Book lovers take note: The Help earns top ranking by GoneReading fans.

Last month we posed a simple question to the fans of GoneReading: What book(s) did you enjoy so much that you literally couldn’t put it down?  The results from your fellow book lovers are in, with the top 10 listed below.

And while we suspect that The Help earned a boost from the recently released motion picture based on the book, I have yet to hear anyone say they didn’t love the book itself.  Its ranking is well deserved.

Have any thoughts to share regarding our list?  Let us know by commenting below!

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  Check out an independent review by The Book Lady’s Blog.
2. Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  Check out a review by Devourer of Books.
4. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown.  Read this review by Book-Blog.com.
5. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
6. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.  Check out this review by S. Krishna’s Books.
7. The Stand by Stephen King.  Read a review by Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review.
8. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
9. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  Check out a review by The Betty and Boo Chronicles.
10. East of Eden by John Steinbeck.  Read a review by Whimpulsive.

Happy reading!

Could a well-done soundtrack add to the reading experience?

One of the “selling points” for E-readers is their supposed ability to improve the reading experience by making it more interactive.  They could give readers the chance to access dictionary definitions to unfamiliar words, link to the author’s source material, or, yikes, show scenes from the book’s movie release.

Call me an old fool, but the book lover in me would find that distracting.  I don’t yet own an E-reader, so I don’t want to get too opinionated, but a Kindle sounds much more attractive to me for reading than an iPad.  The apps on an iPad could distract me to the detriment of my reading.

But I recently stumbled across this article in Salon.com that has intrigued this old fool.  A soundtrack, if done right, might just add richness to the reading experience.  After all, music does have an amazing ability to set a tone or mood.

Of course, doing it right would include the option to “mute” the soundtrack.  Quite often I read with some quiet music in the background, but sometimes I just need silence.

I suppose it’s only a matter of time before E-readers offer a soundtrack option for major book releases, and E-books will be sold with the respective rights to the music selected by each author.

What say you?  Is that something that might add to the reading experience, or would it distract you needlessly?  As always, share your thoughts by commenting below.

Happy reading!

Could we benefit from knowing what our candidates have actually read (or not)?

I was flattered when the website BlogCritics recently asked me to write for their “books” section. Although I’m not sure of my qualifications, I never turn down the opportunity to promote this blog or our philanthropic business at GoneReading.  What follows is my first article for BlogCritics, entitled “Hey Candidates, Whatcha Reading”.

You can read the original story below, or on their site here.  As always, let me know what you think by commenting below!

Original text from BlogCritics:

“Politicians are often known for the books they’ve written in the years prior to their candidacy.  Whether constructed as part of a campaign strategy or not, a successful book can launch a political candidate into new levels of the stratosphere.

But candidates who write for political purposes aren’t necessarily book lovers themselves.  All politics aside, I want a book lover in the White House.  I want bibliophiles in Congress.  Let’s put that tunnel between the U.S. Capital and the Library of Congress to work.

A recent article in The Daily Beast, which reportedly lists all of the books that President Obama has read since the last campaign, got me thinking about politicians and their reading habits.  A look into the reading history of candidates could offer a rich understanding of their persona, motivations, and world-view, without the filter of a speech writer’s spin.

So here’s my proposal to all politicians, the 2012 candidates in particular:  Show us your cards.  Let’s see what you’ve been reading.  Not just since the last election, but everything you’ve read as an adult.

I understand you won’t remember every book you’ve read; I certainly don’t. There won’t be any quizzes.  But just knowing the press might ask you some questions will keep you honest in the books you list for us.

One delicious aspect of my proposal is that I’m guessing some of these politicians have written more books than they’ve read.  They remind me of the airline passenger seated next to you who won’t stop talking.  All output, no input.  We know what politicians have to say, but a glimpse into their reading history will show us how they can listen (or not).

Years ago I set out to read the biographies of each American president, in chronological order.  I admit that so far I’ve only made it to Andrew Jackson, who served as President from 1829-1837.  I got sidetracked in the process because the biographers repeatedly mentioned the ancient writers who had influenced our presidents.

Over and over I read the names of Cicero, Pliny, Marcus Aurelius, Aeschylus, Plutarch, to whose writings I turned.  These ancients influenced the likes of Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison.  My presidential reading project sent me back 2,000 years, to the sources of the presidents’ greatness, giving me a more robust comprehension of our founding fathers.

Returning to the present, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the PR advisors to the current candidates aren’t going to like my plan.  But I say that’s hogwash.  If your candidate is worth his or her salt, a glimpse into their reading history is only going to bring that to light, and with new resolve and legitimacy.

You are what you read.  If the candidates want my vote, now they know how to earn it.”

Bradley S. Wirz, Founder & CEO

The rap on Hurricane Irene is that she didn’t quite live up to her billing. Hurricane coverage is on the wane, but the real story for millions on the East Coast is the multi-day power outages of up to a week (yikes!) in some cases.

There’s not a lot of fun with modern-day life in a world suddenly medieval. Fitful sleep to the cacophony of neighbors’ generators is just one of the many “perks” of living through a suburban blackout.

But I must admit, nearly the first thing I thought when the power went out was “Well, maybe I can get some extra reading in.”

Apparently others were thinking the same thing. On Sunday a friend without electricity texted an urgent plea for book recommendations: “We’ve got all day outside and the sun is shining; we’re just going to sit out on the back porch and read.” When was the last time you heard that?

GoneReading’s Facebook page echoed the sentiment: “Losing power is a great way to catch up on reading books!” one fan posted, while another chimed in “I had my book and book light at the ready”.

Parents are winning-out too. “Our power was out most of the day, giving us plenty of daylight time to read. Huge, as my high-schooler has one week to finish summer reading!”

Without power or Internet access, book lovers and bibliophiles are delighting in the new simplicity of reading-centered entertainment. The peace and quiet, lack of distraction, and singularity of focus afforded by a blackout can intoxicate the reader.

Case in point, I’m not sure I’ve ever been able to read as much as I have the last few days. I’m breezing through the final volume of Edward Gibbon’s History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and my magazine pile has completely disappeared. My wife is re-reading Charlaine Harris’ entire series of Sookie Stackhouse books.

Can life get any better?

Our hearts go out to those who lost life or property from Hurricane Irene. But maybe a little hurricane-induced power outage every now and then isn’t such a bad thing. It gets us back to the things that really matter: Conversation, simple living, and some completely self-indulgent, limitless time for reading.

I’m enjoying it while it lasts, and secretly dreading the moment our power returns and we’re catapulted back to the 21st century.

Happy reading!

Have a hurricane related story for the book lovers, bibliophiles and readers among us? Please share by commenting below!

Bradley S. Wirz, Founder & CEO

Would you like to have your very own magazine???

This self-professed book lover probably doesn’t write enough about the reading of magazines, something that struck me as I read about an intriguing new app for the iPad called Editions.  The app uses proprietary algorithms and technology to create a totally customized digital magazine for each subscriber, each and every day.

The app claims to “read you” by tracking your reading habits and matching them with recent articles that it believes will be of most interest to you.  Apparently you receive your own customized magazine of 30-40 pages every day at a time of your choosing.

Although I’m not a big magazine reader myself (not to mention that I don’t have an iPad), this technology intrigues me, at least in principle.  30-40 pages each day does seem like a lot of content, too much for me.  But then again, if it’s super-relevant for my needs and interests, it might just be an amazing tool.

Have any of our serious magazine readers out there tried the app?  Let us know how its working for you by commenting below.

You can read all about the new app from AOL, which was brought to our attention by Publishing Perspectives.  Go directly to the Editions website here.

Happy reading!

Worldreader uses E-readers to instill a love of reading for kids in Ghana.

I’ve written before about the importance of taking a reading vacation for yourself in the summer, but I was recently struck by this story from Worldreader, which is testing the idea of summer reading for kids in Ghana.

Worldreader’s mission statement is “to make digital books available to all in the developing world,” which closely parallels GoneReading’s cause.  Worldreader is currently measuring the effects of e-readers in three different grade levels at six schools in Ghana.  I’ve been following Worldreader for some time now, which I believe is on track to effect some major change in the developing world through the magic of reading.

What I love about the story above is that it recognizes and honors the importance of summer reading.  For me, reading as a kid in the summer played a crucial role in the development of my lifelong love of reading.  It’s when reading stopped being a chore for school, and when it started to become a lifelong passion.

If you ask me, summer reading is the best part of reading, be it here in the U.S. or in the most remote village of Ghana.

Enjoy the article, and as always, post your comments below.

Happy reading!

Send us your summer reading pictures!

Wow, where did the summer go?  With summer winding down that means most of your summer reading – and your summer reading vacations – have closed another chapter.  What’s a book lover to do?

Well, GoneReading wants to memorialize your summer reading experiences into an online photo album for all of the world to see.

Did you find the perfect reading spot at the beach?  Did you while away the hours on that shady porch swing at grandma’s house?  Maybe your kids caught you napping in the hammock with a great read on your lap?  Send us those precious pictures of you and your family reading!

Why?

• To share your discoveries on the best places and ways to enjoy summer reading.
• To inspire others to read through your joy and love of reading.
• To dispel the myth that “reading is dying” – let’s show the world that reading is very much alive!
• Earn a lot of “likes” and GoneReading might just send you one of our gifts for readers.

How?

Send us the best photos of you and your family reading from this past summer by posting them on our Facebook Page, or send them via email to summerpix@gonereading.com.  Make sure to tell us a little about the picture(s) you send.  Disclaimer: Providing your pictures gives us the right to share and/or repost the pictures for all to see!

Happy reading!

Reading with headphones: The "final frontier" for readers?

On a quiet train ride this week it occurred to me that Amtrak makes the perfect place for book lovers.  Each train has its designated “quiet car” in which we are reminded by the conductor to maintain a “library like atmosphere.”  If only the airlines could do the same.

My perfect train ride got me thinking about how rare it is to find peace and quiet for reading.  I queried GoneReading’s Fans for ideas and suggestions.  A sampling of the responses, which came quick and furious:

• “EARPLUGS!!” was the simple solution from Stephanie M.
• Similarly, David B. says “I put my MP3 player ear buds in and ignore everyone!!”
• Maybe the best solution of all came from Diane H.  ”I have trained my family to leave me alone when I’m in the bathtub!  Great place to read.”

Be the hit of your next book club with a "When's Wine Club?" t-shirt or gift, now available for purchase at www.GoneReading.com.

A number of book lovers from GoneReading have suggested that we start an online book club. Although we love the idea, it’s difficult to see how we could improve upon the dizzying array of clubs that are already available online.  If an online book/discussion group is what you’re looking for, it almost certainly exists somewhere online.

There are approximately one gazillion such clubs online, so the challenge is to find the best club(s) that suit your individual tastes and interests.

Some are incredibly robust, and some are nothing more than a list of books for suggested reading.  Before you head to Google to start wading through the myriad options, here are some points you should consider:

1. Online book clubs are different than in-person book clubs.  Online book clubs are light on the fun and social benefits of meeting in person.  They tend to stay focused on, well, the books.  Of course, this might be exactly what you’re looking for.
2. What types of books are you most interested in?  Many online book clubs focus on very specific genres.  Finding one (or more) that much up with your tastes is a big advantage of online groups.
3. Most online book clubs don’t really meet at defined times.  This helps you work the group into your busy schedule.  But, you should consider how you want to interact with the club and how often.  Do you want daily emails, a weekly synopsis of the group’s activity, or no outreach at all?
4. As with in-person book clubs, you should consider what reading pace works best for you.  A book every week, or just once a month?  What happens if you skip a book or can’t join in for several weeks?  Again, the array of choices online should help you find a group that meets your needs.
5. Another advantage of online clubs is that you can choose the “tone” of the group.  Are you looking for a critical, erudite discussion (can you type with a British accent?), or do you want a more top line discussion.  Also, consider whether the group moderates its discussion.  Without moderation things can sometimes get heated.
6. Lastly, another great advantage of the digital revolution is that many authors offer robust discussion via their own websites.  Rather than joining a club, you might just find what you’re looking for by interacting directly with your favorite authors and their fans.

Given that there are so many, it’s going to take some searching to find the right one(s) for you.  Don’t get frustrated; you’ll be richly rewarded in the end.

For more on the topic:

Want to escape and read? How about checking in to a "reading retreat" at Castello di Galeazza?

I’ve done a lot of research on why people love to read, and it really boils down to this: People read to escape. Whether or not you use those exact words, there’s a pretty good chance that you read to “immerse yourself in another world” or “get lost in someone else’s shoes.”  Sounds like escape to me.

In fact, it’s just this notion of escape that led to the name GoneReading for my philanthropic organization.  Book lovers are almost always thinking about how, where and when we can disappear with a great book.  Tell the world I’ve checked out; I’ve gone reading.

Yet how often do we really escape and read?  Not nearly enough.

So here’s some incentive.  This article from Salon.com entitled Reading Retreats: Paradise for Book Lovers, highlights some amazing places and ways in which you can escape and read.  It turns out there’s a movement afloat to provide book lovers with destinations solely dedicated to serious escape, and some serious reading.

From “reading retreats” at the 14th century Castello di Galeazza in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, to “reading weeks” at Gorna Lipnitsa, a traditional small holding set deep in the Bulgarian countryside, these retreats will help you get seriously lost in your favorite books.

Your Own Reading Retreat

But such reading extravaganzas are few and far between, to say the least.  What about your own reading retreat?  Do you have a special place where you go to read?  If you don’t, you should think about finding one now.

It need not be extravagant.  Your own reading retreat can be a nook in the house, a special chair in the back yard, your favorite coffee bar in town.  The only requirement is that your retreat allows you to disappear and read, truly read, without distraction.

It doesn’t even need to be a place; it could be a time.  My wife knows my favorite times of the week are Saturday and Sunday mornings when I can read uninterrupted for a few hours without distraction.  I might be in the study, on the back porch, or in the living room.  But it’s my time to read.

If Bill Gates Does It…

“Twice annually, Bill Gates schedules a week-long ‘reading retreat’ during which he does nothing but pore over the books and papers he’s set aside during the year,” according to the Salon story above. Yes, he’s Bill Gates and he can do whatever he wants.  But I’m guessing that he’s been doing this his entire life.  His dedication to reading – and establishing his reading retreats – is a cause of his success, not an effect.

So there it is.  Establish your own reading retreat, make it a priority, and you will become Bill Gates.

Well, maybe not.  But book lovers deserve, and in fact need, more reading in their lives.  Finding your own reading retreat will help you do just that.

For more on the topic of reading retreats check out the following:

• Savidge Reads Book Addict
• Jen Robinson’s Book Page

Happy reading!