r/InternetIsBeautiful • u/I_Only_Like_Giraffes • 8d ago
Don't judge a book by its cover. Swipe through the opening paragraphs of classic novels until one hooks you.
https://hooked.boondoggle.studio/9
u/helloburkie 8d ago
Nice idea, usability wise I'd just switch the Next Book and Reveal Book buttons, you'd assume Next would always be on the right side.
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u/I_Only_Like_Giraffes 8d ago
That's a really good call. I had done it backwards to match the tinder style swiping on mobile, but I see how that's unexpected. I just pushed an update to swap them!
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u/helloburkie 8d ago
Nice, makes all the difference - you might have a think on the keyboard shortcut directions too.
You could sort another site and partner with bookstore and sort out affiliate link, just like many stores now wrapping old books and just giving a brief sentence on it to get people to try something they might not normally look at.
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u/Correct-Moment-2458 7d ago
Checked the current desktop version in Chrome: → still reveals the current book, and ← advances to the next one (the counter went from 1 to 2). The on-screen Next button is now on the right. Swapping the key bindings and updating the keyboard hint together would make them agree.
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u/I_Only_Like_Giraffes 8d ago
My Mom is an author and always told me that "a book has to hook the reader by its first paragraph." That inspired me to build a new way to discover classic books. Instead of seeing titles and authors, you swipe through their first paragraphs. Once you find one you like, you can save it for later or download the text for free off of Project Gutenberg.
It's been a really cool resource for me to find more classic novels to read. I've been able to discover many authors I either hadn't considered or in some cases had never heard of.
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u/ZzzzzPopPopPop 8d ago
Love this idea! Thanks for creating and sharing this! I’ve been wanting to dig into another classic (finally got all the way through Moby Dick last year) but it’s hard to know what will resonate with me - looking forward to using this!
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u/I_Only_Like_Giraffes 7d ago
Glad you like it! I've found its a fun way to discover books i otherwise wouldn't have picked up.
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u/SMTRodent 7d ago
This worked for me! I had a good time and eventually ended up leaving the site to go and read more book. I love the idea
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u/monkey_zen 8d ago
Fantastic! Great way to learn about a book and also a great “name that tune” game for books!!
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u/I_Only_Like_Giraffes 8d ago
Glad you're enjoying it!
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u/monkey_zen 8d ago
I have hundreds of classic literature books. All of which I intend to read someday. 99% of them are from thrift stores or book sales at libraries. A few are complete sets that are from the early 20th century. I know I can’t get to all of them. One of the things I like to do when I’m busy is pull a book from the shelf and open it and read a paragraph or two. It can be a book that I may never read or a book that I recently read. Your site is so much like that. I also plan on using it as you actually intended it, to find my next book to read. 😀
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u/I_Only_Like_Giraffes 8d ago
That's awesome! I often have a panic when I finish a book and end up quickly grabbing a new book from the library just to have something to read that night. Now I'm getting a bigger backlog built up so I have some better options to turn to.
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u/spideyrnan 8d ago
Ha the first one I got was the opening paragraph of the book I'm reading right now (Pride and Prejudice)
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u/-Nay-Sayer- 6d ago
This could be turned into a fun little challenge/game also. Like a text input box if you recognize the book. Would encourage people to explore the site more. Just a suggestion.
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u/crustyoldhuman 5d ago
I really like judging books by their cover, though. It's not like a definitive judgment--but i appreciate and notice how a book represents itself. even if it's just a bare bones hardcover with no sleeve. there is still font and word placement, etc. Always appreciated the physical design of a book.
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u/I_Only_Like_Giraffes 5d ago
Totally, I do love a good book cover. However, I think the difference is that a book cover is marketing, which is almost always created by a totally different artist. I've definitely tried a few books from covers alone and then been dissapointed with the book.
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u/Late_Percentage9724 2d ago
same honestly. i think what's cool about it is that it works both ways though? like if you haven't read it, you might find something that actually grabs you. but if you have read it, there's that satisfying "oh i know this one" moment. the game aspect makes it more fun than just scrolling a reading list. kind of genius design actually.
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u/anclave93 8d ago
Don't judge a book by its opening paragraph
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u/I_Only_Like_Giraffes 8d ago
For me its one of the more useful tools. I like going into books blind and hate spoilers, so I'd rather read the opening than a summary. Plus, I've found that an interesting premise or style can get me to read books I'd otherwise pass over.
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u/Monsieur--X 8d ago
Judge the book by the AI slop cover
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u/I_Only_Like_Giraffes 8d ago
What? These are all public domain classic books?
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u/CanadianFerd 8d ago
I THINK they mean you CAN judge a book by it's cover if it's an AI slop cover. Not great wording but I get it
Also kind of not related to the post at all
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u/MikeMcDammit 8d ago
This is really cool. I am proud to have recognized the opening paragraphs of some books I have read and also have been disappointed to have failed to guess other books that I have read.
I suppose I am using it more as a game to test myself rather than as a mechanism to discover new books, lol.