I saw this news via the Literary Saloon, where Master Orthofer wonders why this hasn't been seen as bigger news, and what's going on with all that content…

There's no doubt that, from a business perspective, Shanda's acquisition rampage is a very big deal. But in terms of content, it's difficult to express what a dismal wasteland these sites represent. Every few months I think, "goddammit, I should be paying more attention to this stuff, with so much chaff there's got to be some wheat". But each time, after a week or two of regular perusal, I just can't be bothered to keep up the effort.

As a tiny indicator of what we're up against: the splash page of ReadNovel.com, mentioned above, offers a his-n-hers choice of the "literature for girls" site (romance, school stories) and the "literature for boys" site (kung-fu, military fiction). You have to choose.

Eric Abrahamsen, February 20, 2010, 2:22a.m.

ReadNovel.com -- taking youth and gender stereotyping to a whole new level! Even the book covers in the "Lit for Girls"/女生版 section are pinks and purples and pastels, whereas "Lit for Boys"/男生版 features muted, presumably more masculine, hues: blues, greys and military greens. As if putting serious female authors in the "chick-lit" section of Chinese bookstores wasn't insulting enough...

Cindy Carter, February 21, 2010, 11:22a.m.

You two talking about this reminds me of the Lady Book Saloon in Haidian.. Not the smoothest bit of gender branding I've ever seen.

Nick, February 21, 2010, 9:10p.m.

Wow. Did you go into the 雨枫书馆/Lady Book Saloon? If so, what sorts of books were on offer? I live on the other side of the city, but I'd almost be willing to take the 90-minute trip to Haidian just to check it out. Afterward, I'd probably have to cleanse my palate with the more gender-neutral 万圣书园/All-Sages Bookstore in the same neighborhood.

Cindy Carter, February 23, 2010, 5:17p.m.

I didn't -- I was actually on my way to Wansheng (they're within a block of each other, I think, all on Chengfu Lu) and I just snapped this as I was walking past. I'll go in next time I'm by there -- I was too stonkered by the decor at the time to think seriously about what kind of books they were selling, but now I'm curious.

Nick, February 23, 2010, 6:37p.m.

I go to Wansheng pretty regularly, either to look for books or work in the 醒客咖啡店 Thinker's Coffee (I love these transliterations) upstairs. Not as agreeable an environment all-around as 蓝羊 The Blue Goat-they seem to prefer annoying Christmas music lately-but a lot easier to get to.

Canaan Morse, February 26, 2010, 12:32a.m.

I've never been to 蓝羊/The Blue Goat. Where is it? Do they have a website?

Cindy Carter, February 26, 2010, 1:24a.m.

Go out of the East Gate of Tsinghua and take a right. Walk 150 meters or so up the road, and on your left, among bike shops and 串儿吧 you'll see a yellow sign pointing down a small alley. Right past it is 前流书店，a used bookstore run by a group of interesting, rather inscrutable people. That store used to have a hermit calligrapher working in its small back room.

Canaan Morse, February 27, 2010, 8:02p.m.

Thanks for the info. More bookstores should have resident hermit-calligraphers, don't you think?

Cindy Carter, February 28, 2010, 4:55p.m.