Shepherd 3.0
Consumer and social
book discovery
SHOW HN2024
102points
40comments
#820of 3,515 in 2024
Top 24%of 2024 by points
How HN took it
DebatedReal support and real criticism
7 positive, 1 neutral or asking, 4 mixed, 5 critical, out of 17 comments about the project. Thread score +0.19.
Idea: 2 for, 3 againstDesign: 2 for, 1 againstExecution: 0 for, 1 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Serendipitous browsing and discovery of new books
From 3 comments
I love browsing Shepherd. The more specific lists crack me up but give me so many ideas. I also like that you can browse serendipitously tags related to just about any topic you…
1123581321 on HNI remember your first Show HN post. I was immediately hooked with what seems like a very diverse fivebooks alternative. Back then I thought it was like your hobby project and…
magnio on HNI immediately found two books I'd not come across before, that I am going to start today. This is a great site, thank you
joeconway on HN
Useful for finding comps and recommendations
From 1 comment
Hi Ben. Great project. I'm playing with it right now in looking for "comps". Will ping with feedback.
geoffreypoirier on HN
Objections
Recommendations feel algorithmic rather than human curated
From 2 comments
Except the selections of what you get to look at are made by an algorithm, not people. Yes, an algorithm that mixes and matches ratings made by (a particular category of) people.…
racional on HNI was referring to the "Best Books of 2023" section, which (for every sublink) produces the behavior I'm describing. So okay, fine - only part of the site is based on straight-up…
racional on HN
Topic and genre search results are inaccurate
From 3 comments
Why does searching for "mathematics" only provide specific texts? No general category/listing?
WillAdams on HNJust try search for any book, author, topic, or genre you are interested in In my post above: "Then I did some topical searches ..." For large / concrete topics, the result sets…
racional on HNYep, I am working on this, and it is a lot of how our system works under the surface. It just isn't accurate enough yet. I do use the LOC data, but only a very small % of books…
bwb on HN
Book descriptions can be out of date
From 1 comment
What is the source for a book description? I ask because I just started listening to "Straight Man" by Richard Russo and looked it up on Shepherd. Shepherd mentions that…
hasbot on HN
Requests
Better topic and genre accuracy, which the maker is working on
From 2 comments
Thanks! :) I am working to really improve the accuracy of genres & topics, and adding themes. I am hoping I can tackle that in 3 months or so...
bwb on HNbtw, here are some other fun explore points :) Sci-Fi -> https://shepherd.com/search/shelf/9008 History -> https://shepherd.com/search/shelf/12669 Fantasy ->…
bwb on HN
Combine multiple ideas in serendipitous searches
From 1 comment
I love browsing Shepherd. The more specific lists crack me up but give me so many ideas. I also like that you can browse serendipitously tags related to just about any topic you…
1123581321 on HN
Questions
How can 10,000+ interviews be done by one person
From 1 comment
This is cool—I mean it—but what do you mean you interviewed 10,000+ people in three years? How is that possible, given the number of hours in a day? Is it instead that you…
karaterobot on HN
What is the source for book descriptions
From 1 comment
What is the source for a book description? I ask because I just started listening to "Straight Man" by Richard Russo and looked it up on Shepherd. Shepherd mentions that…
hasbot on HN
Alternatives named
Five Books
From 2 comments
This is cool—I mean it—but what do you mean you interviewed 10,000+ people in three years? How is that possible, given the number of hours in a day? Is it instead that you…
karaterobot on HNWith books, I really don't view anyone as a competitor; the goal should be to help readers find books, as they are the closest thing we have to magic. Five Books is doing great…
bwb on HN
Hardcover
From 1 comment
With books, I really don't view anyone as a competitor; the goal should be to help readers find books, as they are the closest thing we have to magic. Five Books is doing great…
bwb on HN
StoryGraph
From 1 comment
With books, I really don't view anyone as a competitor; the goal should be to help readers find books, as they are the closest thing we have to magic. Five Books is doing great…
bwb on HN