publisher of by an Amazon customer?

I didn't say there was one; I don't read Amazon reviews of books.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

Doesn't GoodReads have the ability to posts the cover and title of a book you're reading on FaceBook? (I don't use GoodReads, either)

Yes. When I started on Goodreads, I ported about 3 months of already-read stuff in all at once. It all ported to facebook. Soon after that came my apology to all my fb friends After that I learned to adjust the settings and only share books I wanted all my fb friends to know about.

[BeccaPrice]

huh. I almost entirely get books based on recommendations - from sites like Dear Author, or from trusted friends, mostly. and since that's keeping me in more books than I have time to catch up on, I don't need other sources.

[hrosvit]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

that's keeping me in more books than I have time to catch up on, I don't need other sources.

That's sort of my perspective, too. I don't read anywhere near as much as some of the community; probably 30-40 books a year. So I don't have the need to "seek out" books to read. I probably have a year's worth of books on my iPad now that I haven't read yet. And I also re-read favorites on a regular basis. This was one of the best things about an e-reader for me; I can carry all those favorites around with me and open them up anytime.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by hrosvit

I am, however, aware that other people often do purchase based on reviews or recommendations. I would be curious to see which camp has more campers.

I don't purchase much based on recommendations, but I always read reviews, whether it's for books, electronics, housewares, restaurants, whatever. Even when I'm going through the new ebooks at the public library, I'll check Amazon reviews before I add them to my wishlist.

I'll skim most reviews, and will pay close attention to one-star reviews, to see what people really hate about something. To me, it seems that most often one-star reviews are written by people with unrealistic expectations, but some of them do have merit. Reading the worst case scenarios makes me feel more prepared for a possible poor outcome.