wikked thoughts by Waqas Ahmed » Books http://www.waqasahmed.com yet another geek blog about Seattle, food, photography, games and the art of laziness Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:04:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Paperspine – Netflix for books http://www.waqasahmed.com/2007/12/11/paperspine-netflix-for-books/ http://www.waqasahmed.com/2007/12/11/paperspine-netflix-for-books/#comments Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:52:13 +0000 Waqas http://www.waqasahmed.com/2007/12/11/paperspine-netflix-for-books/ As someone living with a serious book buying addiction, Paperspine’s beta launch caught my eye.

paperspine

$15 a month gives you unlimited access to their 15,000 book selection, with free shipping and 2 books out at a time. I’m still debating whether I should jump in at this early stage. Things that are making me hesitate:

  • 2 books out at a time with 5 days of media-mail-speed shipping doesn’t sound like a lot. Effectively you’re reading one book at a time and waiting for a week for the other book to get back to you.
  • They only have paperback books in their catalog at the moment
  • The site needs a lot of work – things I took for granted on Amazon.com and Netflix are missing, including: reviews, recommendations, cover images for every book, decent search, zeitgeist etc.
  • No integration with Amazon.com / bookmooch / iRead etc. – I want to auto import existing wish lists, see what my friends are reading etc.

Of course this is a beta launch and I’m sure much of this will be released eventually. But the bar has been set high for other media lines and considering the price of entry here, I don’t feel like I’m getting a great value quite yet.

]]> http://www.waqasahmed.com/2007/12/11/paperspine-netflix-for-books/feed/ 1 Wolves eat dogs http://www.waqasahmed.com/2005/03/27/wolves-eat-dogs/ http://www.waqasahmed.com/2005/03/27/wolves-eat-dogs/#comments Mon, 28 Mar 2005 01:15:41 +0000 Waqas http://www.waqasahmed.com/wp/?p=111 I’ve been making my way through the superb Arkady Renko Series by Martin Cruz Smith.

The latest book in the series, Wolves eat dogs (you just gotta lova that name) just got delivered. That should keep me up late at night.


]]> http://www.waqasahmed.com/2005/03/27/wolves-eat-dogs/feed/ 0 The Corrections http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/20/the-corrections/ http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/20/the-corrections/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2004 17:25:02 +0000 Waqas http://www.waqasahmed.com/wp/?p=61 Listening to The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen in 20 minute segments during my daily commute to work. Pretty entertaining so far. I’d become a little bored by the previous audio book I’d been listening to in my car.

From a technical standpoint I liked the usability of the audio tapes. The beginning and end of each side is identified audibly. I’ve had frustrating experiences rewinding and switching sides with other audio books just to figure out which side I’m listening to. I’ve actually ended up listening to chapters out of order this way. An interesting experience, but probably not one intended by the author.

]]> http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/20/the-corrections/feed/ 0 Adrian Mole http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/09/adrian-mole/ http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/09/adrian-mole/#comments Sat, 10 Jul 2004 01:58:56 +0000 Waqas http://www.waqasahmed.com/wp/?p=55 So I’m re-reading an old classic: The Adrian Mole series by Sue Townsed. I last read the first three books in the series about 10 years ago. Surprisingly the books have still kept most of their charm.

Recommended if you’re in the mood for a cynical chuckle.

]]> http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/09/adrian-mole/feed/ 0 Seattle Central Library http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/02/seattle-central-library/ http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/02/seattle-central-library/#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2004 23:34:18 +0000 Waqas http://www.waqasahmed.com/wp/?p=50 I miss California, but there are some good things to be said about living in a proper city. I love the new central library. It’s even within walking distance from where I’m currently staying.

There’s even a good selection of audio books. I see I’m going to be spending a few rainy afternoons here…

]]> http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/02/seattle-central-library/feed/ 0 I capture the castle http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/02/i-capture-the-castle/ http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/02/i-capture-the-castle/#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2004 23:28:01 +0000 Waqas http://www.waqasahmed.com/wp/?p=49 Currently listening to I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith…

]]> http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/07/02/i-capture-the-castle/feed/ 0 2004 Hugo Nominees http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/04/11/2004-hugo-nominees/ http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/04/11/2004-hugo-nominees/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2004 02:17:53 +0000 Waqas http://www.waqasahmed.com/wp/?p=35 Hugo Award Nominees for Science Fiction / Fantasy Novels of the year:

Paladin of Souls — Lois McMaster Bujold (Eos)
Humans — Robert Sawyer (Tor Books)
Ilium — Dan Simmons (Eos)
Singularity Sky — Charles Stross (Ace Books)
Blind Lake — Robert Charles Wilson (Tor Books)

Full list of Hugo 2004 Nominees here.

]]> http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/04/11/2004-hugo-nominees/feed/ 0 Cerebus Retires http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/03/19/cerebus-retires/ http://www.waqasahmed.com/2004/03/19/cerebus-retires/#comments Sat, 20 Mar 2004 01:11:12 +0000 Waqas http://www.waqasahmed.com/wp/?p=18 The end of an era… the Cerebus graphic novel series ended this month at issue 300.

What is Cerebus you ask? It’s an independent comic book about an aardvark by Dave Sim. A single man’s effort to successfully write, illustrate and publish one issue a month, since 1977. Hey, that’s when I was born!

Buy the series from Amazon.com or bum a copy of the TPB from a friend.

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