literature and Web2.0

literature and Web2.0 (1)

Dominic Main | 5/06/2007

As the Web continues to grow, it is good to see the arts and literature represented on-line. Of course, many arts and literature sites are either experimental or produced by single artists, authors or critics.

Some privately produced art and literature sites are very basic – but even these are often innovative. Others are associated with multi-million dollar web sites.
Web 2.0 is advantaged by a number of creatively orientated sites both large and small.

The most popular book club in the US  - and probably in the world – is that developed and maintained by Oprah Winfrey. Oprah’s Book Club draws millions of readers to the Web to read reviews, watch interviews.

Oprah recently (Tuesday June 5th in the US) conducted an on-line interview with Cormac McCarthy – recent winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his apocalyptic study of the human condition titled ‘The Road’.

Oprah’s book club continues to strengthen its reputation by offering free membership and the opportunity for users “with access to benefits such as online discussion groups, reading questions and Q&A sessions with the author.1” (To join, log onto www.oprah.com/bookclub.)

This participant oriented Web2.0 based approach to book clubbing has made Oprah’s book club “the biggest book club in the world, Oprah's Book Club has approximately 1 million online members” and “Each of its selections have skyrocketed to the top of best-sellers lists.1”

1. Winfrey, O. “Press Releases: CORMAC MCCARTHY'S FIRST-EVER TV INTERVIEW AIRS.” Oprah’s Book Club, 24th May 2007, 5th June 2007, < http://www.oprah.com/about/press/releases/200705/press_releases_20070524.jhtml >

tags: Web 2.0 ,  Online Trends ,  Media