Literary Exploration discussion

So if you haven't heard the news GoodReads has been sold to Amazon. Here is the blog post - http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/41... and the press release - http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.z...

What does this mean for users? No one really knows yet. There are concerns about review policies. Concerns about Amazon's track record with similar sites (Shelfari). Maybe this will have minimal effect on users, I certainly hope so.

What does everyone think?

Please, please please say this isn't true!!!

Reason 4. They offered us a sh*t load of money

I hope it doesn't have much of an effect on users, discussions, reviews, or anything else that is goodreads, but that is just wishful optimistic thinking on my part.

It's a little too early for an April fools prank, so I guess this is true.

Not sure really what to think yet.

I've been working hard to drop my average rating too :P

I think the only people that will benefit is Amazon. They'll get more reviews and a recommendation system that actually works (sort of) and I'm sure they will help boost sales

"Amazon supports us continuing to grow our vision as an independent entity, under the Goodreads brand and with our unique culture."
Yeah, my fondest memory of Amazon's support is that day they made it impossible to use book information from their site for the GR database.

Apparently Goodreads is still going to be independently structured. http://paidcontent.org/2013/03/28/fir...

I don't really see the need for Goodreads to join Amazon. It's great just the way it is! And I don't get why the Kindle thing is such a big deal...
Hopefully Amazon won't track the books we're reading to update their suggestions or takes the reviews without permission. That's what would really annoy me.

Michael wrote: "Apparently Goodreads is still going to be independently structured. http://paidcontent.org/2013/03/28/fir..."

Thanks for sharing, Michael. But I'm not so optimistic. Too many "probablys" in there.

I will wait and verify, but not many other avenues for us.

You can also look at this article:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by...

The main alternative to GR seems to be LibraryThing but they are more catalogue-based rather than social-based like GR. Also a lot of basic things, like tracking start and end dates on books, just aren't there.

They also seem to have a rather low opinion of GR members.

I am not averse to booksales or even ads, nothing is without ads forever, but my preference is not to become some kind of Amazon forum or group thing like you find on yahoo or google or be limited on what can be posted etc

Kim wrote: "The main alternative to GR seems to be LibraryThing but they are more catalogue-based rather than social-based like GR. Also a lot of basic things, like tracking start and end dates on books, just ..."

Amazon owns 40% of LibraryThing too. Also it looks so dated.

I have three worries:
1. That Amazon will start directing the reading suggestions. I deliberately come here for suggestions because Amazon's suggestions are market-based rather than reader-based.
2. GR will become open season for the Amazon reviewers and become less trustworthy.
3. Amazon will remove purchase suggestions to sites other than their own.

Am I one of the only people here who doesn't pay any attention to the recommendations? The only recommendations I pay attention to are those from friends or those made in groups like this one.

I don't Kim...mine are only from friends:)

I look at all possible information before deciding on a book, but mostly rely on my gut. But a panned book on here is less likely to be on my shelf -- so I use the negative reviews more than the positive ones.

Its not reviews that I am mostly concerned about -- its the chat and social aspects

Kim wrote: "Am I one of the only people here who doesn't pay any attention to the recommendations? The only recommendations I pay attention to are those from friends or those made in groups like this one."

I'm with you Kim I don't even look at the goodreads recommendations - I check out books recommended by people whose opinions I trust, and sheer gut feeling along the lines of 'that looks good' :)

I really hope they don't ruin our goodreads :(

Lynette, I'm with you especially your points number 2 & 3.Yes I enjoy the trust that we have & would hate it if that were to change. In my daily life I hardly meet people with whom I can converse in English & on books. All of you have widened my horizon and I'm so grateful.I hope things won't change.

I'm going to wait and see what happens before I leave. I don't really like to be treated as something you sell or use, if that's the case.

Also, I got my first spammer ever on here today. I guess more people know about Goodreads now, but I hope it's just something in the wake of recent publicity and isn't going to become the norm from now on.

Homa wrote: "I really hope they don't ruin our goodreads :("
Me too, i like the fact that GR is/ was independant of book sellers. My concern is that the structure will change. I enjoy being able to keep track of the books i have read in one location, whether they are in my shelves at home or on my ereading apps...surely Amazon would keep this successful, friendly system as it is!!!! Fingers crossed :)

I've bad a few spammers wanting to be my friend over the years - is not a new thing. And I just decline.

I rarely refuse friendship requests - I go and look at the persons details first I don't just accept willy nilly, if I make a request for friendship I always try and write why - in the same group, have lots of mutual books, know them from elsewhere that sort of thing.

Maybe I'll make new friends if people follow Amazon here. Can never have too many book mad friends LOL

Kim, I look for recommendations here because not many of the people I have direct contact with read the same books as I.

GR *recommends* book. Amazon *sells* book. The two sites have different purposes and I pray they are able to stay this way!

I hadn't thought much about it - there is a blurb someplace that says "powered by Amazon" that's been there quite a while - but - today I got my first "marketing" type email from Good Reads telling me that Stephen King's new book is out and with buttons to order it! The marketing machine begins...! :)

Got my Amazon Spam e-mail last night. I've experienced greater difficulty accessing GR. Book searches have become inconsistent. Search for "Go Down Moses." The Cliiff Notes pop up. Any similar experiences?

Mike wrote: "Got my Amazon Spam e-mail last night. I've experienced greater difficulty accessing GR. Book searches have become inconsistent. Search for "Go Down Moses." The Cliiff Notes pop up. Any similar..."

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one - almost wondered if it was a "prank" email. I also got a survey from GR maybe 3-4 weeks ago but I didn't fill it in, it's just more marketing. I opted out of their emails.

Cliff Notes! Good heavens! :) The only weird search lately was for Inferno - I had to add Robert Langdon to get the right one.

I am not totally convinced that is Amazon, I was getting emails from Goodreads a while ago that books on my to-read list were now in print.

On the other hand, the site has been harder to get into in the middle of the day than it seemed to be a few months ago