The Virtual Library Planet, or Why I Love Goodreads
Goodreads.com is a site for booklovers to publish what they're reading, and what they thought of the book. Which they do in their tens of thousands. And everybody probably already knows more about Goodreads than me, because I am slow, and I am behind. But not anymore!
I wrote a book called "What Planet Are You From?" No, don't look for it; it's over there, on my groaning shelf. The book was the result of this whimsical theory I entertained for awhile, that most of us come here from somewhere else, and that we all know exactly what home is like.
I had dinner with two brothers once, and asked them what I asked everybody then, So, what planet are you from? I explained that I'm from the Planet of Horses, where everyone lives in these beautiful little villages about a day's ride apart. Every village has at least one good bakery, and several coffee shops where we do theater, music, readings, and hold dances in the back room. I'm one of the people on this planet who hangs out in a village for awhile, does some theater, and then rides on to the next place. The countryside varies all over the planet, and it's gorgeous.
Some people get the idea, and some don't. One of the brother said instantly that he's from the Sports Planet, where everyone's living condition is in proportion to how good they are at sports; great athletes have their own islands, and dweebs live on skid row. There must be a lot of people here from that planet. It explains all the people who are so passionate about watching millionaires play ball.
The other brother stammered something about coming from the Planet of the Golden Rule, where everyone does unto others, etc. etc., but later on he got lit up telling about this planet his ex must be from, the planet where she is the queen of the world, and according to the natural laws of that planet, the universe really does revolve around her. Frankly, that explained a lot about both of them. After all, he seemed to know all about what that planet was like.
One of the planets that so many of my friends are from is the Library Planet. The Library planet is a huge, beautiful planet with a perfect climate, with one contiguous library after another covering the whole place, both above and below ground. In between each library are gardens or arcades or nooks all with comfortable furniture for sitting around and reading books. It is a natural law on the Library Planet that every book is exactly where it is supposed to be when you look for it, and next to it is one that's even better, that you didn't know existed. The University Planet is in close proximity to the Library Planet, but that's another story.
Goodreads is the Virtual Library Planet. Nowadays when I hear about a book, or get interested one, I go and skim the reviews so I know exactly how it works on the audience. And more often than not, somewhere in the reviews someone says, "I liked this book, but this one is so much better . . ." And it is!
The Planet of Horses orbits in concord with the Library Planet. So glad to have found Goodreads.
I wrote a book called "What Planet Are You From?" No, don't look for it; it's over there, on my groaning shelf. The book was the result of this whimsical theory I entertained for awhile, that most of us come here from somewhere else, and that we all know exactly what home is like.
I had dinner with two brothers once, and asked them what I asked everybody then, So, what planet are you from? I explained that I'm from the Planet of Horses, where everyone lives in these beautiful little villages about a day's ride apart. Every village has at least one good bakery, and several coffee shops where we do theater, music, readings, and hold dances in the back room. I'm one of the people on this planet who hangs out in a village for awhile, does some theater, and then rides on to the next place. The countryside varies all over the planet, and it's gorgeous.
Some people get the idea, and some don't. One of the brother said instantly that he's from the Sports Planet, where everyone's living condition is in proportion to how good they are at sports; great athletes have their own islands, and dweebs live on skid row. There must be a lot of people here from that planet. It explains all the people who are so passionate about watching millionaires play ball.
The other brother stammered something about coming from the Planet of the Golden Rule, where everyone does unto others, etc. etc., but later on he got lit up telling about this planet his ex must be from, the planet where she is the queen of the world, and according to the natural laws of that planet, the universe really does revolve around her. Frankly, that explained a lot about both of them. After all, he seemed to know all about what that planet was like.
One of the planets that so many of my friends are from is the Library Planet. The Library planet is a huge, beautiful planet with a perfect climate, with one contiguous library after another covering the whole place, both above and below ground. In between each library are gardens or arcades or nooks all with comfortable furniture for sitting around and reading books. It is a natural law on the Library Planet that every book is exactly where it is supposed to be when you look for it, and next to it is one that's even better, that you didn't know existed. The University Planet is in close proximity to the Library Planet, but that's another story.
Goodreads is the Virtual Library Planet. Nowadays when I hear about a book, or get interested one, I go and skim the reviews so I know exactly how it works on the audience. And more often than not, somewhere in the reviews someone says, "I liked this book, but this one is so much better . . ." And it is!
The Planet of Horses orbits in concord with the Library Planet. So glad to have found Goodreads.