Ask HN: Why don't 'r/suggestmeabook' users use Goodreads?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36724573

by freelanddev • 3 years ago

4 4 3 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I'm genuinely curious but I don't want to go against the rules of the subreddit so I figured I would ask here.

PaulHoule• 3 years ago

It sucks. If I was going to use Goodreads I’d go right to Amazon which has much more content.

Personally I am badly craving a service that can make a good landing page for any book. (I read some book, I want to share it with you.). Amazon might practically be the best. I like that WorldCat can find books at your local or Uni library. Some books are at Gutenberg or Open Library or the like. A lot of books I like are obscure and if there is going to be a review I’ll have to write it.

It’s one of the many ideas I might do something about if I wasn’t already swimming in side projects.

pixelgeek2• 3 years ago

Doesn't Amazon own Goodreads? I think its decline is an example of enshittification.

bwb• 3 years ago

What do you think of this?

https://shepherd.com/book/dune

We only do books people recommend, but I've tried to make that a tribute to the book.

pixelgeek2• 3 years ago

The recommendations from Goodreads are quite bad. This is for two reasons, I think. The categories that are used can sometimes be quite broad and so the programmatic recommendation pages can be quite useless. Far too many books in a broad category that don't give recommendations that are really related to a specific book that you read.

Secondly, people are not really the best at reviewing content. Taste is particular, of course, but many people can't differentiate between 'I didn't like this' and 'this is poorly written'. I am currently reading 'The Cold, Cold Ground' [^1] by Adrian McKinty and I doubt I will finish it because it is utterly bleak. It is a very well done book but it isn't for me. I would say that in a review but many people don't. So you get enthusiastic reviews for books that are utter shit as well as similar reviews for good books and it is difficult to tell them apart.

[^1]: I can't read the title without thinking of the quote from the Tasmanian Devil. "What for you bury me in the cold, cold, ground". https://youtu.be/CzDtYJLfA9Q

Ask HN: Why don't 'r/suggestmeabook' users use Goodreads?

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