Google patent filing describes tailored online book clubs, minus the wine

The phrase "virtual book club" may not conjure romantic visions of low-lit rooms and vintage wines, but you don't necessarily need those things to throw fancy words around. Amazon-owned Goodreads hosts user-created online clubs, but a Google patent application that's surfaced today imagines a different way of bringing bookworms together. It describes a system that automatically prompts the buyer of a new title, presumably acquired through Google Books, to join a club. To make this virtual version a little more like the real thing, it'll suggest specific groups based on your age, location, interests, preferred club size, reading speed and literary tastes. Furthermore, you'll only be coupled with those who've bought the work recently, so your new-found chums aren't on page 400 before you've even started. It'll all be managed through a social network, of course (we hear Google has one of those), and members will be able to fill specific roles within the club hierarchy. They'll also be able to schedule "activities," which we assume is patentese for Hangouts and the like to foster discussion. The patent filing also talks of financial rewards to tempt participation, which sounds like the perfect strategy for building millions of inactive G+ pages. Filed under: Internet, Google Comments Source: USPTO Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2013-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #patent filing #financial rewards

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Google patent filing describes tailored online book clubs, minus the wine'


RuPaul Launches Author-Owned Online Book Marketplace

Allstora, an e-commerce platform with a wholesale membership model, promises to split profits with authors and offer books at steep discounts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-03-04 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online book


Asian American Book Club Launches with Lunar New Year Party

The organization held its soft launch party last night in Brooklyn, N.Y., which event coproduced by Hachette Book Group and Kundiman and featured six authors, including Curtis Chin and Kat Chow. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-16 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kat chow #hachette book #book club


Book Club Picks for February 2024

Barnes & Noble and Jenna Bush Hager pick Kiley Reid's sophomore novel, 'Good Morning America' and 'Nerdette' spotlight Dolly Alderton's latest, and more of this month's selections from the nation's biggest book clubs. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble #barnes


Book Club Picks for January 2024

'Good Morning America' spotlights Vanessa Chan's debut novel, Jenna Hager Bush selects Bonnie Jo Campbell's latest, and more of this month's picks by the nation's biggest book clubs. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-10 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick opens up and performs at the L.A. Times Book Club

On Dec. 12, California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick talks about life on the road at the L.A. Times Book Club. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-12-12 20:24:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #times book


Book Club Picks for December 2023

Jenna Bush Hager selects Lauren Grodstein's 'We Must Not Think of Ourselves,' Reese Witherspoon spotlights Ella Berman's 'Before We Were Innocent,' and more of this month's picks by the nation's biggest book clubs. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


A Book Club Took 28 Years to Read ‘Finnegans Wake.’ Now, It’s Starting Over.

The group in California started on the notoriously challenging novel by James Joyce in 1995. In October, it reached the end. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-12-07 10:40:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #james joyce #book club


What to Do When You Hate Your Own Book Club Pick

So you picked the book club book and it turns out you hate it. Whoops! A reader offers tips for what to do next. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-11-27 11:33:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book club


It took 28 years, but this book club finally finished reading Finnegans Wake

After 28 years, a book club in Venice, Calif., has finally finished reading Finnegans Wake by James Joyce — but the club's founder Gerry Fialka would argue you're never really done reading it. Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2023-11-14 22:49:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book club


How to watch AI Book Club Night with authors Fei-Fei Li and Joy Buolamwini

Fei-Fei Li, author of "The Worlds I See," and Joy Buolamwini, author of "Unmasking AI," join the L.A. Times Book Club. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-11-14 20:40:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #joy buolamwini #fei-fei li #unmasking ai #times book #book club


Book Review: ‘The Manuscripts Club,’ by Christopher de Hamel

The bibliophiles in Christopher de Hamel’s lavishly illustrated book ensured the survival of medieval texts over centuries. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-11-11 10:00:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #illustrated book


Book Club Picks for November 2023

Oprah selects Jesmyn Ward's new novel, 'Good Morning America' spotlights Stephanie Land's latest memoir, and more of this month's picks by the nation's biggest book clubs. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-10 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #latest memoir


Oprah Announces 103rd Book Club Pick

Oprah has chosen her 103rd book club pick. It's the latest from a two-time National Book Award winner and one of our great modern writers. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-10-24 17:43:43 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #national book award #book club


Tattered Cover Book Store Files for Bankruptcy

One of the country's best known independent bookstores plans to use the bankruptcy process to become a smaller, modern, financially sustainable business. It is in the process of closing three of its seven locations. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book store


How to watch Martin Baron discuss 'Collision of Power' at the L.A. Times Book Club

Editor Martin Baron will discuss "Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos and the Washington Post" at L.A. Times Book Club night at USC. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-10-11 21:08:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #times book


NYPL Launches Nationwide Teen Banned Book Club

The New York Public Library's Teen Banned Book Club offers free nationwide digital access to banned and challenged YA books. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-10-03 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #banned book


Frightfully-Fun Halloween Book Club Ideas for Your Next Meeting

Who doesn't want to throw a Halloween book club? Find Halloween book club ideas, decor, party favors, and recommended reads all here! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-09-25 10:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #recommended reads #book club


Lower Trade Sales, Book Club Reorg Dent Scholastic Results

Lower trade book sales and costs associated with the creation of its new School Reading Events business resulted in an operating loss in the quarter at Scholastic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #operating loss #trade book #scholastic #book club