Book reviews written by readers and published on digital sites such as Goodreads are a new force in contemporary book culture. This article uses feminist standpoint theory to investigate the language used in Goodreads reviews to better understand how these reviewers articulate intimate reading experiences. A total of 692 reviews of seven bestselling fiction and nonfiction books are analyzed by two methods. The first, thematic content analysis, involves close reading of the reviews. The second, sentiment analysis, is an automated “distant reading” process. These methods prompt us, as researchers, to reflect on the way they foster or inhibit a sense of proximity to readers, even as they reveal predominant features of Goodreads reviews. Together, the methods reveal that 86.1% of Goodreads reviews describe a reading experience, and 68% specifically mention an emotional reaction to the book, with the emotion most intense in reviews of fiction. Reviews also create social connections by mentioning other readers, authors, characters, and people from the reviewer’s life. Through their emotional language and sociality, Goodreads reviews present distinctive, intimate reading practices, constituting a new cultural phenomenon, and a unique opportunity for investigation.

The rise of social networking sites and initiatives such as the One Book, One Twitter book club (#1b1t) make it much easier for readers to share reading experiences on a scale and in a fashion that would not previously have been possible. This paper examines people’s changing reading practices in the age of online social networking. In particular, it aims to describe and explain online conversations around a book called American Gods, the first book of the Twitter book club. Using the automated text analysis and social network discovery software called Netlytic, this study pinpoints a particular time in history that opens new conclusions about the spread of knowledge, education, culture, and ideology. An analysis of the more than 14,000 “tweets” about American Gods provides insight into this world-wide reading group phenomenon, which is now in its second year.En raison de l’essor des réseaux sociaux et de la mise en oeuvre de projets tels que le club du livre « One Book, One Twitter » (#1b1t), le partage des expériences de lecture prend une envergure inédite et se fait de manières non envisageables auparavant. Cet article examine la transformation des habitudes de lecture à l’ère des réseaux sociaux en ligne. Précisément, il analyse les conversations suscitées par American Gods, premier livre proposé aux participants du club du livre Twitter. Grâce aux données recueillies à l’aide du logiciel Netlytic, l’étude est en mesure de cibler un moment de l’histoire qui ouvre de nouvelles perspectives quant à la transmission et à la diffusion des savoirs, la culture et l’idéologie. Une analyse de plus de 14 000 microbillets portant sur American Gods lève le voile sur le phénomène que constitue l’émergence, au cours des deux dernières années, d’un club du livre qui se déploie à l’échelle de la planète

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One Book Nova Scotia is described on the program's website as "a province-wide community reading event for adults." Formally programmed events have included the book announcement and launch, a series of author readings, and book discussions, both face to face and through Twitter. This paper analyzes the success of the One Book Nova Scotia program in achieving its goals of developing a reading culture and community in the province of Nova Scotia based on the findings of a participant survey, distributed in both 2012 and 2013, and an analysis of the 2013 Twitter discussion. This analysis reveals that participants tended to be well-educated females, aged 50-59, and often employed in libraries, bookselling or publishing, or news media. The goal of developing or participating in a reading community was a compelling motivator for many respondents. Although many respondents indicated their desire to be part of a reading community, Twitter was not proven to be an effective forum for fostering conversation or debate related to One Book Nova Scotia.Building on the analysis, the paper concludes with some recommendations to improve the effectiveness of future programs. These recommendations include the selection of a book with strong regional connections, an expansion of publicity methods, an increase in lead time between the announcement of the book title and the start of programming, and a more strategic use of Twitter as a discussion forum. Although these recommendations arise from the specific analysis of the One Book Nova Scotia reading program, they are general enough to apply to other One Book, One Community programs.

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