How to waste an afternoon

By Stacy Vogel ( Contact ) June 10, 2008 - 10:42 a.m.

My co-worker Cathy has sent me so many ideas for this book blog, I feel like she should be writing it instead of me.

Here is the latest link she sent me. It's called "literature-map," and it couldn't be simpler. You type in an author you like, and the site creates a web of other authors you might like. It seems to focus mostly on fiction writers.

Now, I know the practical application of this is to find authors new authors to read. But for me, it's really, really fun to just keep clicking on the authors and see what comes up. It seems to work really well: I typed in Jane Austen (my favorite) and it came back with tons of other authors I enjoy, including Charlotte Bronte, Isabel Allende, Phillipa Gregory and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

I'm pretty sure I could spend hours on this thing, but I'm resisting the urge because I'm at work. Give it a try and let me know what you think. But be prepared to spend some time with it.

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