Clive ThompsonNov 9, 2022

I built this tool a year ago but I feel like Mastodon folks would like it

The "Weird Old Book Finder"

Type in a search query, and it'll find one randomly-chosen public-domain book that matches the query -- and present it for immediate reading: https://www.weirdoldbookfinder.net/

Why only one book? To prevent the paradox of choice! Just *start readin'*

Can't promise every book will be weird, but most are

A longer essay on how/why I developed it: https://debugger.medium.com/a-search-engine-that-finds-you-weird-old-books-3a74fbb5f3d4

This was a search for "mastodon"

Show threadClive ThompsonNov 9, 2022
If anyone finds something cool, screenshot it and share it (with alt-text describing what it is!)
Show threadEli the Bearded

@clive

Request: can the buy this book option provide more information in the search or is that provided by the google widget? I tried it for one but the search term was a single word which did not have anything old in the first page of results.

Aug 5, 2025 at 9:05pmWeb
Show threadClive ThompsonAug 5, 2025

@elithebearded

Alas, i can't alter the built-in properties of the google widget ...

... but I have been intending to create my own button that will take users directly to the downloadable PDF of the book hosted by google

I need to get my butt in gear on that!