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Currently Reading/I Just Finished Reading - WHY???

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Motokid

Motokid

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Why do we have a "Currently Reading" sticky? As of a few minutes ago it was 133 pages long with 1991 posts. Every member has a profile, with a space to list "currently reading" and then many go and post what they are currently reading????? It's redundant isn't it?

Then there's the "I Just Finished Reading" sticky. It's 73 pages long today, with 1081 posts. Why don't the people who post here start a new thread about this particular book and have a discussion, or post in an existing thread about the book or author? If the folks here want more book discussion this sure seems like a good way to do it. How many books that people post about in this thread already have a thread specific to that book somewhere else in this forum?

If there's concern that TBF needs more book discussion I would think getting rid of the "I Just Finished Reading" thread would help. Get members to post in the threads that pertain to the book, or start new threads based on the book or author. Wouldn't that open more discussion than just posting in the IJFR thread?

The currently reading thread is just not neccessary. Is it?
 
Motokid said:
Why do we have a "Currently Reading" sticky? As of a few minutes ago it was 133 pages long with 1991 posts. Every member has a profile, with a space to list "currently reading" and then many go and post what they are currently reading????? It's redundant isn't it?
Click to expand...

I agree that it's unnecessary.

Then there's the "I Just Finished Reading" sticky. It's 73 pages long today, with 1081 posts. Why don't the people who post here start a new thread about this particular book and have a discussion, or post in an existing thread about the book or author? If the folks here want more book discussion this sure seems like a good way to do it. How many books that people post about in this thread already have a thread specific to that book somewhere else in this forum?
Click to expand...

I used to quite like this thread, as it gave people the chance to say what they'd finished reading without the pressure of having to write a review or start a thread. Sometimes, all you want to say is "It was okay". But recently, I've changed my mind. If this thread wasn't here it might well help to generate more book-related discussion.
 
Very much agreed, the only of the Stickies there I can see a vague point with is the "Recently Purchased" since you can't say much about books you have yet to read, other than that you're looking forward to it.
 
Jemima Aslana said:
Very much agreed, the only of the Stickies there I can see a vague point with is the "Recently Purchased" since you can't say much about books you have yet to read, other than that you're looking forward to it.
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And even then, the recently purchased will, sooner or later, become your currently reading ....yadda yadda yadda....
 
True enough, that's why I called the point of having it there 'vague' :) There *is* a point, but it wouldn't hold in the Supreme Court :p
 
Personally I can't see much point in either of them. The Currently Reading thread was useful but now we have the option to list it in our profile it has become rather redundant. I never saw the point of the 'I just finished reading thread' - when someone has finished a book it would be better for them to comment on an existing thread regarding that book, or if no such thread exists then to create one. With a long list of 73 pages, no one is going to bother searching for opinons on a particular book.
 
I totally agree. When you post in "just finished........... " if you're lucky it may get a "yes I liked that book as well" and then it's swamped by the next 50 just finished titles.
 
This is Scary! A suggestion we agree with??? This makes so much sense. Too many potential book discussions have been lost within these sticky threads. Time to change. Excuse me while I go start a thread...
 
ha ha haw...*rubbing hands together*

*stewart and I shall take over this forum yet.......shifting eyes....he can have the book side...and I.....MOTOKID.... shall be the KING OF PAIN over in General Chat....shifting eyes again.....*
 
LOL Some change is so undoubtedly for the better that no one will bother to argue :p It's clearly only the matters that aren't black and white that'll cause a stir.
 
I agree with the suggestion. I used to feel there was a purpose to the 'Just Finished' thread, but after reading this thread I realised that it would be /much/ better to get rid of it and encourage more in-depth discussion.
 
Interesting responses considering the "I just finished reading" thread has a 5 Star rating.... :confused: :confused: :confused:

maybe that rating was given many, many moons ago...ages ago....
 
I also see no point to the currently reading thread. I have never used it.

I do like the "I Just finsihed reading" thread. I go in there for quick book reviews, to see what people read and if they liked it. I have gotten lots of ideas for things I would like to read from there, from how it has been described. Also I have crossed things off my list. Though, I must admit that if this thread were not around there would be more book discussion. I like it, but will happily live without it. I just like it for the quick reviews of many books, all in one place.

But hey, kill it. Bwu ha ha. :D
 
Motokid said:
Interesting responses considering the "I just finished reading" thread has a 5 Star rating.... :confused: :confused: :confused:

maybe that rating was given many, many moons ago...ages ago....
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Probably just by one person - I don't think that I have ever rated a thread, to be honest. Don't really see the point.
 
Motokid said:
Why do we have a "Currently Reading" sticky? As of a few minutes ago it was 133 pages long with 1991 posts. Every member has a profile, with a space to list "currently reading" and then many go and post what they are currently reading????? It's redundant isn't it?
Click to expand...
I would suggest moving it to General Chat, rather than removing it completely. The fact that that it's 133 pages long with 1991 posts would seem to indicate it has some relevancy to users of the forum.
As for the "current reading" part of our profiles making the thread redundant, can I refer you to this post:
http://forums.thebookforum.com/showpost.php?p=137008&postcount=1990
Here is an example were I am reading three books at the present time, I included links to the authors wikipedia page and the review page on Amazon for the book itself; all in case a casual observer was intrigued enough it want to investigate further. If we can do this in the profile then I agree that the thread is irrelevant.
The relevancy of the “Just Read” thread is perhaps more problematical. I agree it may have the effect of encouraging posters to make a ‘minimal effort’ review, rather than start a specific thread with a more in depth assessment. However, I suspect many posters don’t want, or perhaps lack the confidence, to do this and like to use this thread to give their overall impressions.
Personally I am of the opinion that if we want the forum to become more ‘book focused’ we should be aiming for more carrot than stick; after all, readers tend to be a rather independently minded lot. As with a number of ‘issues’ that have cropped up lately, I lean more towards the need for careful housekeeping rather than wheedling the knife.
 
/muffled sound of grumbling in the distance/

While I agree with all the remarks here about the "I liked it" posts not being so informative, I hope the solution lies in the direction of encouraging more informative comments in the current threads. People buy books for reasons. They might be able to be encouraged to give the reasons, even as one or two liners. People have reactions after finishing. Perhaps, again, encouragement would elicit further comment. What encouragement? Perhaps thread titles like this very one we are in, for example "I just bought .... and HERE"S WHY." and similarly for "Just finsihed reading .... and HERE'S WHAT i THOUGHT" Plus some guidance in the opening post as well. Not quite a warning :D but something that gets the point across.

I look at the threads to see what's current, which is a harder thing to do when looking at the top lines of people's posts, because the information is organized differently. "What is happening now" is a different kind of question than "Who is reading what"

Plus I have my doubts that many people would switch over to starting new threads, especially when one has to search first to avoid duplication, and if starter posts like "I Liked it" are going to be discouraged. If such posts are undesirable, are similar full-fledged threads any more desirable?

If size is the issue, since it has been mentioned, rather than content, then these might be good threads to have age limits, with older posts automatically being dropped after some time. 6 months? 3 months?

I would prefer trying to improve the existing threads rather than just lopping them off; I'm a 'make haste slowly' kind of guy. :)

Peder
 
My guess would be that most of the books that are being posted about in both of those threads already have a thread about the book itself, or at the very least the author. So, a quickie review can just as easily be posted in a thread that already exists if a member is shy about starting a new thread. It just requires a simple search.

Also, I don't see the "pressure" to submit a full fledged, critical review just to start a new thread. Why can't members simply start a new thread with:

"I just read "This Book", by Mr./Mrs. Author and would love to discuss it.Care to comment?"

Or something along those lines.

There's no need to bring out the fine tooth comb when starting a thread. It can be as broad, or as focused as the thread author wants. No pressure, just start the topic.

If people are feeling intimidated about starting a new thread there's a much much bigger problem we need to be dealing with here than having a few stickies about just bought, am reading, just finished.....

I shall now go ask that very question in General Chat. Maybe a poll?
 
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