Don't know what to read next?

Interested in talking about books with readers from around the world?

Then take a look at www.encompassculture.com

Join our worldwide online book group for adults, young adult’s (12-18) and children (3-12)

Select from the best contemporary UK and Commonwealth literature

• Choose from over 5,000 books in the reading compasses for auto/biography, crime, drama, general fiction, love, management, poetry, science, travel, women's writing and the world
• Find prizewinners
• Download booklists
• Search for author, title or keyword  
• Read and write book reviews
• Follow related web links, read descriptions, view author photographs and book jackets
• Join in discussions with readers around the world on the web board and chatline
• Meet authors online  
• Find out how to set up a reading group
• Link up with reading groups around the world
• Need help ask our Online Reader in Residence

For Adults
The adult site has genre compasses for Love and Romance, Travel, World, UK Diversity, Poetry, Crime, Women’s Writing, Science (including popular science, science fiction and fantasy), Humour, Drama, Auto/Biography and General Fiction with sub groups such as Short Stories. Within each compass you can select one or two sub-genres combined for example in Crime the ten sub-genres include Private Detective Novels, Comic Crime and Thrillers. If you prefer you can search for New Talent, Prizes or Contemporary Classics in each genre. You can also use the discussion board and join in the ‘adult’ chat.

For Young Adults
Aimed at 12-18 year olds and includes some books from the children’s site and some from the adult’s as well as its own books. This site has three reading compasses for Reality, Imaginative and Pot Luck. Within each compass you have between four and twelve subgroups to choose from, once again you can combine two groups to be more specific if you like. These include animal, magic, adventure, fantasy, humour, contemporary issues, classics, poetry, sport, self-discovery, family, friendships amongst others. If you prefer you can just search for Prizes or Interest Level in each compass. You can also use the Young Adult’s discussion board and join in the chats.

For Children
For 3-12 year olds, divided into three reading compasses for Imaginative, Reality and Pot Luck. Within each compass you can select a subgroup or combine two sub groups to choose your books. Each compass has between 5-10 subgroups to choose from. These include adventure, contemporary life, animal stories, historical, school, family, myths, short stories, science amongst others. In the children’s site you can also select your age range or interest level, for example, 5-7 year olds, 10+ or Illustrated and Prize Winners in each compass. As with the other sites you can also use the discussion board (there is a special section for children) and join in the chats.

Online Reader in Residence
Susan Tranter, our Online Reader in Residence can set up discussion threads on the web board for you and organises online chats between reading groups and other invited guests including authors. Susan is always available to help you choose books, she has a monthly newletter, selects a Book of the Month and organises a monthly Reader's Quiz.

For disabled users
enCompass is designed using Flash to make it a moving interactive web site but we have also set up an alternative non-flash site. This is easier to use for poorly sighted or blind people and those with motor disabilities as the compasses don’t rotate and are clearer to read (and can also be read by a reading browser).

Development
The sites are constantly updated with the development of new genre compasses. In 2003 we [juliet wragge-morley] added a new compass for Management, literature titles used to teach management techniques. In 2005 we will add: Reel Books - Page to Screen; Sport in literature; and Commonwealth titles 2000-2004. All the reading compasses are updated every month.

Reading groups
If you are interested in setting up a reading group or finding out how to manage one then click here. We also give ideas on how you can use enCompass with your group and link up with other readers around the world.

Do take a look at the encompassculture site, read the books, add your reviews and join in the discussions.