Thank you to all the readers who wrote notes in honor of our 17th anniversary. Here you will find some of the warm words that were shared with us.
Roe from Massapequa, NY
To Carol and all the staff at Bookreporter.
What a terrific job you all do every week with the newsletter and your website...I ANXIOUSLY wait for the newsletter every Saturday morning. I look forward to having my morning coffee while reading about all the new and exciting books I can look forward to.
I have found and enjoyed more books than I can count thanks to the good people at Bookreporter...I would be lost without them.
I wish you all a HAPPY ANNIVERSARY and look forward to many more years of Bookreporter....
Happy 17th to you and your colleagues. Thank you for your great work.
Denise from MD
I don’t know the happy circumstances that first led me to Bookreporter. I would bet it was a million or maybe ten) years ago, when I was trying to put together a mother/daughter book club, and flailing about aimlessly looking for resources.
It was a happy day for me, and I wish you a happy and productive next 17 years.
My tribute to your 17th…..
Without Bookreporter, I never:
1. Would have had the chance to blog (for ReadingGroupGuides and Midtown Review)
2. Would have known enough to talk my way into a Washington Post author party prior to the National Book Festival
3. Would constantly be answering the question “can you send me a link to that email you are always talking about.”
4. Would have even heard of Book Expo, which is a favorite event each year
5. Would have attended Book Expo
6. Would have met authors too many to list
7. Would have heard of World Book Night
8. Would have been a world book night giver
9. Would have embarrassed myself at a bar mitzvah by knowing far too much about Fordham without being a Fordham parent!
10. Would have known about Early Word
11. Would have attended a Workman Book Party
12. Would have been quoted in a book (Book by Book, by Cindy Hudson)
13. Would have been quoted in the New York Times as a book club facilitator (after the Book Expo speed dating program in 2013)
14. Would have had the nerve to call an editor to talk about a book
15. Would have thought to send an author a “great job” note, thinking that authors, as my heroes, lived a life full of adulation and were totally above reproach
16. Would have known the joy of a book full of books delivered to my front door, compliments of bookreporter!
17. Would have sent my first tweet!
Debbie
I celebrate along with you and your staff. Just realized that it is the first thing I do on a Saturday morning, after I pour my coffee. That's right, I sign on to the computer and read my weekly newsletter from Bookreporter. Never thought about that before. I thought I loved Saturday because my husband is off from work and the dogs are happy to have him here.
I do not remember how I found Bookacino but I used to quietly sit and read the chat without joining in thinking they were brilliant people/readers talking about books. After about two weeks of this, I had a long list of must reads and suddenly had lots to add to the conversation. Yes, Carol, I remember chatting with you.
So keep up the great work and know I have read hundreds of books because of the recommendations from my Saturday morning bookstore!!!
Love and bearhugs.
Dave
I don't remember how I found you, but I have been a faithful reader for many years (at least 10 if not more). I have enjoyed reading about new books, and have been honored to receive some early books for review. I also find it enjoyable to hear what Carol is doing each week. The personal touch make it feel like I am following a friend. Keep up the great work, Carol and the whole team.
Cheryle from Billings, Montana
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to a great group of people who put together a FANTASTIC newsletter every week.
I have a “love-hate” relationship with this newsletter though. I look forward to reading it every week, but because of it my “to read” list just keeps growing and growing!! How can I ever read all the books I want?
Keep up the good work and I look forward to continued quality recommendations from this wonderful service. I live vicariously through your comments and wish I could be closer to the action so that I could attend some of the events you do. Keep writing about them so I can “visit”. I also really like reading the interviews with the authors and getting to know some new authors. Again these just add to my “list”, but don’t stop.
Roy from Austin, TX
I have been a reader of Bookreporter for many years...I do not remember the year in which I enrolled. I'm thinking late ‘90s. I was a lurker for a long time and then as time allowed, the selection of books for my wife and I became much more important. Part of our retirement planning was to engage in intellectual endeavors...the stage, movies, museums, books, symphony, opera and ballet. Fortunately here in Austin we had an excellent base for these endeavors. Bookreporter became one of the resources we use for selecting our reading choices. The Austin Library System went digital and enabled us to reserve books and notify us where they became available. Voila! These are all part of enabling our plan to add more to our quality of life.
Congratulations on 17...we wish you many more years of productive book reporting. Thank you for your very fine efforts on behalf of the people who really do read and love it!
Lea Ann
Congratulations on the anniversary of book reporter. com. I must say, honestly, that my favorite part is your weekly update. I don't always have time to read the book reviews, but I make it a point to read your letter to us readers without fail. Thank you for sharing your personal and professional thoughts with us.
Thank you again for your wonderfully well written updates. I look forward to and enjoy each one.
Judy
I believe I have been a Bookreporter fan from the very beginning days. I found it from the old Bookacinno chat room. Oh, how I was disappointed when AOL discontinued it. I LOVE the Bookreporter newsletter and I look forward to it every Friday. I like so many things about your newsletter I can't narrow it to just one. I love WOM, I love your weekly update on your life, I love when you give your opinion on future books coming out. Thank you for changing the type of books I read and thank you for all your hard work. Big thank you for the hours and hours of entertainment I have had over the past 17 years from reading the weekly Bookreporter.
Penney from Morgantown, WV
Happy anniversary, Carol.
Hard to believe it's been so long. I don't remember when I found Bookreporter. It may have been through the old Knitlist. You've been a wonderful resource and have introduced me to a host of writers and books I may have otherwise passed by.
Thanks so much.
Jan from Roeland Park, KS
I am always amazed when I talk to people who don't know what book to read next. I have a stack just waiting for my attention. I talk with people who read-- people I know and strangers I see holding a book. I read reviews in the newspaper and online, including bookreporter.com and readinggroupguides.com. I readPublishers Weekly and suggested books on library websites. I go to favorite authors' websites and read books that they favor. I almost always choose a new book by one of my favorite authors. I always check out what Oprah is reading. And of course, I read what is on tap for my two book clubs. Sometimes I check out what other book clubs are reading.
Definitely for me, gone are the days of perusing the bookstore shelves and library shelves.
I look forward to hearing how others make their choices.
P.S. I forgot to mention that I first found you through readinggroupguides.com. I just did a search for a reading guide one time looking for some discussion ideas for a book for our book club and, ta-da! there you were. Thank you!
Marjorie
Dear Carol and the wonderful staff of Bookreporter,
Congratulations on the 17th Anniversary of your organization! You have only gotten better as the years have gone by.
I am so grateful to you for introducing me to so many new authors, and thus broadened my reading pleasure. I have enjoyed having the opportunity to share a review of a book now and then, and to read the many other reviewers thoughts.
I always enjoy hearing about your family, Carol, and will think of you especially as the "younger son" heads out to his university experience.
I look forward to the 20th and 25th Anniversaries of Bookreporter.
With gratitude and blessings to all.
Jane
Congratulations on your anniversary! I have been following you for two or three years and appreciate your reviews and tips. They are always informative and fun to read! Thank you!
Jan from Tuscon, AZ
Hi, Carol I don't remember how I found you but I've been reading you faithfully for years. Even when I'm way behind on everything I always read your Friday night newsletter. I love the way you weave in personal angles and love hearing about your boys.
I don't read every book, of course..that would be impossible. But I read some books that I would not have heard about if not for you. It's easy to get the buzz on well known authors but I like the writers under the radar, too and some of the best reads have been found accidentally.
I'm a big fan and grateful you are there for me! Thank you so much.
p.s. Forgot to add this suggestion: On the newsletter about books on sale this week it would be very nice to know the genre of each title (Fiction, Non-Fiction, Historical, Suspense, Humor, etc.) as you do in some of the other listings. It would help me skim through quickly. Thank you.
Karen from Albany, GA
I found bookreporter.com by surfing on the internet. I was looking up book websites when I came across bookreporter, and I have been hooked ever since. I read the newsletter every week and enjoy entering the contests and reading other readers reviews. Happy Anniversary!!! and have many more. Keeping on doing what you are doing and this website is the best.
Valerie from Secaucus, NJ
Happy 17th Anniversary. What can I say that I haven't said before...Bookreporter is my Bible. I just love everything about your web page. Bookreporter makes my job very easy. It informs me about all the new books, authors, interviews, even if I can't read them all, I am always updated with them. You make me sound very well read when I am asked about books. lol Really, I can't say enough.
You are a wonderful, bright, cheerful, beautiful person and it shines on Bookreporter. If I ever need another job, I would sweep the floors the office of Bookreporter because that’s how much I love it. Thank you as always for all your support for our libraries, most of all thank you for your friendship, it is very special to me. Hope your day was wonderful.
Brenda from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
I have been reading your Bookreporter newsletter and following your stories about your boys for years now. I scour your newsletter from top to bottom, read excerpts and make note of publishing dates in my Daytimer so I can buy the books the day they come out. I find your newsletter one of my favorite spots to check for new books coming out and love all the information you provide on these materials.
I also love your personnel anecdotes about your family and travels. I can empathize with you about your boys (and their friends) moving out as I went through that years and years ago. I am now going through that again with my grandchildren and it is just as emotional this time around. Maybe even more so and they love to spend time and have sleepovers with their grandma but, now that they are driving, there is less and less time in their busy social lives to fit grandma in.
Happy anniversary and keep up the good work. Your newsletter is first class material and thoroughly appreciated each week.
From one of your staunch readers.
Naomi
I just love your newsletter. Probably have been reading it for about 5-7 years. It is informative and I hear about the my favorite authors coming out with new books. I have also found new authors when I read some of your articles. A while back the format was changed and I wasn't that happy with it so I'm glad it is back to this one again. Keep up the good work.
Nancy
Love reading your weekly reporter. It has helped me make my night table list way ahead of actual publication list. I feel so knowledgeable thanks to you about new titles
Just finished THE SWEETEST HALLELUJAH quite appropriate with the Walk on Washington tomorrow. Excellent story Now reading Alan Brennert's PALISADES PARK. Good story and enjoyed his other books especially MOLOKAI. Picked up Hosseini's AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED. Heard him at Boston Public Library
Time flies by when there is such good reading abound. Sent you a note to this effect earlier this summer. Keep up the good work.
Lynn
Thank you so much for Bookreporter.com. I always look forward to reading about your adventures and all the books you review and recommend. I am also a knitter, so I enjoy your knitting adventures too. I think it would be great if Bookreporter could somehow link to Goodreads, so you could add a book to your "want to read" list directly from BR to Goodreads.
Gina:
Dear Carol: I am a book lover. Even I have to ADMIRE how much reading you do and that you have time to write about it. Your Friday night emails are a delight. Your book reviews and contests are excellent.
Thank you for giving me soul food on a weekly basis. I think of you and Bookreporter.com as friends.
Patty
“I just found your site tonight. I'm always looking for books and new authors. My 38th wedding anniversary is September 5th, tomorrow. Love your site.”
