Book search engines

Curling Up with a Good Book Search Engine

"Looking for an interesting read? These book search engines can help you find new titles and authors based on your personal tastes and preferences.

Back in the days when I had free time, I was a voracious reader. To find new books I'd constantly pester librarians and friends for recommendations, and devour publications like the New York Review of Books and Publishers Weekly.

These days, reading time is a scarce commodity, and I'm more selective about the books I choose to read. I'm also generally looking for a book I'm in the mood to read, often in some way related to a book I've previously enjoyed -- something like Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash, or Carolyn Chute's The Beans of Egypt, Maine, for example.

Here are several search engines that offer really good suggestions based on personal, quirky factors." [SearchDay, via LISNews.com]

Chris Sherman highlights AllReaders, Book Forager, the Waterboro Public Library's Book Lists and Bibliographies, Book Finder, and isbn.nu. I'll just add yet another reminder to contact your local public library to talk books and get further recommendations. I still think we should start Emergent Books....