GoodReads: Social Media for Booklovers
People often ask me whether I get bored living in a medieval village. I suppose plenty of others might under similar circumstances, but when I’m not working, I always manage to find something to do whether it involves dogs, goats, or engaging in one of my oldest and most favoritest hobbies: reading.
Over the Easter vacation, I devoured three books, and it felt wonderful since it’s been a while since I’ve had quality, concentrated reading time like that. What did I read?
- Too Much Tuscan Wine by Dario Castagno
- Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos
- Waiting by Ha Jin
I loveloveloved the first, *really* liked the second, and just liked the third, but they are all definitely worth reading.
I will be writing a review of Dario’s book soon here on the blog (I promise, Dario!), but for the others and most other books I read, I tend to give quick summaries of my feelings over at GoodReads.
Do you know about GoodReads?
It’s yet another way to connect online, but this one is strictly for booklovers. You can share what you’ve read with your friends, give recommendations, and otherwise just talk about books.
If you want to be friends on GoodReads, I’m Michelle Fabio over there–or you can always keep up with what I’m reading and what I’ve read here on my books page.
So, have you read any good books lately?
Buon weekend!
18 Beans of Wisdom to “GoodReads: Social Media for Booklovers”
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
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Is Dario the author that lives by Cristina of Expats in Italy? I haven’t read any of his work but I think my wife has. Have a great weekend!
Probably, Gil; Dario is apparently rather pazzo for the whole Palio thing 😉
I just discovered the local library here and was delighted to find a whole wall of English language novels! Maybe the hotels donate all the books that the tourists leave behind? However, it has kept me busy and happy all winter!
Hah! That’s too funny…enjoy!
Yikes, another social media site? I’m afraid I’m having trouble keeping up! I try to check it out this weekend.
joanne at frutto della passione’s last blog post..Forte e gentile, tu sei abruzzese
I know, Joanne…this one is one of the few I *really* keep up with 🙂
I’m excited about a book I’m starting – Paper Cities. I also just finished teaching a Ha Jin short story. Too Much Tuscan Wine sounds like something I’d love, love, love, too!
jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..More about this later…
Paper Cities sounds fun! Let us know what you think please 🙂
I’ll definitely have to pick up a copy of Dario’s latest book. We heard him speak about his first book, Too Much Tuscan Sun, when he was on a book tour in the states a few years ago. His passion for his work and his culture is contagious. It’s great that he’s having such success with his books. Happy weekend.
I imagine he’d be great in person…so much energy!
Thanks for the ideas. I didn’t know about Book Reads. I recently read “A Homemade Life” By Molly Wizenberg. Just charming.
Ciaochowlinda’s last blog post..Chocolate Amaretti Cake
Ooh I like charming! Thanks 🙂
Hmmm…. Never heard of GoodReads, I don’t suppose. I’ll check it out!!!
*smiles*
Michele
Enjoy Michele!
Thanks for the book suggestions. Reading is second only to cooking!
I heart you! Glad you enjoyed the suggestions 🙂
I am just about to review an incredible book I just read, too.
As to Dario, I was glad I was never a client of his! Imagine, you pay him to guide you and then he rats you out for anything he thinks is unusual or incorrect behavior! ALL my clients are splendid people… really.
So funny about Dario’s clients…I think he changed their names at least, right?!
Love the Dario Castagno books! All of them are really funny and very well written, very impressive for a first time author.
Michele’s last blog post..Scoppio del Carro
I can’t wait to read his others!
Hi Michelle, I’m back on line! Nice to read you again!
saretta’s last blog post..Easter gift
Welcome back Saretta! Great to “see” you 🙂
Had to chuckle when I clicked on the Goodreads link and saw Ann Coulter’s book under the worst books of all time. Must be a good website 🙂 Thanks for the link.
girasoli’s last blog post..“purple”~ PhotoHunt
Hee hee hee….
I am in the middle of A Vineyard in Tuscany. So far, I like it!
Hah, I bet you *wish* you were in the middle of a vineyard in Tuscany 😉
Thanks for the link. I went there and signed up. I have a great many book lover friends. this may be for them. I will share link on my site and reference yours.
Marge’s last blog post..Beer Wars Live
Great Marge! See you there!
I read ‘Too much Tuscan Sun’ a few years ago and enjoyed it. I had foot surgery a few months ago, so read several really good books, including ‘Loving Frank’, ‘The 16 Pleasures’, ‘Surviving Picasso’, ‘Middlesex’, ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’, ‘Bloodletting and other Miraculous Cures’, and ‘Christ Stopped at Eboli’-for the 2nd time. I’d recommend them all! I’m just starting ‘My Cousin the Saint’.
Excellent list, Cristina…you’re really making the most of your “off your feet” time 🙂
I recently finished the Cellist of Sarajevo, which was beautifully written and very moving. Not about Italy, but an incredibly powerful book, and really scary when you remember how recent the seige was.
italytutto’s last blog post..just added nine new blogs to my listing of blogs on italy
Sounds amazing; thanks for the suggestion!
I absolutely LOVE Goodreads, and I’ve been using it for a couple of years now.
In fact, this year I had my students make accounts and that was one of the book reports they turned in to me for their outside reading books. That way, they could see what their peers were reading, and hopefully get some good ideas for other books to read.
I myself just finished reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel. It was a good, deeply philosophical book that definitely works for book clubs, as it brings up so many thought-provoking points.
Now I’m reading Songs Without Words by Ann Packer, and I am loving it so far. Beautifully written, heartbreaking story.
Bella’s last blog post..WW Walk-It Challenge – It’s ON!
Great suggestions, Bella; I *still* haven’t read Life of Pi though it’s on my stack…it’s in Italian though so that’s what’s giving me pause I think 😉
Well, I’m sure you’ve read it before, but I’m currently half way through Under the Tuscan Sun and it’s great. I’m so glad it’s not like the movie at all and it’s been inspiring me to cook Italian food. I highly recommend it.
(PS I just found your blog today and your freelance advice is SO great!)
Yes, it’s *so* different from the movie; I enjoyed both, but for far different reasons 😉