Comments on: BOTNS Books Podcast #83: Destination Character

By: Ann Kingman

Ann Kingman — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:50:23 +0000

Hi Liska!
Thanks for the great idea re: Goodreads. We’ll be doing a follow-up in an upcoming episode, and will be sure to mention it. Thanks!!
Calvino is someone that I haven’t read but have always wanted to.
Thanks for joining us, and for taking the time to comment!

By: Ann Kingman

Ann Kingman — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:50:00 +0000

By: Liska

Liska — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:41:52 +0000

Hey hey! I know I’m way late in commenting on this (I just discovered your podcast and am listening to back-episodes–obviously I love it ^_^), but you guys mentioned how great it would be to search books by location. I don’t know if you’ve since discovered (or if it’s since been implemented?) but Goodreads actually does have this option for many of its books!

While it’s not terribly exhaustive, it’s the best I’ve found to date. For example, if you bring up Goodreads’s Great Gatsby page (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4671.The_Great_Gatsby) and click on ‘setting’ in the book info box, it’ll take you to a list of all books that Goodreads has on record as set in New York City (http://www.goodreads.com/places/1863-new-york-new-york). Alternately, if you go to http://www.goodreads.com/places you can search for books by place. Pretty nifty

Of course, it will never replace the human knowledge at your local bookstore (per your example)–I swear those people are superheroes!

Also: City as character: love love love! I just finished reading “Invisible Cities” by Italo Calvino, and while that book’s definitely got its own perspective to it, it was a great introduction for me to something that I’ve noticed frequently on serialized television, but not as much in fiction.

By: Liska

Liska — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:41:00 +0000

Of course, it will never replace the human knowledge at your local bookstore (per your example)–I swear those people are superheroes!

By: Juny Bayard

Juny Bayard — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 21:57:28 +0000

Hey…Without a doubt i check out the bookseller list, but i make a conscious effort to avoid picking books off that list when it comes time to pick books for my book club… I rather give lesser known authors some attention than give the Grishams, Kings etc. more publicity. I love it when a bokk club member says, I never heard of this author, but i love this book. I will say though i do listen to the NYtimes podcast, i love listening to the interviews and what’s going on in the publishing industry.

By: Juny Bayard

Juny Bayard — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 21:57:00 +0000

By: CarolK

CarolK — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:11:50 +0000

When this segment about city as character began, I immediately thought of Lauren Belfer’s City of Light. I recently placed it on our star cart (books that we love) at our library. Ann describes it beautifully. Besides Buffalo coming alive, it also has strong female characters and I recommend for this too. Keep meaning to read Shadow in the Wind. Maybe this will be the summer.

In regards to bestseller lists, though I note them, they are not the end all. I rely far more heavily on word of mouth and/or reader recommendation for my personal reading. I do love the independent bookseller’s Indie Picks!

Lastly, I might never of heard of Quickening if not for this podcast. That’s why I so love forums like this!

By: CarolK

CarolK — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:11:00 +0000

Lastly, I might never of heard of Quickening if not for this podcast. That’s why I so love forums like this!

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:50:37 +0000

I tend to follow what’s popular with Bookmarks Magazine rather than the N.Y. Times. I’ve found that when I’ve picked up books that get overwhelmingly good reviews from a variety of sources I’m usually disappointed in the book. I do much better reading descriptions of books and finding subjects that interest me rather than going by lists or other people’s opinions of what should, or should not, be read.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:50:00 +0000