Read On-Line with BookGlutton
I started reading at an early age and have loved it ever since. I adore books and, from time to time, I do my reading online. I’m just one of many who prefers hard copies over digital, but with BookGlutton on the rise things may start to change.
BookGlutton is both a library and a book group that aims to enhance the on-line reading experience. Upon getting signed up, usage is pretty straightforward—you can look for and start reading a book, find a group to join and read with, or upload your own work. You can keep track of friends, groups, and your reading history, as well as make annotations while you read and come back to them later.
The idea behind BookGlutton is by no means new—websites have been posting books on-line for years now, there are several places online where authors can post there work, and book clubs can be started on any social network.
Ironically, truly gluttonous readers cannot indulge themselves much with BookGlutton–the selection is absolute crap thus far. Popular titles such as Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code are missing from the site. Even Edgar Allen Poe only has one title available thus far. According to the FAQ, “the features that appear now should always be free for public domain content.”
Taking the lack of selection into account along with the fact that staring at a monitor too long makes my eyes water, I don’t think I’ll be making the switch from books to BookGlutton anytime soon. Check it out for yourself at bookglutton.com.
Travis | Nov 5, 2007 | Reply
Thanks for the post, Nion. Our original selection focuses on books that many people have already been exposed to, so that they can begin forming groups right away. We realize the catalog is starting small, but just to let everyone know, we’re adding to the catalog daily, and working toward getting some contemporary work in there. We’re also releasing a new version of our Upload Tool this week, which will make it easier for readers to upload their own work. Check back soon! - Travis Alber, Co-founder Bookglutton.com
Nion | Nov 6, 2007 | Reply
I haven’t really been exposed to any of the books in the catalog, and I’ve always studied writing and literature at a fairly advanced level. Perhaps my generation was just exposed to a different selection of literature. Thanks for the comment; I look forward to seeing BookGlutton grow!