What I’m wondering is, if there is some kind of database where I could search for key words to do with the plot of a novel?
I realize it would be HUGE, but it drives me crazy when I remember a book that I read a few years ago, but I can’t think of the title or the author …
I’m a voracious reader, and I’ve read so many books that after a while they just all blur together.
Anyway, maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but a database like that would sure be nice for forgetful people like me!
S.
I don’t know of one, but if you can remember any characters’ names, or some lines from the text, Amazon’s new search feature might be helpful. I haven’t fully explored it, but lately when I’ve done a search on an author, I’ll get hits where the author’s name was mentioned in another book. (Weird.)
Sometimes a Google search works. I’ve used it in a name-that-movie contest – choose some key words from a plot summary or character names, and very often you’ll get a good hit.
I’ll be watching this thread, just in case there a database exists. It’d sure come in handy.
I’ve thought that All Media Guide, the company that owns allmovies.com, allmusic.com, and allgames.com should do an AllBook. With a bunch of good writers and editors it might be a very interesting and popular resource–I sometimes trudge around amazon.com just for the staff reviews.
Does your local library have home access to a site called “NoveList”? That site allows you to search on plot points or to do “find me books like this based on x criteria.”
Mine requires a valid library card.
**jsgoddess ** … no, our local library isn’t that advanced … but thanks anyway.
The novel that is currently stuck in my brain is just paperback fiction … about Las Vegas … and a guy that figured out how to predict when a slot machine was going to pay out …
Having recently been to Vegas, and since I’m also going through a bunch of my books to sell at a garage sale, it’s really been bugging me that I didn’t hang onto this book.
I work for the casino division of our provincial lottery corporation, and when I read this book a few years ago, I remember thinking I should get someone at work to read it as well, and tell me how plausible the technical explanations etc. were.
Oh well …