BookArmy: A social site for readers
My most popular article based on page views is 4 Sites to Help You Decide What to Read Next. At the time I didn’t think much of the article but it got stumbled and each time someone reviews it on stumble the traffic spikes again. I guess a lot of people want to find books that are similar to ones that they really like.
Recently I came across BookArmy, which is a site for people who love books are reading. This site is more social than the ones in the earlier article in that the site connects you with other users who have similar interests.
About BookArmy
According to the help pages, BookArmy is very user based. Recommendations are based on how you’ve rated books on your lists and by member lists that are similar to your own. Books that are considered similar to others are based on users suggesting similar books. You can actually win prizes for adding similar books. This seems to depend on the accuracy of other users determining what is similar but is much more human that a formula deciding that for you.
After you sign up, you are taken to a screen to start adding books that you have read. It seems that you have to rate them in order to add them to your profile. My guess is that the ratings are what are used to match you with other users and other books.
Obviously, I can’t add every book that I’ve read so I started by putting in 8 of my favorite books.
After adding 9 books, I clicked on the Next button, which took me to a screen to update or complete my profile.
My Books
From the profile page there are quick links to your Wall and Alerts, as well as a useful Quick Add button to add more books. Clicking on the Quick Add button takes your to your Books Page. This is organized in three sections; Books Read, Currently Reading, and Next. Here is where you can add books that you are reading and you don’t have to rate them – there is a single Add button.
Interesting features on the books pages are ratings, find similar, recommend, buy (a link to Amazon), and chat. Most of these are self-explanatory so I am going to only take a look at Find Similar to see what the matches are like. I selected Anathem by Neal Stephenson, which I am currently reading. Most of the similar books listed are ones I haven’t read so I can’t really say whether they are similar or not. I thought other Stephenson books, such as Cryptonomicon would be listed because Stephenson is mostly similar to himself. But maybe the site figures that if you like a book by an author you have already looked into books by the same author.
When you look at the book page for a similar book, you can add it to your library, recommend, create group, or create an event.
Authors
According to BookArmy
We love writers. Discover which authors are the top rated this week, most popular this month, most talked about and most recommended authors as rated by real people (you). You can read your favourite author’s biography, peruse bibliographies and even become friends with any bookarmy author.
You can also search for authors from this page.
A full author page includes a photo, a brief blurb, books by the author and similar authors.
Other tabs
Other sections include Videos (authors and book lists), People, Groups, Forums and Events. Apparently anyone can create a Group or an Event about any topic. I haven’t looked into this much but it looks like it could be useful and fun.
On the right side of every page is a list of Recommendations, Top Books this Week, Most Read this Week and Top Authors.
All of the sections except for Recommendations have RSS feeds. My recommendations were empty – it seems that it takes the site a little while to generate this list for you. I also didn’t add that many books so that might be part of the problem too – although I think 9 should be enough to get started. Minimally, it could recommend books by the same authors.
Ending
This seems like a good site to find book recommendations, similar books to ones that you love, and readers with similar interests. There are also social features such as groups and events. The best recommendations come from creating a profile but it is possible to search books to find similar ones without actually creating an account.
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July 9, 2009 at 5:34 pm
I’m not much on armies but this looks pretty sweet. I can start just going to your profile instead of bothering you to ask you whether you liked a book.
Notice how I didn’t say “if you’ve read a book”, because you seem to have read almost every one i ask about. ;-)
July 10, 2009 at 10:02 am
Hi Jim – I don’t like the use of the word Army either. I think you better keep asking about the books because I don’t know if I will have the time to keep updating the site.
I have read a lot of books ;-)
July 10, 2009 at 6:21 am
If I could only carve out a few extra years, I’d be interested in getting new books! :)
I recently wrote about my two favorites – http://www.squidoo.com/touch-lives . I’d love to find more books like that.
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s last blog ..Easily Save Your Loved Ones From Being Horribly Scammed – Covert Angel Time!
July 10, 2009 at 10:04 am
Hi Barbara – I know. I mostly avoid buying new ones but can’t resist the deals at flea markets and yard sales. I have teetering piles in my room.
I read The Eagle and the Raven a long time ago and loved that book. It got me started on a Celtic/fantasy kick for quite some time. I think I read it a couple of times.
July 10, 2009 at 8:08 am
Thanks for blogging about bookarmy. The site is still in beta so comments and reviews like this really help us improve the site. Cheers!
Hannah´s last blog ..Twilight
July 10, 2009 at 10:08 am
Hi Hannah – Thanks for stopping by :-) I had a problem with the recommendations and asked about it, got an answer right away, and it has since been fixed.
It’s really cool the way authors have profiles too and some are interacting with the other users.
July 12, 2009 at 9:02 am
The previous 4 sites that you mentioned were good and this one also looks nice. Will give it a try.
Madhur Kapoor´s last blog ..Mikogo is a Free Desktop Sharing and Remote Access Application
July 13, 2009 at 7:19 am
Hi Madhur – Great! I hope you like it.
July 14, 2009 at 12:19 am
I came back to tell you I loved this site and your recommendation – I think I am addicted to reading…I love to read and am always looking for the next book to dive into..
Thank you so much…
Patricia´s last blog ..Understanding Agenda For a New Economy ~ David Korten
July 14, 2009 at 6:47 am
Hi Patricia – :-) I’ve been addicted to reading ever since I learned how.
I’ve kept track of every book I’ve read since 1991 – I wish I had been doing that all along.
July 14, 2009 at 7:08 pm
My second daughter always wanted to be a baker when she grew up – she has Celiac Disease and no Gluten on her list so baking is quite a challenge – but she wrote down in little journals all the books she has read and why since she was about 5 or 6. Now at nearly 26 she will graduate from the University of Michigan Information Services (Media and Education) School in December – a Librarian she will be with her own private card file! already in process.
I have not written down my reading since I started the blog. I do reviews of books on the blog, but I read about 5 books a week right now…My Kindle makes reading much faster and I love being able to take notes and underline permanently even when they go into archives….and the no dusting factor is awesome…no more stacks by the chair and bed too!
Still a great post Thank you
Patricia´s last blog ..Understanding Agenda For a New Economy ~ David Korten
July 15, 2009 at 11:19 am
Hi Patricia – Wow! I wish I had the list that your daughter does. I’m
obsessive about keeping track of things like that but didn’t become that way until I was over 20.
The best I ever do is 2 books a week – my goal is 1. I’ve considered the Kindle but I love physical books. I don’t travel that much but if I did I think
that would push me to get one.
July 17, 2009 at 11:04 am
Kim, I’ve joined many similar site like Book Army before, however, I though Book Army is much user-friendly than others. That’s why, I decided to give it a shoot. Although the site still in BETA version, but I’m sure it’s going to be a great site!
July 17, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Hi Wilson – I agree. It’s user-friendly and the other people using it are friendly. I had a problem with the recommendations and got a response from the site right away too.