It's Finally Happened: The Hive Mind Is Discussing One Book!

[marilyn peake]

I've been following this on Twitter. A website called CROWDSOURCING invited everyone on Twitter to vote for one book that everyone on the Internet could read and discuss this summer. Huge book reading group! The hive mind that is Twitter voted for AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman. Here's the announcement on the CROWDSOURCING website:
http://www.crowdsourcing.com/cs/2010/04/and-the-one-book-one-twitter-winner-is-.html

[Bryan Russell/Ink]

Lol, I don't think the guy needed any help. The rich getting richer...

Though I guess it's pretty unlikely that such an event would select an obscure or up-and-coming writer.

[Emily White]

Lol, I don't think the guy needed any help. The rich getting richer...

Though I guess it's pretty unlikely that such an event would select an obscure or up-and-coming writer.

That would be nice, though. Could you imagine waking up one day and finding out that everyone on twitter was going to read your book? Yeah, that would be very nice.

[marilyn peake]

Ink,

I follow Neil Gaiman on Twitter. For whatever reason, he’s an absolute rock star over there. The phenomenon’s quite fascinating, actually. Now that he’s engaged to Amanda Palmer, the two of them are like the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie of the art world. Neil Gaiman’s actually been tweeting suggestions for where to get his book for free: libraries, etc. And he re-tweeted another person’s suggestion to support indie bookstores by purchasing his book, AMERICAN GODS, in one of those stores.

It would be AWESOME if somehow a good but relatively unknown book was chosen for a Twitter book discussion!

[Bryan Russell/Ink]

I should add that I think Gaiman is really classy. I used to read his blog fairly often, curious about how to navigate a such an expansive career. He seems to have a lot of integrity and treats people well, and understands the concenrs of his readers. He seems very down-to-earth. So on that account it's great. But, you know, the guy ain't hurting. :) Bestsellers, graphic novels, kids books, movie deals, major awards... not exactly in need of an extra push to keep his career afloat. Of course if it was me in that position I'd just think it was my proper due. :)

But it would be kind of cool if they picked something really good that wasn't also really well known. It would be interesting to see how the crowd could shape the industry. But this really isn't any different than the big bestsellers getting the aisle tables in the bookstores. Success breeds more success. The big get bigger and the little get littler.

[marilyn peake]

Ink,

I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. It would be so incredibly cool if somehow a good but little known book was discussed by the Twitter crowd. Hmmm ... What about this idea? ... Do you think a big-name author would ever recommend an unknown author's book for a book reading on Twitter? Now, that would be something to see, wouldn't it?

[Mira]

Awesome. Word of mouth magnified. What this sort of sounds like is a really big book club. The book clubs I've been in pick well-know works for the most part, but then occasionally someone will say: 'hey, guys, check this one out.' And everyone reads a new author.

That would be very cool if it happens.

I like Gaiman, but American Gods is very dark and I couldn't get through it. I feel guilty, because it's my brother's favorite book in existence, and I want to read it for him. But.....it's so dark!!!!

[Margo]

But.....it's so dark!!!!

Which is just another reason I adored it. I've probably recommended American Gods more times than all the others books I've ever recommended combined. Since you had trouble getting through it in print, I'd suggest the audio version (such a great audio performance). It actually had me getting into the slow lane on the freeway so I could drop down to 55 mph and hear more of it before I got home -- which is saying quite a bit for a lead-foot like me. Failing that, it may just not be the book for you.

In this case, the fame is well earned.

[aspiring_x]

In this case, the fame is well earned.

agreed. and to mobilize this amount of people, perhaps it's a good idea to stick with a bestseller. then perhaps if it turns out well maybe the hive mind will venture into more unknown territories.

[Mira]

Margo - I know, I know. Sigh. But it's so DARK.

I'll brave up and dig in again this summer. I know it's worth it. I believe you and the others who keep telling me how much they love it.

I think I'll just have to read it the way I watch horror films. One tiny section at a time. :)

[marilyn peake]

Well, I did it. After reading Neil Gaiman's THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, I bought a bunch of his books; but, wouldn't ya know it, one of his books that I didn't buy was AMERICAN GODS. So, influenced by the hive mind, I've now purchased it for my Kindle. :)

Speaking of the hive mind, I finally added a "Follow Me on Twitter" button to my website. I now receive over 120,000 hits to my website every year, and am hoping that more people will follow me on Twitter. Of course, Neil Gaiman has over 1,400,000 followers on Twitter, and there's just no competing with that!

[marilyn peake]

The schedule for the Twitter discussion of the book, AMERICAN GODS by Neil Gaiman, has been posted here: http://www.crowdsourcing.com/cs/2010/05/ready-set-read-the-one-book-one-twitter-discussion-schedule.html