MORE Shiny

My productivity level is fast approaching zero, thanks to OfficerGleason over there.

Just before lunch, he introduced me to Goodreads. Now, I've been avoiding this kind of site - there's also the intriguing and Gaiman-touted Library Thing, and I'm sure there are others along the same lines. I suppose the user profiles at Amazon and the like count as well.

It's not that I'm avoiding them because I don't like them.

Quite the opposite.

I'm avoiding them because I love the idea of them - listing books I have, seeing what other people are reading, finding recommendations...

That noise you hear is me going "squee" (ignore the softer "thud" of my productivity hitting the floor - I'll clean that up later.)

So, now that I'm friended, well...

There's me. Just a list for now - far from complete, and still a work in progress. Reviews on some of them soon to come, I hope. I feel odd having so many that are four and five stars, but that's also because (I think) these are books that I do love, so of course my favorites are coming to mind. I'm sure there will be more twos and threes (and, yes, even the occasional one) when I'm actually sitting in front of my bookshelves and inputting from home.

The one complaint I have so far - always, with the links to the chains. Goodreads can even pull the list of things you've ordered from your Amazon profile, if you want it to. Part of me wants to boycott sites like this that don't link to indie stores, but that feels like cutting off my nose to spite my face.

I wonder how indie bookstores can best take advantage of sites like this. Most likely, the best way would be for a bookstore to start its own profile, and in every review, link to its own website. I'm just not sure how keen Goodreads would be on that - they very likely make a profit of books that are purchased through an Amazon referral. Something to ponder, at least, while I'm on my uploading spree.