Choosing Books

[Mats]

Often I discover a writer that I like, read all he/she has written, and wish I could find more writers with the same appeal. This http://www.literature-map.com/ is a site which attempts to help. Simply enter the author you admire, and you will find a "map" of writers who share similar readership. Give it a try.

[MrsBrown]

Well, that was fun! and useful!!! I put in my favourite authors which led to other authors I like which made me think that some of hte authors listed were probably ones I should check out. Oddly, when I clicked on Amy Tan, the closest author to her was Dr. Seuss. hmmmm Is there something I'm missing about Amy Tan?

[ejm]

Oddly, when I clicked on Amy Tan, the closest author to her was Dr. Seuss. hmmmm Is there something I'm missing about Amy Tan?

And Shel Silverstein is really close as well?!

So I googled Amy Tan and it turns out that she has written two children's books!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Tan

I'm usually a big fan of Amy Tan but strangely, I was unable to finish "Saving Fish From Drowning". For me, it just wasn't as compelling as "The JoyLuck Club", "The Hundred Secret Senses" and "The Bonesetter's Daughter".

I like watching the names shift around on the map. (Does anyone else question putting Alice Munro right beside Ann Patchett? Or putting Harper Lee right beside Charles Dickens?)

[Lawless in Lotusland]

I couldn't find any of my favourite authors on this site, which is devoted to fiction. I wonder if anyone has developed a similar site for non-fiction? I wonder if this software is easily available so that people can create their own literature maps!