fun with books

The science of book recommendation: Discover your favorite new authors withLiterature Map

Been looking for the perfect book to lose yourself in this holiday season? If you’re itching for a good read, but are intimidated by the stacks of new releases lining Domy Books' shelves, never fear: try the Literature Map, a finding aid developed by German programmer Marek Gibney.

The Literature Map is a simple way of finding authors similar to those you already know and love. All you have to do is enter the name of a writer you’re into, and the site creates a visual map of names centered around your search term. According to Gibney, “The closer two authors are, the more likely someone will like both of them.”

The map, while lo-fi, is addictive: try typing in a name and clicking through recommendations to reveal more and more connections. See someone you’re interested in learning more about? Head on over to GoodReads (or, you know, Wikipedia, etc.) and dive right in. You can also check out lengthier suggestions and user reviews on the site’s extensive Gnooks section.

According to founder Marek Gibney, "Gnod is a self-adapting system that learns about the outer world by asking its visitors what they like and what they don't like."

The Literature Map is just one small part of Gnod (an acronym for Global Network of Dreams), Gibney’s portfolio of media recommendation tools. With Gnod, you can find music, books and movies based on established interests and similarity. Big fan of “dark, cerebral dramas” in the style of Memento, but not happy with Netflix’s “personalized” recs? Tell Gnod what you’re looking for and get a customized movie map within seconds.

How does it work? Per Gibney:

"Gnod is a self-adapting system that learns about the outer world by asking its visitors what they like and what they don't like. In this instance, Gnod all is about music. Gnod is kind of a search engine for music you don't know about. It will ask you what music you like and then think about what you might like, too."

Basically, the more people who use Gnod, the more specific and accurate the recommendations get. And the more you search and click through authors, for example, the more “weight” your opinion holds.

If you’re impressed by the Gnod’s results, why not let the site recommend some new friends, too? Flork, the more social arm of the project, helps you find people around the world who like what you like. It’s science!

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In Memoriam

Legendary Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely dies at 78

Joe Ely/Facebook

Joe Ely was a major figure in Texas' progressive country scene.

Joe Ely, the legendary songwriter, singer and storyteller whose career spanned more than five decades, has died from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonia. He was 78.

In a statement posted to his Facebook page, Ely died at his home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife, Sharon, and daughter, Marie, at his side.

Born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, Ely was raised in Lubbock and became a central figure among a generation of influential West Texas musicians. He later settled in Austin, helping shape the city’s reputation as a hub for live music.

As with many local legends, it's hard to tease out what specifically made Ely's time in Austin so great; Austin treasures its live music staples, so being around and staying authentic from the early days is often the most important thing an artist can do.

Ely got his local start at One Knight Tavern, which later became Stubb's BBQ — the artist and the famous venue share a hometown of Lubbock. He alternated nights with emerging guitar great Stevie Ray Vaughn. He built his own recording studio in Dripping Springs, and kept close relationships with other Texas musicians. Later in his career, Ely brought fans into the live music experience, publishing excerpts from his journal and musings on the road in Bonfire of Roadmaps (2010), and was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2022. Austin blues icon Marcia Ball was among Ely's friends who played the induction show.

"Joe Ely performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

In the 1970s, Ely signed with MCA Records, launching a career that included decades of recording and touring around the world. His work and performances left a lasting impact on the music scene and influenced a wide range of artists, including the Clash and Bruce Springsteen, according to Rolling Stone.

"His distinctive musical style could only have emerged from Texas, with its southwestern blend of honky-tonk, rock & roll, roadhouse blues, western swing, and conjunto. He began his career in the Flatlanders, with fellow Lubbock natives Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and he would mix their songs with his through 50 years of critically acclaimed recordings. [...]"

Read the full story at KVUE.com. CultureMap has added two paragraphs of context about the Austin portion of Ely's career.

obituary music country music