posted 8 years ago
Somebody needs to develop an algorithm for books that functions more or less like Pandora. The best I can do is provide an example.
I like the writings of Peter Mayle. I like the writings of James Herriot. I like, or am coming to like, the writings of Bill Bryson. They have a number of similarities, including a sort of dry, witty humor, an interest in what we might call "the human element," and the fact that they work (largely) in a sort of memoir non-fiction. Though their subject matters differ considerably, I like their writings for more or less the same reasons.
Trouble is, if I search for Peter Mayle on Amazon, for example, the other recommendations are basically all about French travel or food stories. If I do the same for James Herriot, the recommendations are for other vet memoirs or just general animal stories. And never the twain shall meet.
So what I want is a program where I can be like, "Big thumbs up for A Year in Provence, and big thumbs up for All Creatures Great and Small," and it'll be like, "Hey, check out Road to Little Dribbling, (because ________)." I want something that goes beyond mere topical similarity.
Thoughts? Is this a pipe dream, or does it already exist somewhere?
