The Next Best Book Club discussion

Has anyone seen the new feature on goodreads? Given our conversation about loving lists earlier, I was so excited to see that goodreads now has a "Listopia" feature. It allows book-loving people, such as ourselves, to vote on the best and the worst in several categories.

Only one problem - a bunch of idiots have voted! I clicked on the "Worst books of all time". Some of them, I would dispute, but I understand - everybody has their own taste and some things are hyped so much that people get let down. Others downright infuriated me. The Giving Tree? Who doesn't like that story? And Go Ask Alice? IT'S A FLIPPING DIARY! Of a fifteen-year-old girl at that and she was addicted to drugs - quite sad, really. And The Diary of Anne Frank? Huh?

I guess you have to remember that America's favorite seafood restaurant is Red Lobster.

...just needed to vent a little. It is a great feature and I look forward to seeing the other lists and voting on some tomorrow. Has anyone voted yet?

I voted on the Lost list... But I'm not sure I really like the listopia feature. Like you said, everyone is mucking them up. But each to thier own........

Maybe i just havent given it a fair shot.

I just glanced at it to check out the Worst Books of All Time and, yes, I know DaVinci Code was totally hyped to death, but I truly enjoyed it. Apparently it is the absolute Worst Book.

I don't know...I'm sure somewhere out there is a truly BAD book that starts "It was a dark and stormy night...."

I got all excited seeing it up there, went to it and had a quick squiz but was disappointed, I really don't agree with the ones that I saw. I think I'll keep to our groups' lists, I really like them and am forever keeping notes of what I want to buy next.

I'd visited it before because it sounded perfect for my list addiction...

But as you've all said, I wasn't overly impressed. Perhaps it will get better as more people discover it, voting intelligently and righting the wayward ship:)

I haven't used the Listopia feature at all. I wasn't impressed in the slightest when I took a look at it a while ago (it was mentioned in the feedback group, but hadn't been formally announced)

What kills me are the people who are voting for books that don't even fall within that category....

Since when is Jane Austen one of the greatest 20th century authors?

How can Twilight be one of the greatest books of the 20th century when it was published in 2005?

Plus...when I voted for some of my faves of the 20th century (Animal Farm, The Secret History, etc.), I had to track down a particular edition because it was only looking at the re-publication date, not the original and wouldn't allow them as works of the 20th century. Frustrating.

I have since abandoned the attempt to figure out the Listopia feature.

I had a look at the lists and the only one that seemed to reflect reading tastes was the Stephen King List - The Stand was the all time favourite and this is true, as everyone I know who has read it or is part of the Stephen King Group, says it is the best book. Its one of my favourite King books.

I agree with you all about the worst ever books, I really enjoyed the DaVinci Code adn wouldn't have voted it one of the worst. I suppose everyone has different tastes.

Tianna, people vote on the books for each list. The more votes the book gets, the higher up on the 'main list' it goes.

I went back to check it out again incase I missed something the first time around, and actually added a few books to a catagory. The End As We Know It, or something like that... I had to add The Road and Earth Abides and Blindess, since they all have to do with a major change in governement and./or life as we know it.

Pffttt...

Very well said Ken!

I don't know if it's still out there, but I've had good luck with the lists on Amazon. There's not really an option to vote on them, and they are generally just put together by one person. But if you find someone that has similar taste, or open a list with books that you already like on it, they can be handy for finding other books that you'd also like. Not, of course, that any of us need help finding more books to read!

As to the Listopia stuff here, I can spend enough time debating on the lists of bests that we've put together and I trust you guys for suggestions! Looking at lists voted on by people that may or may not have any credibility is guaranteed to just irritate me!

I found out about this awhile ago from the Goodreads Feedback group and I added some books and voted for others. I do see where some lists are not entirely correct and most lists in general are entirely based on different people's opinions so everybody may not agree with every book on every list but it's interesting to see how your opinions match with others. I also think that it is still a new feature and kinks will have to be worked out.

I am more excited however about the First Reads/Giveaway feature...love free books.

Yeah Cynthia, huh?? Where is this?

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway

Last month they were giving away the new David Sedaris and one other that I can't remember. It's funny, but our spamalicious friend Jim has his book right at the top. Apparently it's tough to even give away.

Jen, your Red Lobster comment almost made me spit my coffee at my computer.

Hey Val...Bad opening lines? and A Wrinkle in Time opens that way as an allusion to this work!

I stepped away and Logan posted the link before I could get to it...yeah they have a quite a few books up there right now (I entered to win 4 of them). It just came out recently and again I only found out about it because I read about it in the Goodreads feedback group.

Oh, Ken I could not have said it better ... although I do read the lists the girls post here from time to time, I liked the Big Read, and the 1001 (which somehow morphed into 1243), etc. I just like having them in my computer to get ideas for classic books that would be a good addition to our family library.

Charity- some people just loved the 20th Century so much they can't let it go ... ;o)

I love the lists, especially the Best Young Adult Books, it's my area! Though I hate that Twilight is in there, grrrr.

As soon as I heard you guys mention Listopia here, I had to check it out! I just went crazy on Listopia. Oh, well. It was fun.

I just wanted to comment to the original poster that I absolutely positively HATE HATE HATE The Giving Tree. I loathe it. I love the Shel Silverstein poem books, but The Giving Tree was a total swing and a miss to me. It shouldn't be titled The Giving Tree, it should be titled The Very Selfish Boy. Ever since I was little, I've wanted to throttle that stupid little boy in the book. It's all take take take with him and he NEVER even considers giving back.

ACHHHHH!!! I could go on, but I won't.

Remember how you vote for BEST and WORST. You'll only vote on things that have left an emotional scar on you (good or bad). If 2000 people give a book 2 stars, it won't make the worst books list. But if 200 people are pissed b/c someone convinced them to read the DaVinci Code and they hated it, they're gonna run to the Worst Books of All Time list and vote, vote, vote.

It should have a ho-hum list. The "It didn't kill me to read it but I'm sorta sorry I wasted my time and I wouldn't recommend it however I probably won't remember in 6 months what it was about" list.

Also, now I'm totally gonna check out the book giveaway list posted.

LOL, Julianne...your ho-hum list is so right on! About 75% of what I read goes on the ho-hum list.

This thread is just too funny. Jen the Red Lobster is so funny & so true.

Ken: listopia a waste I agree w/looking at your friends. I have found a lot of great reads in this group and 1001 books to read before you die. I am sticking with that since my taste in books is along the groups same tastes.

I may not agree all the time but many of the books in listopia are totally wrong. The Giving Tree, one of the best. I will stop there, so you don't have to get an eye full.

Julianne, you should start a list like that at Listopia! And when you do, post the link here and I will definitely vote! :)

Luann,

Totally forgot to keep up with this thread. I've never considered putting a list on Listopia. I'll have to consider it...

BTW, I like to use the "Compare Books" feature on peoples' GR sites, for 2 reasons: 1) to see how similar people's book tastes are to mine, and 2) to see if they've read something on my TBR list and then I can get his/her opinion on it and see how far up my TBR list it should go.

It's a really nice feature I use sometimes when I'm stumped on what to read next, or if something should go on my TBR list.

The funny thing about Listopia is the books that are the WORST OF ALL TIME AND FOREVER are also the best books?
Please explain :P

has anyone seen the lists of bests site?
e.g http://www.listsofbests.com/list/99

if you like a good list youll be hooked and not tampered with, im ticking things off like an addict, started with movies - e,g best picture Oscar winners and now diving into books

I'm a Listopia addict, I think.

I've voted on many lists, and made a few - Best Books About Tudor England, Best Children's Historical Fiction, and Best Books About Ancient Rome.

I think it's fun.

I made a few lists too. I used to be an addict, but not so much anymore. :)

I haven't voted on any of them. But does anyone here use these lists? I mean, would you see whether you'd read most of The Best Books of the 1990s? Many listings, of course, have only 1-2 votes. I don't think they qualify as belonging on any best list. Still, if I want to make inroads on the Pulitzer List, or the British Best 100, why not some of these?

There are such lists, Elizabeth - our favorite of the Pulitzer winners, for example.

But do you use the lists to guide your reading? I guess my question wasn't very clear.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "But do you use the lists to guide your reading? I guess my question wasn't very clear."

The lists are often referenced in the Spring Challenge for example. I have really enjoyed participating in this challenge and I have been drawn to lists that I ordinarily might have missed.

No, I use them for fun, and sometimes to satisfy my curiosity.

Some of them are useful as "words to the wise" about books to avoid, as well.

Wendy wrote: "The lists are often referenced in the Spring Challenge for example. I have real..."

I haven't seen any of the Listopia lists on the Challenge. Perhaps there will be one for the Summer Challenge.

I love Listopia.

It's really helped me discover new books. I use it like I would a bookstore/library--it's great for just browsing or window shopping.

Sure there's an awful lot of 1 vote wonders. But if something near the top of your favored genre gets 50 positive votes, it catches your attention.

I like the lists section on this site, I vote frequently. When I go to a list, I get a list on the right hand side of the books I've voted on. I wish there was the ability to add books to these lists. Sometimes I have a few books people haven't thought of yet.

Irene wrote: "I like the lists section on this site, I vote frequently. When I go to a list, I get a list on the right hand side of the books I've voted on. I wish there was the ability to add books to these lis..."

You should be able to add books to listopia lists. When viewing a list, on the right side of the page there is "find/add books to list" above a search box & an option to browse your shelves. Once you've searched for a book, the right side of the page gives you the titles found with vote buttons. Presumably, clicking on "vote" adds the book to the listopia list.

I think its very interesting that best and worst books on Listopia look eerily similar