One Book, One Twitter

Want to be part of a REALLY big book club? Read this interview with Twitter's founder...

From SLJ's Extra Helping 5/10/10:

Q: Did you see One Book, One Twitter as a book club or social experiment?
A: It’s not that it’s not a book club, it is. It’s a virtual book club. I was inspired by The Big Read, which is now an NEA program, and one program called One Book, One Chicago. Those are not so much about increasing literacy, but about social capital, about bonding and increasing different communities within a city. I read that we imagine we’re so hindered by geography, but we’re not. I thought, why do this by city? Let’s do this over Twitter. I was on Twitter a lot, and it seemed like a perfect vehicle for me. It was also a great social media experiment. Can we make these connections around the world? I want to increase mutual understanding.

Q: What’s been your favorite moment so far?
A: I was in Florida to give a talk and woke up early, and logged on to Twitter. I log on every couple of hours. Someone mentioned a line I had posted from the book “..language is a violence..”, and said that was the title of a Laurie Anderson song. And then someone else said that Anderson had actually borrowed it from William Burroughs. I thought this is amazing. There’s a wisdom of the crowd thing going on here.

Q: Some people have tweeted about the problem of spoilers — those reading ahead of the crowd, and posting their thoughts. Do you see it as a big issue?
A: People have used the hashtags I devised and moved on, creating their own hashtag systems. They’re obeying the rules, they don’t want to inflict spoilers on everyone. There’s a general spirit of humanity. I generally believe people are good.

Q: What’s been the biggest surprise?
A: Just how international it quickly became. We’ve got tons of Scandinavians. American Gods has a lot of Norse mythology. And Scandinavia is a place where people read in English a lot of the time. So none of that is surprising. But it’s very international, with people participating in the Middle East, Kuala Lumpur. It’s skewing in ways that are sort of predictable. I’m not seeing as much foreign language as I thought I would. The big victory is it's very clearly international.

Q: Will you move on to another book when this one’s done?
A: To some extent it’s up to the community. This took weeks of voting. I suspect people will follow my lead, and if I was going to say let’s wait until next summer… I can’t do this year round I’m too busy. These big reads are generally summer programs. We’ll see if people really want to do it again. There’s a possibility we’ll try to set it up as something permanent, get nonprofit status. I have a domain and haven’t started a website, but could start it as a foundation.

Q: Was your favorite book picked?
A: My favorite book is the one the crowd picked. I think it’s so incredible they came together and chose something so peacefully.

Q: So you’ve been pleased with the experience so far?I love these people, they’re so awesome. A: It’s all book people. They’re so nice. Even when they’re criticizing me, they’re so polite about it. Even when they come on my blog and tell me what a dunderhead I am. They’re so polite about it. I have really tried to include that spirit.

BookTweet: Burned

Burned in 140 characters or less:

Pattyn finds love and acceptance when she is sent to live with her aunt. Could her abusive, alcoholic dad take it all away upon her return?

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BookTrailer: Their Eyes Were Watching God

If you are going to be in AP English 3 next year, your summer reading selection will be Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. I haven't read the book since I was in high school, so I listened to the audio to refresh my memory. I LOVED IT; therefore, I strongly suggest you listen to the audio--you can even follow along in the book if you want. The richness of the language is such an integral part of this book. Example of the text: "Naw, 'tain't nothin' lak you might think." Can you understand it? Sure, especially after you get into the rhythm of it. But for me, it's hard to hear the beauty of the words when I working through their meaning, know what I'm saying? Anyway, without further ado, here's the book trailer...

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BookTweet: Heist Society

Heist Society in 140 characters or less:

Katarina leads a Mission Impossible-style heist with a teen crew to steal art from a gallery. It’s the only way to save her dad’s life.

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Book Club: Wednesday

See Mrs. Wilson to RSVP if you want snacks!

MovieTrailer: Eclipse

June 30th!

BookTweet: Once was Lost

Once was Lost in 140 characters or less:

As the story of a missing girl enfolds in her town, Samara, who feels emotionally abandoned by her parents, begins to question her faith.



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Book Club: And the winner is...

The people have spoken. On March 25th, afterschool at 4pm in the library, come eat and discuss

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Sign up in the library with Mrs. Wilson. When we meet on the 25th, we'll also discuss which student will pick the book and lead the discussion for April. Hope to see you there!

Here's one more look at the BookTweet for City of Bones.

City of Bones in 140 characters or less:
Human girl falls for angelic Shadowhunter while he fights demons and tries to save girl's mom. Not Twilight but close. Mindbending end.

See the fan-make trailer one more time:

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BookTweet: Graceling

Voting Options #1: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Enjoy a publisher-made trailer...

BookTrailer: City of Bones

Voting Option #2: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Enjoy a fan-made trailer...

BookTrailer: Incarceron

Voting Option #3: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Enjoy a publisher-made trailer...

BookTrailer: Hush Hush

Voting Option #4: Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Enjoy a librarian-made trailer...

BookTrailer: Marked

Voting Option #5: Marked by PC and Kristin Cast

Enjoy a fan-made trailer done entirely with stop-action American Girl dolls (seriously)...

BookTrailer: Lord Loss

Voting Option #6: Lord Loss by Darren Shan

Enjoy a fan-made trailer...

BookTweet: King of the Screwups

King of the Screwups in 140 characters or less:

According to his father, Liam--rich, good-looking & popular--screws up everything. He's sent to his Aunt Pete, who has a thing or two to teach Liam.

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BookTrailer: Fallen

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Book Tweet: Fallen

Fallen in 140 characters or less:

Luce might be crazy—or homicidal—or both. Sent to reform school, she becomes obsessed w/a boy who knows more about her past than she does.

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Book Tweet: Incarceron

Incarceron in 187 characters total (because the plot of this book is way too complex for 140 characters or less):

A futuristic society that parties like it’s 1799, a prison that’s alive, a prince with amnesia, a defiant heiress, an assassination plot, and two walkie-talkie keys that connect them all.

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Book Tweet: Shiver

Shiver in 140 characters or less:

Grace is obsessed with the wolf that lives in the woods behind her house. Is there such a thing as inter-species soul mates? A love story.

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