Readers' Advisory Web Resources
Readers' Advisory Web ResourcesIf you wish to go to a certain genre's Web resources, click on this image map to choose the genre which interests you:
General Fiction /Fantasy /Mystery /Romance /Science Fiction.
General Fiction
Genreflecting.Com
Click on Ask the Experts for an answer by email to that hard to find read alike in a variety of genres.
Overbooked
Hosted by the Central Virginia's Community Online, this is an excellent Readers' Advisory tool. Lists, reviews, newsletters abound. Well organized and current.
Web Sites for Book Lovers
This is the definitive electronic guide for Readers' Advisory resources. This site explains and defines as well as provides reams of information that librarians and readers will both find valuable. Access to lists of Web sites for Readers' Advisory pages, Booksellers, Electronic Journals, Publishers, Bibliographies, Booklists, Book Discussion Guides, and Genre Fiction Sites abound. Closely related is the following listserv discussion group, Fiction_L. Initiated and maintained by Morton Grove Public Library.
Mostly Fiction: Booklists!
Some of the best lists in cyberville reside on this blog from Maine. Seek and ye shall find!
Fiction_LThis listserv is a forum for discussion on general Readers' Advisory issues. The members support a lively discussion of library issues but are also instructive and helpful when you are looking for a specific book, author, or subject and cannot locate it by any other means. There is a wealth of genre, topic, and author lists compiled in the site's archives. Click here for the archive's website. This site is not a forum for book reviews. Can be subscribed to in Digest form.To subscribe: Send an email message to requests@maillist.webrary.org
Leave the subject line blank, in the body of the message type: subscribe fiction_L
To subscribe to the Digest type: subscribe fiction_L-digest
BookWireReed Elsevier Business Information publishes BookWire in a busy newspaper format and bills itself as the book industry's most comprehensive and thorough online information source. BookWire contains timely book industry news, features, reviews, original fiction, guides to literary events, author interviews, thousands of annotated links to book-related sites, and much more. Publishers Weekly's Bestseller lists appear here.
Fantastic FictionThis site boasts that it contains over 7000 author bibliographies and information on over 150,000 books. They are not kidding. Excelllent series information as well.
WRL BookwebWilliamsburg Regional Library serving Williamsburg, James City County and Upper York County, Virginia has produced a marvelous resource containing an astronomical amount of booklists and read alike lists.
Read-a-likes from the Boone Public Library system in KentuckyExcellent new site that has a great many lists and innovations.
Readers' Services from the Rochester Hills Public LibraryThis site is from the Rochester Hills Public Library in Michigan and contains some limited but well-chosen links to Readers' Advisory resources. Look for reviews, awards, reading groups, reading lists, genre fiction, Young Adults, and audiobooks.
Seattle Public Library's Reading ListsThis site from the Seattle Public Library contains some Readalike lists, as well as other lists from genres, general fiction, and non-fiction.
On the ShelfThis site is a blog from the Danvers, MA Peabody Institute Library with interesting tidbits, lists, reviews, and all around salient bibliophile information.
If You Like...FictionThe Hennepin County Library in Minnetonka, MN has a wonderful array of "if You Like.." lists. Look by topic, genre, and also popular book title.
If You Like...The Canterbury Public Library in New Zealand hosts this helpful site of selected topics for those readers searching for similar titles and authors in a genre or by a favorite writer. This site also provides similar "If You Like..." lists for music and some Nonfiction topics. Although limited in content, this site is worth a try.
a.k.a.: also known as.author pseudonyms, aliases, nicknames, working names, legalized names, pen names, noms de plume, maiden names... etc.
The ZimmerblogWhat's New for Book-Lovers is a bit of a ramble. However, the reviews are honest and refreshing and sometimes give a readers' perspective that other reviews don't seem to have.
Author Web Pages from Mystical Unicorn Online Used BookstoreNot exhaustive--but close, if you are looking for author information and their latest endeavors.
Literary Guide to the World from Salon.comExcellent resource for the traveler who wants to find fiction to read about the country or continent s/he will be visiting.
Amazon.com BooksAmazon.com, billed as Earth's Biggest Bookstore, is truly an amazing and consistent site that provides information and often reviews to a great many of the books in print. Current and soon-to-be-released books are easy to find here and provide Readers' Advisory assistance to patron and librarian alike. Keyword, author, title, ISBN, and subject searching are available as well as lists compiled for seemingly every occasion and purpose. THe new "keyword" searching of all text may be problematic for some who do not want to thrash through unrelated titles for the one they want. Referrals to other "like" books also abound, and you may want to take those under advisement if you do not know the title. Even though, an indispensable RA tool.
Barnes and Noble.comNow featuring the Book browser search engine for Browsing, this huge bookstore chain presents a great Readers' Advisory resource with the ability to search for current books in print, authors, subjects, keywords, and ISBN. Other features include The New York Times on the Web Books with reviews, lists, and recommendations. Like Amazon.com, this site is a timely and helpful RA resource.
Borders.comA bookstore chain similar to Barnes and Noble in scope and content offering timely information on books and authors.
Acqwebs Directory of Book Reviews on the WebThis includes searchable electronic versions of Booklist,The New York Times Book Review,The Atlantic Monthly,and The Washington Post's Book World among many other excellent sources of reviews and criticism.
Booklist MagazineContinuing in its tradition of providing in-depth reviews and articles on a variety of genres and formats, this site allows users to examine a current selection of reviews, enjoy a wealth of feature articles, and consult a newly developed cumulative index not available in the print Booklist. Along with an Editors' Choice, the reviews and articles revolve around Adult fiction and nonfiction, books for youth, media, and reference materials. Print Version.
IPL Online Literary CriticismThis Web site from the Internet Public Library can be searched alphabetically by author, title or literary period.
BookpageGood author interviews.
Library Journal DigitalThis electronic version contains many of the same features found in the print version. Along with the Prepub Alert and articles, there are reviews of adult fiction and nonfiction, reference, and children's titles. This site also links to Bookwire. Print Version.
The New York Times Book ReviewFree but must subscribe.
NOBLE's Books, Reading and Literature Page Includes online booksellers like Amazon and Barnes and Noble, in addition to resources by genre and booklists from libraries.
NYBooks.com
A literary Webzine and retailing outlet, this site is a collaborative effort of three NYC literary publications: The New York Review of Books, Granta, and the Reader's Catalogue. Edited and managed by the staff of the Reader's Catalogue, the site provides an annotated listing of more than 40,000 books available by phone order. A monthly online lit zine, n.b, includes listings of new books, a monthly interview, original reviews, excerpts and an archive of past issues. The site highlights books published by small and university publishers.
Salon
Author interviews and reviews.
Y'all
Southern authors covered here.
Publishers' Catalogues Home PageIf dealing directly with the publisher is your aim, then this site is a good place to begin. Organized by country and then alphabetical groupings, each link contains actual publisher's catalogues to peruse and order material from. There is also information for Book Fairs, International/Multinational Publishers and other publishing-related links.
Books@Random LibraryAccessible information for the Vintage and Ballantine line of books, as well as listings of electronic newletters and magazines by genre and publisher reside on this site. Random House Teaching Guides also have a home here.
Book Discussion Guides From the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in Wakefield, Massachusetts.Web sites for Reading Guides are truly everywhere, this page contains some of the most useful links that you'll find including publishers' websites and criticism. From the "So You Want to Start a Book Discussion Group...Information Page." Also check out NMRLS Nuts & Bolts Of Book Groups for additional resources.
Penguin Putnam Inc. OnlineFrom this Newsletter/Reading Group Guides, choose Reading Group Guides and find a wealth of knowledge for those leading or participating in a Reading Group. Along with advice on how to create a Reading Group, Penguin's site contains lists of suggested reading group titles, including 500 Great Books by Women (by topic), and Readers' Guides for individual titles owned by Penguin. This site is a terrific aid for those starting or sustaining a reading group.
Random House Book Discussion GuidesThis site provides links to the Vintage Books Reading Group Center, the Ballantine Reader's Circle, the Random House Children's Publishing Teacher's Guides and Reading Group Guides, and the Academic Marketing Teacher's Guides.
Reading Book Choices: Selections for Lively Book DiscussionsAn assortment of guides for some titles are available in the Guide Directory by author or title. This site also contains advice for starting up groups and for group leaders.
Soon's Historical Fiction SiteBasing many of its resources on postings from the Usenet newsgroup rec.art.books.hist-fiction, this site contains a rec.art.books.hist-fiction FAQ, a link to its selected archives, and a wealth of historical fiction lists compiled by members of that group. A very valuable historical fiction site, Soon's contains a multitude of links to resources like The Master List Of Historical Fiction Writers and reading lists on specific eras or subjects.
Fantasy
Science Fiction and Fantasy ArchiveOne has to really appreciate a site that contains both a verbose and a terse index, and this site has that and much more. Much of the material is taken from Usenet postings from as far back as 1985, but this archives provides authors' bibliographies, some biographical information, and views on their writing, reviews for some titles by author's name, and some movie reviews. A Special Series listing includes links to electronically produced and distributed magazine Quanta and some fanzines, publishers newsletters (Del Ray and Tor). Special booklists and information on creating Fantasy and Science Fiction-related material, and some actual fiction also reside here.
Horror in LiteratureThere are a lot of scary things on the Internet, and this site, a page of The Cabinet of Dr. Casey where information on horror abounds, focuses on different aspects of horror literature. The Author/Title search in The Horror Literature Database gives an alphabetical listing of results with authors' biographical information as a data choice. There are also various horror literature Internet links, Online Horror Fiction sites, and a terrific link to discussions of horror in literature like the historical significance of Shirley Jackson and the current trends in contemporary horror literature.
Mystery
Dorothy-LA mystery listserv named after Dorothy L. Sayers and active since 1991. Available in digest form, this group has become a collection of writers, publishers and avid readers of mystery fictionTo subscribe: Send an email message to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.KENT.EDU
Leave the subject line blank, in the body of the message type: subscribe DOROTHYL your name.
GASLIGHTTo subscribe: Send an email message to Mailserv@MtRoyal.AB.CA
Leave the subject line blank, in the body of the message type: subscribe Gaslight
The Mysterious Homepage from ClueLass.com"Just the links, Ma'am." The Mysterious Home Page was created and owned by Jan B. Steffensen from Aalborg, Denmark and is now administered faithfully by Cluelass.com. This site contains a plethora of links to Web addresses of general mystery guides, specific authors, specific characters, themes in mystery fiction, newsgroups, mailing lists, publishers, and oodles more. A must as a mystery Readers' Advisory tool.
Crime Fiction Reviews from reviewingtheevidence.com.A wonderful array of reviews that contain thoughtful, literate, and insightful comments on all the genres of mystery, suspense, and crime fiction.
Mystery Fiction from the Waterboro, Maine Public Library.A superb site with mystery-oriented links and lists.
Mystery Readers International.MRI is the largest mystery fan/reader organization in the world, is open to all readers, fans, critics, editors, publishers, and writers. Started by Janet A. Rudolph in Berkeley, California, it now has members in all 50 of the United States and 18 foreign countries. Members vote each year to nominate and select the winners of the Macavity Award. Site includes Mystery Readers Journal, Q & A's with authors, and Reading Group links.
Web Mystery Magazine.Reviews and more...
Romance
Romance Writers of AmericaExcellent links and definitions for the Readers' Advisor or reader interested in finding books in the genres of Romance. Links to writers, booklists, reviews and the latest RITA award winners are all found on this well-written and current site. Whether you read Romance or do not, this a must for any RA in understanding and appreciating this genre.
Romance Readers AnonymousTo subscribe: Send an email message to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.KENT.EDU
Leave the subject line blank, in the body of the message type: subscribe RRA-L
Romance Writers' Discussion GroupTo subscribe: Send an email message to LISTSERV@SJUVM.stjohns.edu
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Science Fiction
SF-LITTo subscribe: Send an email message to LISTPROC@LOC.GOV
Leave the subject line blank, in the body of the message type: subscribe SF-LIT Your Name
SF Site: The Home Page for Science Fiction and FantasySF Site is composed of many pieces. Twice a month since July 1997, they have posted a mixture of book reviews, opinion pieces, author interviews, fiction excerpts, author and publisher reading lists and a variety of other features. At the same time, they have maintained a comprehensive list of links to author and fan tribute sites, SF conventions, SF TV and movies, magazines and e-zines, writer resources, publishers and small press sites and many other SF resources.
Science Fiction and Fantasy ArchiveOne has to really appreciate a site that contains both a verbose and a terse index, and this site has that and much more. Much of the material is taken from Usenet postings from as far back as 1985, but this archives provides authors' bibliographies, some biographical information, and views on their writing, reviews for some titles by author's name, and some movie reviews. A Special Series listing includes links to electronically produced and distributed magazine Quanta and some fanzines, publishers newsletters (Del Ray and Tor). Special booklists and information on creating Fantasy and Science Fiction-related material, and some actual fiction also reside here.
Lucius Beebe Memorial Library - - lme