What to Read Next

You have just finished reading a terrific book, you turn the final page to face a daunting predicament: what should you read next? Meet Goodreads.com, a virtual reading group without the personal drama and idle gossiping. Goodreads, founded in December 2006 by Otis and Elizabeth Chandler, is dedicated to bibliophiles, seeking “to help people find and share books they love and improve the process of reading and learning throughout the world.” Members of the website can add books to their own personalized bookshelf, read and review books, recommend titles to others, and participate in discussions about all things literary. Within its first year, Goodreads attracted 650,000 members; by the end of 2012, Goodreads has grown to  more than 13 million members. Besides great book reviews, Goodreads is home to an exceptional collection of thoughtful and meaningful quotations posted by its members who are, of course, very well-read and discerning.

Each year, Goodreads publishes a literary summary of the past year along with the Readers Choice Award, in 20 different categories, chosen by their members. Here are selected highlights from 2012:

Most reviewed book: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Winners of Readers Choice Award:
 The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling for Best Fiction
 Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn for Best Mystery & Thriller
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain for Best Nonfiction
Number of book reviews on entire site: 20 million
Number of books members added to their shelves: 210 million
Most added quote: “I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once.” from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
Most popular author interviews: Michael Chabon, Lois Lowry, Junot Diaz, Anne Lamott

For further reading: goodreads.com. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/need-advice-on-what-to-read-ask-the-internet. wikipedia.

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