Publishing Perspectives

Publishing Perspectives Navigation
  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Abu Dhabi Book Fair
  • Rights
    • Submit Rights Deal
  • About Us
    • Magazines
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Search
  • Home
  • Features
  • News
  • Abu Dhabi Book Fair
  • Rights
    • Submit Rights Deal
  • About Us
    • Magazines
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Search

BookLamp Infographic Visualizes the Thematic Flow of a Book

In Global Trade Talk by Edward NawotkaMarch 14, 2012

By Edward Nawotka

BookLamp.org — aka the Book Genome Project — breaks a book down into 32,160 data points and quantifies everything from density and pacing, all in aid of book discovery. Now the team of razor-sharp engineers have put their skills to the test in putting together a visual infographic of thematic flow of a book.  The book used in the example below is called A Year and a Day by Virginia Henley.

As they explain on their site:

One of the areas that we’ve been playing with is how to visualize the thematic flow of a book. A book isn’t a flat, two-dimensional thing, so book summary statistics – such as that a book is 17% about Vampires – only partially represents what a book is about. Any reader will tell you that a book has ebbs and flows, like currents in a river. Like a Thematic Current. And visualizing it can be interesting…the story takes place in same time – and with many of the same primary historical characters – as the movie Braveheart. As you can see, the thematic currents of this book deal heavily with ancient or medieval setting, strong romance, family (much of the story deals with having heirs), and warfare. More specifically, you can see where major battles occur, where major romantic engagements occur, and where pain and suffering occurs during and after combat

Click the image to see the full-size infographic:

About the Author

Edward Nawotka

A widely published critic and essayist, Edward Nawotka serves as a speaker, educator and consultant for institutions and businesses involved in the global publishing and content industries. He was also editor-in-chief of Publishing Perspectives since the launch of the publication in 2009 until January 2016.

Tags: analytics, BookLamp, infographic, Metadata

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up to get our FREE email edition, Monday to Friday!

SUBSCRIBE »

Browse Popular Topics

Audiobooks
Authors
Bestsellers
Book Prizes
Book Sales
Bookselling
Children’s Books
Digital Publishing
Distribution
Education
Frankfurt Book Fair
Literature
London Book Fair
Marketing
Reading
Rights
Statistics
Translation
Writing

Browse Countries / Regions

Africa
Asia
Australia
Brazil
Canada
China
Europe
France
Germany
India
Italy
Latin America
Mexico
Middle East
Russia
Southeast Asia
Spain
Turkey
USA
UK
Publishing Perspectives, a brand of Frankfurter Buchmesse and operated at MVB US, Inc. | newsletter@publishingperspectives.com
  • Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise