Saturday, January 3, 2009

I Hope You Were Just Saying That

A number of people recently informed me that they'd like to share book recommendations with me.  I sort of hope they don't really want to and only sort of want to, in a I-see-that-you're-on-Goodreads-and-maybe-I-can-add-you sort of a way.

I got on Goodreads about a year ago.  I love the idea.  It's great to share what you're reading with friends, get ideas about what to read, and see what other people have thought about books that you have read or plan to read.  Fabulous.

Unless you don't know your password because you actually just converted your husband's profile for yourself, editing out all his information and replacing it with yours, except for the password, which remains the obscure reference to a his favorite Polish Classical novel  (Pharoah by Bolesław Prus) that you've never read, including names and numbers.  

Because if that happens, then probably you will not remember the password, and will be too lazy to ask your husband for it and therefore unable to update what you're reading/planning to read on the site, either.

This, of course will only be after a few sessions of over-enthusiastic listing of books you've read, including little reviews of how you felt about them.  Reviews like this:

"Dude, I canNOT wait until David is old enough to read this book.  He's gonna LOVE it."(about The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope) 
"I'm a little embarrassed to say that I read this book, but I'm even MORE embarrassed to say that I really enjoyed it and have read it thrice!" (won't name this book)
or
"This is one of my favorite comedies.  Hilarious." (about Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome)

Okay, so those aren't direct quotes, really, but they go something like that (from what I remember, but I'm pretty sure I never used the term "dude", at least).  How excited was I to find, after looking around a bit, that I had access to ALL reviews, which meant that everyone had access to mine.  Oops!  Before that I had really thought it was just my sisters, mom and a few friends that would have access to them.  Imagine my embarrassement as I read through the other reviews for these same books that articulately analyzed the author's writing style, the characters or the complexity of the plot.  "Um, yeah.  That's what I meant to say," I thought.

So, I don't really do Goodreads.  I DO love getting email updates of what my friends are reading and their ratings and (articulate) reviews.  It would totally be worth it to connect with more people just so I could get those emails about their reading ventures, but then, I'd have to know my password.  And I don't.

21 comments:

Heather of the EO said...

This is hilarious.

I have a GoodReads and a Shelfari (I don't know what I was thinking) But I never update either of them (well, NEVER is a strong word) I'm rarely updating them, let's say that. I'm already on the computer waaaay too much to be doing constructive, educational things like learning about good books. :)

Erin said...

I'm the same as Heather. I never update mine either. But the reason is because I don't read anymore. I spend all of my spare time blogging! How sad.

Annette Lyon said...

At first I was about to go hunt you down on Good Reads . . . and then I just laughed. This is great.

Erin said...

I had to look up which book you were referring to there. Maybe I'll read it now! I always intend to write something down in Goodreads to help me remember what I read (otherwise it will completely leave my brain in a month or so), but then I feel embarrassed that people might actually read what I wrote down!

Erin said...

I have also been meaning to say how I love the layout of your blog and the frequent color changes. It always looks lovely!

annie valentine said...

I feel like Goodreads is one more thing trying to suck my time away. And I'm always nervous about recommending books to people in case they see that I have really lame taste in literature. The few books I have on Goodreads are very, very safe.

Alison Wonderland said...

I'm not really a fan of goodreads. I'd rather just read than spend a lot of time marking waht I've read and what I'm going to read and what I want to read and...

Heidi said...

Do the reviews HAVE to be articulate? (loved this post, btw!) (I have a thing about books, doncha know)

Kazzy said...

Sometimes just giving them a rating is good enough, and then you can always go back and be more thorough later. If you know your password...

Aquaspce said...

I could do nothing but laugh.

Melanie Jacobson said...

I love Goodreads. And since everyone knows I'm a huge nerd with a gigantic brain, I have no problem saying, "I liked this book because the guy sounded hot." (I'm only kind of joking. But I am a big nerd and everyone knows it). I also dig a little deeper sometimes in my reviews but I'm not trying to be profound. Mainly, I'm just trying to find more good books to read. That's why Goodreads is fun. It's interesting to see what my friends are reading, even if it's just a rating with no review.

Melanie Jacobson said...

P.S. Who is this Erin person in your comment trail that looks so much like you? I see her profile in other trails and I always find it startling!

Lara Neves said...

I say, go make a new account! Even if it is just to get the updates on everyone else's books! I haven't posted a review in months, but it is one of my favorite emails to get every morning, telling me all the wonderful things my friends are reading. :)

J. Baxter said...

I did Goodreads for about three days. Then I spent twenty minutes taking some never-ending quiz, and deleted my account. I swear, between blogging, and Facebook, and Goodreads, and all the other possibilities, I don't know how people ever get to their laundry!

Rebecca Blevins said...

My friend sent me a link to Shelfari, I signed up, and then it wouldn't do anything I asked it. I still have an account there, but have no idea what my password is either!

If the book you admitted to reading is the same one I'm thinking of, we're in the same boat. ;)

Stephanie said...

I have a goodreads account, too, but it's mostly stagnant because I DON'T READ ANYTHING. I did read Jane Eyre this summer and I was so proud of myself that I wrote a review on Goodreads that was almost as long as the novel itself. That must have worn me out because I haven't been back for a while.

Anonymous said...

I'm a shelfari girl, myself. I update my shelf, but I don't do many reviews unless I really, REALLY love the book. I like to browse through it and get some ideas for what to read, but sometimes I wish they would incorporate a rating system. I hate getting excited about a new book after reading someone's glowing review only to find out it's full of profanity or immorality or junk like that. Give me a good ol' Jane Austen any day!

Pancake said...

I kept getting those good read invites too! Love the reviews, just no time!

charrette said...

Hahaha! I'm glad I'm not the only one who forgets obscure hubby-created passwords. Because he's a technophile, and i'm, well...an artist. :)

I love the IDEA of Goodreads because I'm always looking for the next favorite book. But the constant updates can actually be a little annoying. And look at all the terrific, intelligent, well-read blog friends we have to poll next time we need a great book!

Beeswax said...

I'm shelfari, although I once saved the file and transferred them to Goodreads, and then never went back to visit. If you ever get back on, come see Kellybee on SHelfari, or Beeswax on Goodreads.

I wish the rest of your friends would put their screen names on here, so I could stalk them on another corner of the internet. You should come, too.

Little GrumpyAngel said...

You are way funny!

I'm on GoodReads, but my entry is incomplete and I have not updated ever since. I am just overwhelmed by all these internet networking. I'm having a hard time enough with blogging :-)