So you I like to read. Seems like that’d be a fairly solitary hobby doesn’t it. At one time it was the most solitary pursuit. Oh, there are reading circles and such, but those are hard to keep up with and find one to fit your comfort zone. There are fan forums, but often those don’t have your friends and folks you actually know in person. Just as much you won’t see much of the author there.

Goodreads comes to the rescue. Goodreads is more than just a place to chalk up all of the books you’ve read. It’s a place to share, be shared with, and to find out what your friends are reading and recommending.

Lots of web sites have forums, and Goodreads doesn’t lack for those. The folks there brought us more than that though. Goodreads provides Groups. Groups act as more than chat rooms or a place to post your latest review. A group provides for sharing a bookshelf, planning events, and even taking polls. Of course, there is good old discussions as well.

Managing your books is another place where Goodreads does a great job. The basic categories are read, to be read, and reading. Pretty straight forward. Beyond that however, each user can create customized groupings of their own. These groupings are known as shelves. Books are easily swapped between groups at several of the screens, on the book, on the shelf or on any page where the books are listed.

Reviews are another plus here. Not only can you post your own reviews, but those are available for others interested in that book. Likewise you’ll have other readers’ reviews there for your own benefit. On the reviews page, you can let the reviewer know the post was helpful, and beyond that, provided feedback to them personally. It’s also a great way to find folks with similar interests.

Finally, the big feature for me among several other great ones is seeing what your friends are reading. Yes, your real friends. Get them to sign up and there you are.

You can leave messages about the books a friend is reading, follow the discussion about a specific book, and even tell a story about your friend for others to read.

Friends can recommend books to each other, mark a book as recommended by, or mark one you’ve read as a good recommendation to someone else.

All in all there are lots of ways to interact and share. Added benefits include real authors being members, printable lists, and Amazon searching. I’ve yet to not be able to find a book I’d like to include.

If you love to read, check out Goodreads.

Are you still reading magazines and newspapers? What are reasons for still enjoying print over pixels on occasion?
Reading print is faster than reading online.
This reason alone might be enough for some. I find that I read faster with print once I’ve established a pace. It’s also faster when all of the print is on one page.

Printed media allows you to write in the margins.
Though not something I do often, it is especially common for technical journal reading. This feature is offered in part online by browser adds-ins, though hardly standardized.

Printed resolution for pictures is often better than online.
This could be a debatable fact, but is often true. When not true, you’re often expected to jump out of the article to another site or page to view the image in it’s best resolution.

Reliability for reading is another strong point.
A page in hand is worth a thousand pages waiting to load.

Portability of media is a big plus as well.
Printed media can be taken just about anywhere with little inconvenience. Printed media doesn’t require batteries or outlets, nor a place to work from. Devices like the Kindle though are making inroads.

Printed media is standardized and requires no instructions to use.
Printed media not only requires no special tools, no specific browser, nor optimized display, it is just plain simple to use. You open and read. If you can read, you can use a paper, book or magazine. My mother can use a magazine. My granddaughters can read books.

Several other reasons might be offered as to why someone might enjoy a good magazine read over reading online. In the end though, each individual finds they have their own likes and dislikes, and in my experience, will choose a mix of both media types.

How about you? What are you reasons for still picking up a magazine or paper? What are your reasons for going totally electronic? Do share.

Koontz got your eye was a success. We have a winner! Andrea’s recommendation, Lightning, was the selected book.

Andrea has been sent an $8 gift Amazon gift certificate for her troubles. She was not only first, but suggested several good titles. To narrow the choice I read reviews of each book on Amazon. This gave me some insight on themes.

Lightning was chosen specifically at Andrea’s recommendation and that it involves a sci-fi theme. Koontz takes his spin on time travel.

Andrea, Tony Mast, Tracy Lee, Phil Baumann, and akaMonty, your support and suggestions were helpful. It took me some time to check out each one. The next in line will likely be Fear Nothing, a title recommended a couple of times.

The book is due to be shipped out on Monday. I’ll look forward to its arrival by Friday. Look for a review to follow.

Amazon is my favorite place to shop. Yes I live in St. Charles county, but Wal-mart really isn’t where I spend all the big bucks. As you might have guessed that’s where I purchase all my books.

Purchasing leads to recommendations, and recommendations pointed to Dean Koontz. So I picked up the first Odd Thomas novel. I was immediately hooked. So far I’ve read the first three.

Koontz purchases on Amazon of course led to more of his works turning up for me to buy. Oh, the titles are interesting, but they don’t really say much about the books. Let’s list a few…

	Seize the Night
	The Watchers
	Life Expectancy
	Intensity
	Phantoms

You get the drift. Short titles and cool covers. That’s what it’s all about I guess. What I’d really like though is my friends and contacts to make some recommendations about his books. Or heck, just suggest some good alternates.

Ones I’ve read already:

Odd Thomas 1st-3rd books
Frankenstein books – Prodigal Son and City of Night

That’s it. Just those. I’ve been wary of running out and spending $10 on something I might hate. Are the Odd Thomas novels a good indication of the rest of his writing? Are they exceptions?

So I’m asking you, my readers, and the rest of you out there on the net; what’s your favorite Koontz tale or alternate work of fiction.

I’ll post the results here on the blog, so keep the suggestions coming in. As an added incentive, I’ll buy you a book too if I take your suggestion. So be the first to suggest your favorite.

Yours,
Todd

Social media mavens talk about doing something useful with it, but we often here more talk about than actual making of media.  Or the media created is more navel gazing than content.  Live Readings aims to fight that tide.

The Live Readings blog is all about individual contributors from around the world contributing  by reading aloud poetry and prose.  An ever growing number of contributors have taken time to record themselves reading the favorite poems, sonnets, and short literary excerpts.

Voice readers of all stripes are welcome. Don’t be shy; be a contributor.  Anyone can join in the fun.

It’s easy but does require a small amount of effort:

1. Join Wordpress.com

2. Sign up or be invited to be a contributor on the Live Readings blog.

3. Join Utterz

4. Set up an Utterz connection so you can post there.

5. Record your reading on Utterz and Share It to the blog. Voila!

All of the Live Readings contributors are using that method.  You can ask questions in the comments here or over there.  Drop me an email if you’d like as well. tojosan — gmail.com.

So what has social media brought to you today?