So as it turns out Bookslut.com shut down last May. It had been a while since I last looked in on it, but I really didn't expect it to shut down. It wasn't my cup of tea generally and tended more towards the serious end of literary fiction. Still, it was a fixture and I find myself sad about it.
All things end eventually, but it makes me wonder. How does one start such a successful literature oriented site and why let it end? I wish I could make people love books the way I do, and I'm always struggling to find ways to get my students reading. Sites like bookslut don't really get people reading who weren't already, but they do provide a resource to those who already to.
What does seem to get my students reading is steady relentless exposure. I surround them with books in my room and we all give book talks. Over time, most students find something they like to read. I find it a little ironic that the best way to get people to take on what is essentially a solitary pursuit is to make social.
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