Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

Tis Speaketh like Shakespeare Day

So bethought I wouldst deign to speak a verse or twain as bard.
https://100greatestnovelsofalltimeque...

Forsooth, 'tis a merry endeavor.

If you get to be my age (70 this year), you may find as I do that I remember very little of books I read years ago. Although that may seem sad, it is actually great to be able to reread and enjoy them again! Also, we are in a different place at different stages of our lives. Thomas Hardy seemed rather boring when I was in high school and had no experience of passion, heartbreak, family tragedy, and so on.

Even in books I remember well, there are little elements that I can rediscover. For instance, in rereading Little Women, which I had read multiple times and seen many movies of, there are a couple of comic scenes that are practically unknown, for instance, Jo tries to make dinner and has all sorts of problems.

I hope, with some luck to, reach 75 or 80(but that is too greedy) years old. It is a messy business staying alive as an old person, as far as in my country, but as a reader, it is wonderful.

I am currently going to be 43 years old this year, and I cherish reading messages from Robin and other older people on this thread. I hope to remember you and your words, just like I love to remember books that I read 20 years ago. Time is merciless, but time makes life possible. The flow of time allows for words to flow before your eyes.

I love reading. I love the flow of words. I love the film of the book taking place in my mind. I love reading other people's take on the book that I just read. All of this I find wondrous, and on a Sunday specifically, this feeling is utterly benign.

Hear! Hear! Robin.

Those of us who appreciate Shakespeare often need a little extra help. Here is a book that can help: Shakespeare and the Folktale: An Anthology of Stories by Charlotte Artese. I think/feel: Of course and of course and of course. . . .

This book tells of folktakes that inform
The Taming of the Shrew
The Comedy of Errors
Titus Andronicus
The Merchant of Venice
All's Well That Ends Well
King Lear
Cymbeline
The Tempest
. . . .I found this book on Hoopla and Scribd.

Thank you!

ok, I have just noticed that all of my book status update comments older than about 2 years have disappeared

please could a few people just check if this is a universal thing or whether it's just me...

I didn´t find any problem, Darren.
I have a few books that I just added not knowing when I read them, and others (in the beginning of my membership) that have no updates, as I didn´t add any.
Hope this helps.

Michaela - please could you give me an example of one of your books which contain update comments (not just page progress) older than say 3 years...?
Thanks :o)

Darren wrote: "ok, I have just noticed that all of my book status update comments older than about 2 years have disappeared

please could a few people just check if this is a universal thing or whether it's just ..."

This review of mine from 2013 seems to still have my update comments (some of which have comments on those comments): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

If you can't see anything, let me know. I honestly wouldn't opt such past GRAmazon at first glance.

I usually make comments on really long reads, and while I can see the comments on recent ones, they do seem to be gone on older ones. I can't say for sure, but I can't find any older than 3 years that have comments. Yikes. I wouldn't put it past Amazon either, but hopefully they've swept them under a rug somewhere and they can find them again!

Aubrey's example from 2013 still appears intact though

Aubrey - you wouldn't be able to dig one out from say 2017-18 era by any chance...?

Kathleen - do you have any from 2013 or before that you know have gone missing?

Darren wrote: "Aubrey's example from 2013 still appears intact though

Aubrey - you wouldn't be able to dig one out from say 2017-18 era by any chance...?

Kathleen - do you have any from 2013 or before that you ..."

Sorry Darren, 2013 was before my time.

Darren wrote: "Aubrey's example from 2013 still appears intact though

Aubrey - you wouldn't be able to dig one out from say 2017-18 era by any chance...?

Kathleen - do you have any from 2013 or before that you ..."

It does seem like there's a wipe from some time after 2013 until 2020. Considering Amazon acquired GR in 2013, it seems likely that they did a full force wipe of the data for the years that they had it under their control. I'm a rabid quote status integrator, so it's impossible that there wouldn't be anything save for general status updates. It's a shame, but not entirely unexpected. I'm just waiting for that horror show of a book page update to hit and seeing whether I'm put off enough to try LibraryThing or something else again, as I did during the great Amazon Deleting Reviews fiasco.

let's hope it's a temporary glitch

otherwise, if we're looking at a website that's designed to enable users to store various aspects of their reading history unilaterally removing some of the users' data, then it's pretty pointless continuing to have an account, as who knows what's next...

I checked a read from 2018, Darren and all my update/comments were there. I had several reviews disappear a while back and then magically reappear some weeks later. With GR, expect the unexpected.

which book is that Sara?

I am still seeing reviews, page updates and the Comments section,
but am missing the comments that you can enter along with the page updates

Yes, Darren, those are the comments I was referring to--the ones in the status section.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thanks Sara :o)

so it looks like it's affecting some users and not others

hopefully it will either reset in its own good time,
or each user will have to complain and ask...

Darren wrote: "Michaela - please could you give me an example of one of your books which contain update comments (not just page progress) older than say 3 years...?
Thanks :o)"

Sorry, don´t know what you mean with this... comments when I didn´t finish the book?

that's OK thanks Michaela, Sara has provided an example of someone whose update comments haven't gone missing, so we know it varies from person to person

just to be clear, we are talking about the comments that (are supposed to) get stored along with your Reading Progress, that can be seen e.g. on the Review page (highlighted in orange box below):

LOL I looked up mine only to realize I had not joined yet in 2013! Congratulations to all those who have been reading and discussing for almost 10 years now!!

Okay, understand what you mean, Darren. I never comment while I´m reading - and most times also not at the end lol.

I reported the above issue to Goodreads Support and apparently:
"Our developers are aware of missing status updates for users and they're working on fixing it"
so that's alright then...
(although would be nice if it was listed on the "Known Issues" page...)

Darren wrote: "I reported the above issue to Goodreads Support and apparently:

"Our developers are aware of missing status updates for users and they're working on fixing it"

so that's alright then...
(althou..."

Thanks for letting us know, Darren.

I am trying to change my profile picture, but can't do so. Been dying to display a Luffy related pic.

Luffy wrote: "I am trying to change my profile picture, but can't do so. Been dying to display a Luffy related pic."

Hi Luffy!

You need to first go to your profile page, then click on the link by your name that says ‘edit profile.’

In the right hand sidebar you’ll see links that say ‘delete/change photo’ and ‘more photos.’ To upload a new photo from your phone or computer, click on ‘more photos’ and then ‘add more photos.’

Once you have uploaded a new photo, you should be able to change your profile pic.

Is there a problem with profile photos? I tried to upload a new photo and kept getting an error message earlier today.

I wouldn't be surprised if the issue is related to a new anti-porn bot measure that's being shoved in without any warning.

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "Is there a problem with profile photos? I tried to upload a new photo and kept getting an error message earlier today."

I uploaded a pic a couple weeks ago with no problem, but there were a couple times this past week when the site was down for a short time, so who knows what kind of trouble they’re stirring up behind the scenes.

Heather L wrote: "Hi Luffy!

You need to first go to your profile page, then click on the link by your name that says ‘edit profile.’

In the right hand sidebar you’ll see links that say ‘delete/change photo’ and ‘more photos.’ To upload a new photo from your phone or computer, click on ‘more photos’ and then ‘add more photos.’

Once you have uploaded a new photo, you should be able to change your profile pic."

Hello Heather!! I have tried your method to no avail. Will wait until this problem is got rid of. I'm keen to add a new profile pic!

Luffy — Could it maybe be the size of the photo you want to add? Sometimes if a photo is too big it won’t upload. I had that problem once, and after I resized it on my computer it worked just fine. Other than that I’ve no ideas. 😐

Heather L wrote: "Luffy — Could it maybe be the size of the photo you want to add? Sometimes if a photo is too big it won’t upload. I had that problem once, and after I resized it on my computer it worked just fine...."

Well, Heather, I have been quite thorough, and tried to upload different pics, all with no result.

GR is probably getting a glitch. I will wait, but I have tried to access Help (below on the left hyperlink) but got no desired interface.

Finally, I must say that the picture I am trying hard to make my profile pic is 3kb only and is simply a shot from a manga, which mostly does not have colour.

Thanks if you read all that.

Does anyone read the reviews before reading a book, or do you wait until after reading the book?

Always before.

I'll skim only the star ratings for folks I trust, but I mostly choose things based on how closely certain qualities of the work resemble what I've liked before. I may or may not read reviews of others once I'm done.

Usually before, and sometimes after.

What Aubrey said. I almost never read reviews, but if I’m undecided after reading the blurb I may look to see what GR friends whose opinions I trust thought of the book.

Pharmacdon wrote: "Does anyone read the reviews before reading a book, or do you wait until after reading the book?"

Yes, I do. My problem with starting the next book is always that I have too many I want to read. Deciding can slow me down. I have found that reading the reviews helps me think about which one I am in the mood for now. After reading enough reviews you know which reviewers will resonate with you, even if you do not know the person. I usually don't care about the review ave, unless it is really low.. For instance, books later in a series or in a niche like Science Fiction already have a smaller group of dedicated fans that will usually rate the book favorably.

I skim reviews before adding to my shelves in the first place, but then not just before reading

even then, I tend not to read 5 & 4 star reviews (cos there'll always be people who like any given book), but find the 3 and 2 star reviews help to elucidate what people don't like about a book, and judge whether those aspects put me off or not

I just stick to genres that I like to read and take note of the average score. If a blurb is too detailed, I avoid the book. I will often read new authors. I eliminate many works of Sci-Fi, 99.99 % of romances, all horror. But I still cannot point to one overriding reason for choosing a few of the books that I read.

Luffy wrote: "I just stick to genres that I like to read and take note of the average score. If a blurb is too detailed, I avoid the book. I will often read new authors. I eliminate many works of Sci-Fi, 99.99 %..."

I remember when going to the public library was an event in my day, and I would browse the shelves. At that time the book covers would heavily influence my choices on what to read. After thinking about this question I realized that covers have absolutely no bearing anymore for me. I decide on the book first, then look for the source. For books I don't own, I first look at Manybooks.net pdfs, then Kindle sources, the classroom shelf at my school, and finally ordering a physical copy. But the decision on what to read is coming completely from Challenge lists and Goodreads interactions.

I had not thought about it, Lynn, but I have also changed how I choose books entirely since joining GR. I almost exclusively add newly released books to my TBR based on GR reviews by trusted friends, and the decision of what to read "next" is almost always driven by a challenge or an interaction that pushed the book to the top.

I never get to browse the shelves at the library anymore and I miss that terribly.

I´m the same, Sara: only picking books my groups are reading or I´m reading for Netgalley (but trying to reduce this). Just don´t have the time otherwise to read the books on my list or browse the shelves.

Sometimes I read the reviews.
I am reading Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea now for the first time. Very impressive and interesting.
For talking about age, I am 84 and still reading and learning.

That´s great, Leona! And I only read reviews, when I´m not sure whether I´ll read a book (mostly one that´s not on my list).

Leona wrote: "Sometimes I read the reviews.
I am reading Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea now for the first time. Very impressive and interesting.
For talking about age, I am 84 and still read..."

I hope I can say that when I am 84, Leona! Don't you love when you pick up a real classic, one you've always known about but never read, and find out what made it classic in the first place?

My back hurts from reading for an hour. Now I’m in bed. I’m thinking I’ll read in bed. As bad as that sounds I know it’s pretty normal

ok so this is driving me nuts
does anybody know what this book cover is a picture of???