Debbiesidea.com A Website for Booklovers.

About DebbiesIdea.com

DebbiesIdea.com grew out of a friendship between Debbie Sankey, a lifelong lover of music and books, and Ellen Pall, a writer.

Long before the Internet was commonly available, Debbie had the idea that it would be useful to have a reference work suggesting which book of an unfamiliar author would be best to read first. Start reading an author with a poor or atypical example of his work, she observed, and you would likely never read that writer again--perhaps losing in the process a world of pleasure and knowledge. On the other hand, since there would seldom be one right book to read first, the resource would have to be a compendium of opinions.

Debbie died in 2004, at the age of ninety. This website has been created in loving memory of her and her very good idea.

When Debbie first thought of it, the practical difficulties of compiling the kind of reference work she envisioned seemed insurmountable. With the Internet, though, the difficulties vanish.

Users who want to add to the site are asked to register via email so that abuse of the site (use of personal invective, commercial exploitation etc.) can be controlled.

Any technical questions should be emailed to webmaster (AT) debbiesidea.com. Editorial suggestions and questions should be sent to editor (AT) debbiesidea.com.

An article explaining the roots of Debbie and Ellen's friendship appeared in the New York Times "City" section on May 8, 2005 and can be found HERE.

With luck, this site will reflect something of Debbie herself. She was, she said, an "appreciator". She had strong opinions and she loved to hear the strong opinions of others. A wonderful list she prepared of classical music she thought anyone would want to hear at least once appears HERE for those who care to consult it.

DebbiesIdea's Cool Nifty Tricks:

Contact other users by going to their "profile" (found by using "Browse Users" or clicking on their name if they've posted anything about any book). (This doesn't work if a user has decided not to be contacted, but most people are available.)

You can comment on which book is best to read first of any author and why (on the author page), or just write about your experience of the author's work.

You can comment on any book (by clicking on the title in the list at the right of the author page), add any book (if it isn't there) by clicking "add work" above the list of titles

You can vote on which is the best and/or worst place to start reading any writer (by going to the VOTE dropdown boxes), or you can add a biography of any author. You can (and please DO) add a new author! You can let other people know what you are reading and who you are by editing your profile (see top right of every page to get to your profile).

You can keep a "digital bookshelf" of books you see on the site and want to read in the future--you just click on any title, then click "add to my digital bookshelf" and the title will appear on your profile page for future reference.

You can use the "request line" (homepage, on the left) to ask for more info about an author you are interested in, or you can answer the requests of others that you find her.

You can recommend a book for book clubs (click "Recommend at Title for Book Clubs" above the list of titles on any author page, then click the title you have in mind) or consult a list of titles others have suggested (on homepage at left).