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Penny Outskirts

Book Reviews

I often see recommendations for downsizery type books in posts, but what would be really useful is a sort of bibliography of things we've read with a very short description of what it's about and how it's helped.

I know there are big reveiws in articles, and some in reveiws and what's on, (but they can get a bit lost sometimes). I was thinking more of a happy medium between the two, and an easy way to find them.

Perhaps it could be split into the same categories as the forums? It would be an incredibly good resource for members, and I would much rather buy a book that had been useful to someone on here. For example, I'd like to buy a book on starting an allotment from scratch - there are loads of them out there, but which one should I go for Confused Question

What does we think?? (That needs to be said in a gloucestershire accent Very Happy )

Edit - just realised this thread should probably be in Site Suggestions - can someone move it if it's considered necessary Embarassed
Bugs

Re: Book Reviews

Penny wrote:
I often see recommendations for downsizery type books in posts, but what would be really useful is a sort of bibliography of things we've read with a very short description of what it's about and how it's helped....
Perhaps it could be split into the same categories as the forums?...For example, I'd like to buy a book on starting an allotment from scratch - there are loads of them out there, but which one should I go for Confused Question


I think this would be a really good thing if we could get it to work and above all be updated as we go along. It would be handy if it could be updated with other people's opinions too. Here's an example from today - I like "The Pip Book" and find it dangerously inspiring (and probably a thing to help you interest small people in growing things) but Cab said he found the advice in it not very practical and most of his things don't grow. Now you may trust me more than Cab and another 15 people may trust Cab more than me so it would be interesting to know who thinks what especially when most of us have read the same books.

The problem could be getting it kept updated, it can be difficult to get people to actually take part in these things. But that's no reason not to have a bash, and I do have a bookworm victim in mind who might be got to help with this (and no it's not me) - unless anybody wants to volunteer?

Penny, perhaps you could have a search in Grow Your Own to see if there's been a discussion on specific books for new allotmenteers (I feel they've been discussed but perhaps buried in another thread) and revive it if so, or start a new one if there's nothing that suits you? We could try and get it off the ground with this one and add other sections to it if it works?
bernie-woman

It would work with fairly comprehensive reviews of the books so that you could read all of the reviews and make a judgement on it from that - similar to an online bookshop that I know Embarassed

Actually - I was just about to write a review of one of the cookery books I got for Christmas

I'd quite like to see a seperate book section Very Happy where people could see a list of books which have been reviewed and then poeple could also add their review - does that make sense - not sure if it is viable though
Bugs

bernie wrote:
I'd quite like to see a seperate book section Very Happy where people could see a list of books which have been reviewed and then poeple could also add their review - does that make sense - not sure if it is viable though


As a separate forum? Maybe we could start by encouraging people to do reviews in here and then if the mods could make a sticky to list them in as they spot them? If it took off it could be worth having a separate section - especially if we kept each thread strictly a discussion of a particular book. That would mean the moderators having to actually moderate of course Surprised Surprised Surprised
bernie-woman

Bugs wrote:
bernie wrote:
I'd quite like to see a seperate book section Very Happy where people could see a list of books which have been reviewed and then poeple could also add their review - does that make sense - not sure if it is viable though


As a separate forum? Maybe we could start by encouraging people to do reviews in here and then if the mods could make a sticky to list them in as they spot them? If it took off it could be worth having a separate section - especially if we kept each thread strictly a discussion of a particular book. That would mean the moderators having to actually moderate of course Surprised Surprised Surprised


No I don't think I meant a seperate forum - rather a seperate section just entitled books which could have a list of gardening, cookery, downsizery books etc.. with reviews attached to them or not depending on whether people had written reviews

Then if say I wanted to have a look at what someone had written about A to Z of gardening I could just click on it read all the different reviews and make a decision then if it was what I was looking for

The problem I can see is that someone would need to collect reviews up and post them on the list - I suppose like collecting articles (which is difficult enough I hear you say) and then posting so they become a reference resource

Does that make any more sense - I am beginning to feel like I am going round in circles now Confused Very Happy
bernie-woman

Not a goer then? Very Happy Very Happy
tahir

bernie wrote:
Not a goer then? Very Happy Very Happy


Probably, need to think though
judith

I think the way Bugs suggests is probably less complicated. If the forum thread route were used, then people could simply add a quick review / comment as the mood took them, rather than having to go through the formal route of submitting it through Publishing.
I am thinking along the lines of the Amazon review system, which seems more spontaneous than formal to me.
bernie-woman

judith wrote:
I am thinking along the lines of the Amazon review system, which seems more spontaneous than formal to me.


Thats what I was thinking of originally - I am happy with the thought of an additional forum - just think it would be better than having to search for spontaneous book reviews in other threads - don't think I have been too clear with what I was trying to say

Blame it on still having no kitchen - it is enough to put someone who hated take aways in the first place in a very strange place Laughing Laughing
judith

bernie wrote:
Blame it on still having no kitchen - it is enough to put someone who hated take aways in the first place in a very strange place Laughing Laughing


Big sympathy. The thought of being without my kitchen brings me out in a rash!
Bugs

A book review thing isn't likely to be one of those things there's a gadget available for, is there? I do like the Amazon version - and a voting system would be nice for books too.
tahir

Bugs wrote:
A book review thing isn't likely to be one of those things there's a gadget available for, is there? I do like the Amazon version - and a voting system would be nice for books too.


There's got to be one for Mambo/Joomla, doubt there's a phpBB one, if there is a Joomla one it'll probably need all that html editing nonsense again.
Bugs

Fiddlesticks.

I'd be tempted to have a trial in this forum here - perhaps with strict moderating ie no descending in to conversation, only reply with your own opinion on the book in the title - see how it goes, and if it looks popular move the posts to a new board?
bernie-woman

Bugs wrote:
Fiddlesticks.

I'd be tempted to have a trial in this forum here - perhaps with strict moderating ie no descending in to conversation, only reply with your own opinion on the book in the title - see how it goes, and if it looks popular move the posts to a new board?


Sounds a good idea - I am happy to post a few reviews or do anything to mod it etc Laughing
Fee

oooh, voting system would be excellent, guess we could use the poll system, but have star rating instead of poll answer.
Bugs

Fee wrote:
oooh, voting system would be excellent, guess we could use the poll system, but have star rating instead of poll answer.


D'oh. That's a perfectly smashing idea. Can we pretend I thought that one up?
Fee

Bugs wrote:
Fee wrote:
oooh, voting system would be excellent, guess we could use the poll system, but have star rating instead of poll answer.


D'oh. That's a perfectly smashing idea. Can we pretend I thought that one up?


I thought you did Wink
judith

I've just spotted a slight technical hitch with using the poll system for reviews.
I can't tell how many stars the reviewer has given a book unless I also give the book a star rating - which I can't do unless I have read the book Confused
Is there any way to allow people to see the poll results without them having to vote in the poll themselves?
sean

Could the reviewer not just put their star-rating in the body of the review?
Bugs

judith wrote:
I can't tell how many stars the reviewer has given a book unless I also give the book a star rating - which I can't do unless I have read the book Confused


Is there not an option underneath the vote button to view poll results?

Also I *think* but am not certain, that if you are not logged in, you only see the results.
Fee

Oooh, hadn't thought about that!

I've added my rating to the bottom of my post Wink
tahir

What about a rating system like this:

Excellent Smile Smile Smile
Good Smile Smile
Fair Smile
Not Sure Confused
Bad Sad
Appalling Sad Sad
Diabolical Sad Sad Sad
Bugs

Definitely there - under the Submit Vote button in green there's a link that says:

View Results

Is it just me? Shocked
Fee

Yeah, it's definately there for me too if I haven't voted.
sean

If you do that you can't go back and vote though.
Bugs

But, but - I can. I do it all the time Confused
judith

sean wrote:
Could the reviewer not just put their star-rating in the body of the review?


They could, but you wouldn't get the cumulative effect of several people entering their ratings.
bernie-woman

Bugs wrote:
But, but - I can. I do it all the time Confused


So can I Question
Fee

It appears to go back to let you vote next time you go into the thread (after clicking view results), and I guess if you're not voting (hence not seeing the result), then you won't be voting on that visit anyway?
sean

So it does. Sorry, I was wrong. Again.
judith

sean wrote:
So it does. Sorry, I was wrong. Again.


Me too Embarassed
As you were folks.
Bugs

Ooh. I was...right? Did someone say it was a full moon tonight? Not a blue moon? Laughing

Glad that's sorted, it was such a good idea of Fee's (she says, grudgingly Wink ).
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