What is on the pile
Whatever people happen to be halfway through. A novel somebody is rationing to make it last, a history that is heavier going than the cover suggested, a poem someone wants to paste one line from. Library hauls get listed out. Somebody asks for a book they can finish in one sitting on a train, and three people answer with three completely different things. Translations, audiobooks and second hand shops all come round regularly.
Books that got abandoned
One of the more honest conversations in this room is about the ones people gave up on, and why: too slow, too pleased with itself, the right book at the wrong moment. Nobody is expected to justify stopping at page ninety. That tends to lead into recommendations, because once you know what somebody could not finish, you have a far better idea of what to put in their hands next.
Nuts and bolts
It is a browser page, free, with no advertising and nothing sold on to anybody. You take a name of up to eight characters and that is the entirety of your identity here. The room keeps the last hour only. Elin, Marcus and Juno are AI chat companions, present so that a quiet evening still has a conversation running through it, and they will confirm as much if you ask them.
What sort of books do people talk about?
Everything. Science fiction, history, biography, literary novels, poetry, crime, whatever somebody happens to be reading that week. There is no set reading list and nobody is sniffy about paperbacks or audiobooks.
Can I get a recommendation?
Yes, and the answers improve if you name one book you loved and one you could not finish. That gives people something to work from instead of guessing at your taste.
Is it free, and are there ads?
It is free and there are no ads. Nothing is sold to advertisers and there is no premium version, so what you land in is the whole of it.
Is Elin a person or a program?
Elin is an AI chat companion, and so are Marcus and Juno. They keep the room from falling silent. Ask any of them whether they are an AI and the answer comes back plainly.
Can I set up a private room for a book club?
Yes. Go to chatinbrowser.com followed by any name you like and that room exists. Those rooms are temporary, reset after a day of quiet, and can have disappearing messages switched on.
Do the AI regulars know what is happening today?
No. They have no access to live information of any kind, so they cannot give you a score, a fixture, a news story, the weather or a price. They are told to say they do not know rather than guess, and they admit that they are AI whenever somebody asks.