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LIKE is a selfie of modern times that takes you on a journey through the lives of normal people—the new normal—fully connected in an electronic age.
You’ll meet Greg, a realtor whose success stems from his Internet savvy. His tweets are re-tweeted a hundred times and thousands follow his blog.
Then there’s Paul, who stumbles on an old crush while Facebooking. Through research of her online habits, he arranges a “chance” meeting so they can fall in Like with each other.
Martin is a cancer survivor with renewed purpose in life thanks to a supportive social media family.
It’s a tapestry of people and events woven together with this era’s most abundant thread: social media.
“With one Like I can say hi to a friend, support them during a crisis, share in a joke, make someone happy, or reinforce a person’s self esteem. I make myself part of their world. It’s like I stopped by for coffee. But, by Liking, I can also avoid talking to all the people I don’t want to waste time on. Or I can check to see what my ex girlfriend is doing seven or eight times an hour. It’s a double-edged mouse click.”
- Anonymous
You’ll meet Greg, a realtor whose success stems from his Internet savvy. His tweets are re-tweeted a hundred times and thousands follow his blog.
Then there’s Paul, who stumbles on an old crush while Facebooking. Through research of her online habits, he arranges a “chance” meeting so they can fall in Like with each other.
Martin is a cancer survivor with renewed purpose in life thanks to a supportive social media family.
It’s a tapestry of people and events woven together with this era’s most abundant thread: social media.
“With one Like I can say hi to a friend, support them during a crisis, share in a joke, make someone happy, or reinforce a person’s self esteem. I make myself part of their world. It’s like I stopped by for coffee. But, by Liking, I can also avoid talking to all the people I don’t want to waste time on. Or I can check to see what my ex girlfriend is doing seven or eight times an hour. It’s a double-edged mouse click.”
- Anonymous
- GenresContemporaryHumorFiction
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2014
85 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
Bart "J.B." Hopkins
17 books253 followersJ.B. Hopkins grew up along the muddy waters of the Texas coast.
He owned an Atari 2600, loves 80's music, and can use a card catalog like nobody's business.
J.B. likes to snap pictures, design covers, and tell stories.
Subscribe to his newsletter and score a free copy of Dead Ends.
https://eepurl.com/hu2AgL
J.B. has written five novels, a novella, and a few dozen short stories.
He owned an Atari 2600, loves 80's music, and can use a card catalog like nobody's business.
J.B. likes to snap pictures, design covers, and tell stories.
Subscribe to his newsletter and score a free copy of Dead Ends.
https://eepurl.com/hu2AgL
J.B. has written five novels, a novella, and a few dozen short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
December 3, 2014
"every second of every day is a test"
The storyline for LIKE is terrific. I could easily see a screenplay writer wanting to adapt it for film. The opening chapters introduce us to numerous characters whose lives are unwittingly on a collision course thanks to social media.
A realtor using Facebook to sell homes ... A grandmother cyberstalking her own granddaughters ... A deployed soldier staying in touch with his wife and kid ... A financially successful genius who happens to be a psycho reconnects with his 'hot' former high school English teacher ... A college professor battles cancer with the help of forty years worth of students rallying online to raise money for his treatment ...
There's a lot going on, but it's all connected.
And it's brilliant in so many ways. The writing is witty and sharp, and focuses the reader on important questions about how and why social media have become so prevalent in society. I highlighted a number of passages but one I found near the end struck me as especially important: "every second of every day is a test." The book is LIKE, but that passage drove home for me that it's really about the subtleties of LIFE.
I highly recommend this book: 5/5 stars.
The storyline for LIKE is terrific. I could easily see a screenplay writer wanting to adapt it for film. The opening chapters introduce us to numerous characters whose lives are unwittingly on a collision course thanks to social media.
A realtor using Facebook to sell homes ... A grandmother cyberstalking her own granddaughters ... A deployed soldier staying in touch with his wife and kid ... A financially successful genius who happens to be a psycho reconnects with his 'hot' former high school English teacher ... A college professor battles cancer with the help of forty years worth of students rallying online to raise money for his treatment ...
There's a lot going on, but it's all connected.
And it's brilliant in so many ways. The writing is witty and sharp, and focuses the reader on important questions about how and why social media have become so prevalent in society. I highlighted a number of passages but one I found near the end struck me as especially important: "every second of every day is a test." The book is LIKE, but that passage drove home for me that it's really about the subtleties of LIFE.
I highly recommend this book: 5/5 stars.
November 16, 2014
Is it too corny if I say I really liked "Like"? :) Well, sorry, but it's true. I was already a huge fan of Hopkins' earlier work (Fluke [co-written with David Elliott], Texas Jack, etc.), and I was super excited to read "Like." Let me tell you, it doesn't disappoint! There are several story lines in the novel and they all have a common thread - social media. Let's face it - we all use social media in some form or fashion in our every day lives. And "Like" showcases that fact - whether it's rekindling an old flame, or posting selfies, or for advertising your business or raising money for a worthy cause. There's also the dark side of social media - internet romances, cyber stalking, etc. You never know who's out there lurking...
Go read it! I bet you'll "Like" it as much as I do! ;)
Go read it! I bet you'll "Like" it as much as I do! ;)
December 31, 2014
2.5 stars. A group of people that interact and use Facebook to tell each of their stories. The high school reunion plot of the guy tempted by his ex love was interesting but the other stories fell short, especially the one where a woman falls for an abusive angry man and stays with him. I know that happens in long term relationships but to stay with someone that beats you from the beginning? I started skimming about 45% in, can't say it held my interest.
November 20, 2014
This is a very character driven novel. There are a few different storylines to follow that are all very separate but end up intertwining at different parts of the novel. Their stories are creative but all very, very real.
As I was reading, I thought it was silly how dependent they were on social media, how often they brought it up, and how bit it was in their lives. Taking a step back, it wasn’t even an exaggeration. The amount of time the characters in this book spend on social media is comparable to how much real people spend on it in their everyday lives. You can’t go many places without hearing about something on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
I can see this being a book that shows what the norm for what many novels is going to be in the future – probably the near future; Very strong characters with communication driven by social media.
One thing I really enjoy about Like as well as Bart’s other books is his likable characters. Time is put into the planning of his characters and their personalities and how they really fit into the story. They all carry some of the weight, but I found myself thinking of Greg as the main character because he is the first that the reader meets.
The one complain that I have is that I wish this book was longer. I got pretty attached to some of the characters as I was reading it and would have liked to know how their stories turned out a few years down the road. Although, you run the risk of a book getting boring if it does drag on too long.
4/5 stars. Great characters, great stories. A little cheesy at times which is to be expected when it is centered around social media. Overall, it was a fun read that I think readers of all different types can enjoy.
Trigger Warning: Domestic Abuse.
As I was reading, I thought it was silly how dependent they were on social media, how often they brought it up, and how bit it was in their lives. Taking a step back, it wasn’t even an exaggeration. The amount of time the characters in this book spend on social media is comparable to how much real people spend on it in their everyday lives. You can’t go many places without hearing about something on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
I can see this being a book that shows what the norm for what many novels is going to be in the future – probably the near future; Very strong characters with communication driven by social media.
One thing I really enjoy about Like as well as Bart’s other books is his likable characters. Time is put into the planning of his characters and their personalities and how they really fit into the story. They all carry some of the weight, but I found myself thinking of Greg as the main character because he is the first that the reader meets.
The one complain that I have is that I wish this book was longer. I got pretty attached to some of the characters as I was reading it and would have liked to know how their stories turned out a few years down the road. Although, you run the risk of a book getting boring if it does drag on too long.
4/5 stars. Great characters, great stories. A little cheesy at times which is to be expected when it is centered around social media. Overall, it was a fun read that I think readers of all different types can enjoy.
Trigger Warning: Domestic Abuse.
November 3, 2016
When I read the synopsis of this book, I figured it would be fun reading. Being an avid social media user, I spend more time than I should on Facebook, Twitter and various online forums. This book exceeded my expectations, and made me feel like I was eavesdropping on strangers as they posted Facebook updates. In this manner, the author truly accomplished his goal.
I happen to work in Galveston, so his mention of specific places made the story seem that much more real.
I'm looking forward to reading more of Mr. Hopkins' work.
I happen to work in Galveston, so his mention of specific places made the story seem that much more real.
I'm looking forward to reading more of Mr. Hopkins' work.
July 24, 2018
The story is a great concept that was executed perfectly. Great characters and a great story, superbly written.
January 31, 2015
I very much enjoyed this novel written by author Bart Hopkins. It’s about society’s use of and reliance upon social media, and how it’s become such a huge and integral part of our personal and professional lives. This plethora of information sharing and non-stop communication that a majority of us take part in on a daily basis has become so commonplace, such a normal way of life, and in Like, Hopkins illustrates for his readers how social media impacts us all…in both good ways and bad.
Like is about a group of people who all use social media in different ways. There is a realtor who uses it as a tool to sell homes, a deployed Marine who keeps in contact with his wife and young son, and an estranged mother who secretly takes part in the lives of her daughter and grandchildren through a public Facebook profile. There is a college professor getting through chemotherapy treatments with the help of online support from a collection of students he’s taught over the years, and a cyber-stalker who reconnects with an unsuspecting and unlucky former teacher. As I was getting into this book, I thought perhaps Hopkins was throwing too many characters into his story, but that way of thinking was proven false. The more I read, the more connected each person became with the rest. Every story was realistic, and one of the most entertaining aspects of this book was how Hopkins masterfully tied all of the characters together. It wasn’t clear to me how the story would end when it began to unfold, but I was pleasantly surprised, not only by how each tale was interwoven creatively with the others, but with the collective ending as well.
Hopkins writes in a way that makes the reader feel comfortable. His characters are all relatable, and his prose is sprinkled with not only humor but lines so charming I found myself re-reading many of them. The following is just one that stood out for me. "One of the most glorious, yet tragic, things about being human was that, sometimes, you just had to learn things for yourself. Call it a flaw, call it a blessing, call it life. If everyone learned from everyone else’s mistakes, the world would be perfect."
Everything about this book is real. It’s a fascinating look at the complexities of life, human emotions and how we all interact with one another. This book certainly deserves a great big ‘like’.
Like is about a group of people who all use social media in different ways. There is a realtor who uses it as a tool to sell homes, a deployed Marine who keeps in contact with his wife and young son, and an estranged mother who secretly takes part in the lives of her daughter and grandchildren through a public Facebook profile. There is a college professor getting through chemotherapy treatments with the help of online support from a collection of students he’s taught over the years, and a cyber-stalker who reconnects with an unsuspecting and unlucky former teacher. As I was getting into this book, I thought perhaps Hopkins was throwing too many characters into his story, but that way of thinking was proven false. The more I read, the more connected each person became with the rest. Every story was realistic, and one of the most entertaining aspects of this book was how Hopkins masterfully tied all of the characters together. It wasn’t clear to me how the story would end when it began to unfold, but I was pleasantly surprised, not only by how each tale was interwoven creatively with the others, but with the collective ending as well.
Hopkins writes in a way that makes the reader feel comfortable. His characters are all relatable, and his prose is sprinkled with not only humor but lines so charming I found myself re-reading many of them. The following is just one that stood out for me. "One of the most glorious, yet tragic, things about being human was that, sometimes, you just had to learn things for yourself. Call it a flaw, call it a blessing, call it life. If everyone learned from everyone else’s mistakes, the world would be perfect."
Everything about this book is real. It’s a fascinating look at the complexities of life, human emotions and how we all interact with one another. This book certainly deserves a great big ‘like’.
January 14, 2015
LIKE features some characters you will either love or hate. In this book, we meet Martin Lange, a college professor and a cancer survivor, who received tremendous support from people who formed a group through the Internet. Greg Thomas, a married real-estate broker who found ways to get in touch (maybe cheat) with his high-school sweetheart using social media. There's also Susan - a diligent nurse with a son and a Marines husband deployed somewhere in Afghanistan; thanks to Skype, they're able to talk to each other everyday. We also meet Rose Murray aka Rockin' Rose who was relatively new to anything about Internet and finally found her daughter through Facebook.
There are also others who are really annoying and full of themselves (Paul Harris, for instance) and some who made their lives easier by using the world wide web. These characters & their stories are somewhat intertwined through the use of social media; different stories, different people, different scenarios, one common medium - the Internet.
Right from the very start, I knew I'm going to like the stories here; they're all easy to relate to. The situations or instances when people use Facebook or Twitter are accurate. and spot on. We may not be aware of it, but ever-since the emergence of social media, our lives have somewhat transformed: from telegrams to Instagram, from telephones to smartphones, from TV to iPad, from snail mail to Facebook!
This is indeed the most like-able book about social media that's ever told. LIKE is my first Bart Hopkins book and it's definitely not going to be the last! A highly recommended read to everyone, whether you got a Facebook account or not.
There are also others who are really annoying and full of themselves (Paul Harris, for instance) and some who made their lives easier by using the world wide web. These characters & their stories are somewhat intertwined through the use of social media; different stories, different people, different scenarios, one common medium - the Internet.
Right from the very start, I knew I'm going to like the stories here; they're all easy to relate to. The situations or instances when people use Facebook or Twitter are accurate. and spot on. We may not be aware of it, but ever-since the emergence of social media, our lives have somewhat transformed: from telegrams to Instagram, from telephones to smartphones, from TV to iPad, from snail mail to Facebook!
This is indeed the most like-able book about social media that's ever told. LIKE is my first Bart Hopkins book and it's definitely not going to be the last! A highly recommended read to everyone, whether you got a Facebook account or not.
June 25, 2015
Liked
The premise of Like is interesting and timely. We have become a people who are obsessed with social media. Many of my younger friends can not sit and have a conversation without having their smartphone nearby. Being raised in the years prior to the ubiquitous possession of the cellphone, personal computer and social media, I can see both positive and negative aspects of being in touch with others all the time.
The book is set up with four main characters and shows how social media effects their lives. At first, I didn't care for the organization of the story, jumping from one character to another. As I got to know the characters better it was no longer an issue. I was happy to return to each character to see what they were doing. The characters were believable and seemed like real people who I might know.
The dialogue was good, moving the story along at a brisk pace. I became invested in the well being of each person and wanted a positive outcome for each of them. The internet is not good or bad but it does have the possibility of changing each users life depending on how it is used.
This is the first book I've read by Bart Hopkins. Based on this book, I will be looking for his other books. I will be interested to see what else he has to offer.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of Like is interesting and timely. We have become a people who are obsessed with social media. Many of my younger friends can not sit and have a conversation without having their smartphone nearby. Being raised in the years prior to the ubiquitous possession of the cellphone, personal computer and social media, I can see both positive and negative aspects of being in touch with others all the time.
The book is set up with four main characters and shows how social media effects their lives. At first, I didn't care for the organization of the story, jumping from one character to another. As I got to know the characters better it was no longer an issue. I was happy to return to each character to see what they were doing. The characters were believable and seemed like real people who I might know.
The dialogue was good, moving the story along at a brisk pace. I became invested in the well being of each person and wanted a positive outcome for each of them. The internet is not good or bad but it does have the possibility of changing each users life depending on how it is used.
This is the first book I've read by Bart Hopkins. Based on this book, I will be looking for his other books. I will be interested to see what else he has to offer.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2015
Like takes us through the tale of several characters: Rose, an older woman hoping to reconnect with a daughter she abandoned; Greg, a realtor heading to his ten-year reunion where he will be meeting with his high school sweetheart; Paul, a violent man looking for just the right girlfriend; Susan, a woman whose husband is deployed in Afghanistan; and Martin, a professor recovering from cancer. The common thread through all the stories is the power of Facebook, and the many ways it has come to wind its way through our lives.
The concept of Like is brilliant. It is hard to imagine just ten years ago when we could not easily connect with or track down ex-high school loves, talk to current friends and loved ones oceans away, and organize Facebook events for a variety of causes. Facebook has become a central and insidious part of the way we operate as a society and we are overdue for a novel, or three, that explores the impacts of it on our lives...
...read the rest of this review at UndergroundBookReviews(dot)com!
The concept of Like is brilliant. It is hard to imagine just ten years ago when we could not easily connect with or track down ex-high school loves, talk to current friends and loved ones oceans away, and organize Facebook events for a variety of causes. Facebook has become a central and insidious part of the way we operate as a society and we are overdue for a novel, or three, that explores the impacts of it on our lives...
...read the rest of this review at UndergroundBookReviews(dot)com!
January 13, 2015
Social media does have a major impact on life nowadays, whether we want to admit it or not. In Like, Bart Hopkins focused on this concept in detail and the different ways that social media can influence us. The book starts with different characters who don’t seem to be connected to each other in any real way. Yet, as the story progresses, the stories of the characters become more strongly intertwined. This was an element of the book that I really enjoyed, particularly as the characters are more normal than you find in most stories. With so many characters, the character development in Like was relatively limited, but this didn’t detract from the story. Instead, the emphasis was more on events and relationships between the characters. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I plan to read others by the author.
January 7, 2015
I took a chance on this book based on the glowing reviews of the other readers, and I was not the least bit disappointed. This book was as good as its reputation. Maybe because I came into this without any expectations. How do I explain it? “Like” is one of those books written about a multitude of characters whose lives somehow intertwine with each other. Though the idea isn’t new, the execution was very well done. A very pleasant book about modern life with social media and how it affects the characters.
July 16, 2015
This is s great book that I think we can learn something from. This is an interwoven narrative of several different story lines which at times touch each other, and illustrate instances where social media and technology can hurt and benefit us. Whether it is setting up a fund me account, making sure we exercise caution when choosing privacy settings on Facebook, or using texting for emergency situations I think there will be something in this book everyone can relate too.
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2015
Unique
Not at all what I expected but delightful just the same. Several intertwined tales, winding to a single conclusion. A good read
Not at all what I expected but delightful just the same. Several intertwined tales, winding to a single conclusion. A good read
July 2, 2016
Great read.
Loved the characters and the local. Being from the area, it was neat to have it be a part of the book. Highly recommend
Loved the characters and the local. Being from the area, it was neat to have it be a part of the book. Highly recommend
July 7, 2017
Well, it's a hat-trick !! Read 3 by this author and all 3 are 5* reads for me. He's not put a foot wrong yet as far as I'm concerned. This was terrific. Very cleverly written, like a six degrees of separation thing but with Facebook as the common denominator.
All their singular stories were very interesting on their own and if you're not a social media fan, don't panic, as it doesn't take over the whole book, trust me.
I'm not really a Facebook fan myself but I'll give it props as when my brother died suddenly it was invaluable for getting hold of his pals and letting them all know. Without that I'd have been clueless as to how to reach them and WHO I needed to reach as well. So it has its uses for sure. It's just full of too many kids and stupidity for my liking.
There were only a handful of mistakes worth noting, too. He wrote about a wine shop when it really should've been a wine bar..."I have get to work" lost to, then Brulee was spelt correctly once then as Brule the next time it got a mention and that was used and not the in one sentence.
I was confused by this sentence as a retort to "As they say, happy wife, happy life"....Susan responded "Or at least happy wife equals happy wife".....I don't get it !! He has an annoying habit of writing smart phone instead of smartphone, too.
There were some funny lines in this and for me the last line was perfect and I look forward to his next offering I get to pick up.
All their singular stories were very interesting on their own and if you're not a social media fan, don't panic, as it doesn't take over the whole book, trust me.
I'm not really a Facebook fan myself but I'll give it props as when my brother died suddenly it was invaluable for getting hold of his pals and letting them all know. Without that I'd have been clueless as to how to reach them and WHO I needed to reach as well. So it has its uses for sure. It's just full of too many kids and stupidity for my liking.
There were only a handful of mistakes worth noting, too. He wrote about a wine shop when it really should've been a wine bar..."I have get to work" lost to, then Brulee was spelt correctly once then as Brule the next time it got a mention and that was used and not the in one sentence.
I was confused by this sentence as a retort to "As they say, happy wife, happy life"....Susan responded "Or at least happy wife equals happy wife".....I don't get it !! He has an annoying habit of writing smart phone instead of smartphone, too.
There were some funny lines in this and for me the last line was perfect and I look forward to his next offering I get to pick up.
October 23, 2017
Loved it!
Not what I was expecting, but I loved it! Each character was introduced and we'll developed. Each person's story connected in the end. Bringing it full circle.
Not what I was expecting, but I loved it! Each character was introduced and we'll developed. Each person's story connected in the end. Bringing it full circle.
January 6, 2015
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." - Hemingway
Bart Hopkins is a man of our times - in more ways than simply being of the age (around 40) that is most affected by every aspect of the world situation. Originally from Galveston, Texas, but has lived in Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Korea, and Germany, served in the U.S. Air Force as a meteorologist for twenty years and has degrees in Liberal Arts and Education. But what makes the Bart Hopkins who authored this novel LIKE so significant is that finally someone has put their finger on the impact social media has on each of us, whether we fall into the category of Internet communications or not.
Bart offers some startling statistics about Facebook from 2012 (likely the numbers have grown since hen as now it seems most everyone is a captive of that plague: `Facebook Statistics from 2012 - Almost 1,000,000,000 users. 250,000,000 photos uploaded daily. 80% of users prefer to connect with brands through Facebook. 1,000,000 websites have integrated with Facebook. Links about sex are shared 90% more than any other link. 85% of women are annoyed by their friends on Facebook. 23% of users check their account 5 times or more each day. ` Think about that, keep in mind that the numbers are greater now, ruminate on the current publicity of the hacking crisis and the revelations of peoples behavior that once was thought to be private and now is viral public knowledge, and then dip into this absolutely marvelous book Bart has created, weaving together disparate lives in a way that only master storytellers can do...with a little help from Google and the other internet brain substitutes.
What makes LIKE work so very well is Bart's ability to create credible characters, making his litany about the foibles of Facebook far more immediate. We meet each character gradually, the first being realtor Greg who shares the following with the reader: `. It was the standard litany of Facebook alarms and hey-how-you-doings. He made a few replies, taking time to personalize the comments, then tapped the Like button on a dozen or so links, posts, and pictures. It was an easy way to send the smallest pulse of electricity out to those people and let them know they weren't forgotten. Literally, it was barely more than nothing. Practically nothing. But it wasn't nothing; it was something. Tap the Like button on one end of the digital rainbow and a pot of gold appears at the other end-- the red flag that says you have been Liked--your thoughts have been validated. Your existence affirmed. It was a connection. Shallow? Yes. Lacking substance? Probably. But it was still a connection. He remembered when AT& T's television commercials all ended with a lady singing, "Reach out and touch someone," at the end. Like was the modern-day version of "reach out and touch someone." The rules of engagement for Facebook seemed a little absurd-- the liking, the sharing, the commenting-- yet it was woven into the fabric of society, entwined in so many lives, in such strange little ways.' This was how people interacted in 2014. They tweeted, and shared, and Reddit-ed. Contrary to his own feelings, the young users probably couldn't imagine a world without this stuff, a world where people laughed out loud with each other, face-to-face, instead of LOLing over their computer.' There you have it.
But being the sensitive man Bart is, he includes the good and bad aspects of this new form of communication - distance chatting between Afghanistan posted fathers and their at home sons, cancer victims who hang on because of the support they gain from the social media, media adultery, friending, stalking, etc. Bart encourages us to step back and witness his cast of characters and the weave of his story. Alas, this is where we are, home phones are growing obsolete in favor of smartphone and tablets and iPads, reading books becomes an eBook phenomenon, our language is changing, selfies and other photos on line are replacing letters and photographs, etc. We can either become exasperated and frustrated, or we can read Bart Hopkins and begin to understand that this is where we are, like it or not. "With one Like I can say hi to a friend, support them during a crisis, share in a joke, make someone happy, or reinforce a person's self-esteem. I make myself part of their world. It's like I stopped by for coffee. But, by Liking, I can also avoid talking to all the people I don't want to waste time on. Or I can check to see what my ex-girlfriend is doing seven or eight times an hour. It's a double-edged mouse click." Bart Hopkins brings it all into focus, and in doing so has written an absolutely stunning and contemporary examination of the way we are. Highly Recommended.
Bart Hopkins is a man of our times - in more ways than simply being of the age (around 40) that is most affected by every aspect of the world situation. Originally from Galveston, Texas, but has lived in Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Korea, and Germany, served in the U.S. Air Force as a meteorologist for twenty years and has degrees in Liberal Arts and Education. But what makes the Bart Hopkins who authored this novel LIKE so significant is that finally someone has put their finger on the impact social media has on each of us, whether we fall into the category of Internet communications or not.
Bart offers some startling statistics about Facebook from 2012 (likely the numbers have grown since hen as now it seems most everyone is a captive of that plague: `Facebook Statistics from 2012 - Almost 1,000,000,000 users. 250,000,000 photos uploaded daily. 80% of users prefer to connect with brands through Facebook. 1,000,000 websites have integrated with Facebook. Links about sex are shared 90% more than any other link. 85% of women are annoyed by their friends on Facebook. 23% of users check their account 5 times or more each day. ` Think about that, keep in mind that the numbers are greater now, ruminate on the current publicity of the hacking crisis and the revelations of peoples behavior that once was thought to be private and now is viral public knowledge, and then dip into this absolutely marvelous book Bart has created, weaving together disparate lives in a way that only master storytellers can do...with a little help from Google and the other internet brain substitutes.
What makes LIKE work so very well is Bart's ability to create credible characters, making his litany about the foibles of Facebook far more immediate. We meet each character gradually, the first being realtor Greg who shares the following with the reader: `. It was the standard litany of Facebook alarms and hey-how-you-doings. He made a few replies, taking time to personalize the comments, then tapped the Like button on a dozen or so links, posts, and pictures. It was an easy way to send the smallest pulse of electricity out to those people and let them know they weren't forgotten. Literally, it was barely more than nothing. Practically nothing. But it wasn't nothing; it was something. Tap the Like button on one end of the digital rainbow and a pot of gold appears at the other end-- the red flag that says you have been Liked--your thoughts have been validated. Your existence affirmed. It was a connection. Shallow? Yes. Lacking substance? Probably. But it was still a connection. He remembered when AT& T's television commercials all ended with a lady singing, "Reach out and touch someone," at the end. Like was the modern-day version of "reach out and touch someone." The rules of engagement for Facebook seemed a little absurd-- the liking, the sharing, the commenting-- yet it was woven into the fabric of society, entwined in so many lives, in such strange little ways.' This was how people interacted in 2014. They tweeted, and shared, and Reddit-ed. Contrary to his own feelings, the young users probably couldn't imagine a world without this stuff, a world where people laughed out loud with each other, face-to-face, instead of LOLing over their computer.' There you have it.
But being the sensitive man Bart is, he includes the good and bad aspects of this new form of communication - distance chatting between Afghanistan posted fathers and their at home sons, cancer victims who hang on because of the support they gain from the social media, media adultery, friending, stalking, etc. Bart encourages us to step back and witness his cast of characters and the weave of his story. Alas, this is where we are, home phones are growing obsolete in favor of smartphone and tablets and iPads, reading books becomes an eBook phenomenon, our language is changing, selfies and other photos on line are replacing letters and photographs, etc. We can either become exasperated and frustrated, or we can read Bart Hopkins and begin to understand that this is where we are, like it or not. "With one Like I can say hi to a friend, support them during a crisis, share in a joke, make someone happy, or reinforce a person's self-esteem. I make myself part of their world. It's like I stopped by for coffee. But, by Liking, I can also avoid talking to all the people I don't want to waste time on. Or I can check to see what my ex-girlfriend is doing seven or eight times an hour. It's a double-edged mouse click." Bart Hopkins brings it all into focus, and in doing so has written an absolutely stunning and contemporary examination of the way we are. Highly Recommended.
February 28, 2017
The reason I despise Facebook. I've never liked that website in particular. It almost ruined my marriage, well like some of the married couples in the novel my spouse almost destroyed it. This books maybe all fiction, but the realism of the events, and there sequence and cohesiveness is 100% fact!
September 23, 2017
Enjoyed!
Couldn't quite figure where this book was going to go. Surprisingly enough I really enjoyed it. If you use facebook you might want to read. Quick read too! Facebook can be used for things other than political crap.
Couldn't quite figure where this book was going to go. Surprisingly enough I really enjoyed it. If you use facebook you might want to read. Quick read too! Facebook can be used for things other than political crap.
January 22, 2015
A younger person might occasionally wonder what it’s like for an older person to discover social media for the first time. An older person might wonder how some youths keep track of it all. Bart Hopkins manages to fill a book with characters both young and old, and capture their lifestyles and their varying uses of social media with both charm and accuracy.
It is difficult to find a character who is either unlikeable or unrelatable within this text. Rose is new to the internet, but quickly finds it to be a suitable way to check up on family with whom she has not spoken in some time. Greg uses it to run his business and, like Rose (though with slightly different intentions), also uses it to revisit his past. We are able to pray along with Martin as he tries to raise Kickstarter funds to help cancer patients, and groan along with Nancy as her mother grills her about cute boys on her Facebook page. We also get to follow Susan Donahue, who tries to hold her family together by Skyping with her husband while he’s deployed in Afghanistan.
There was only one character to whom this particular reviewer could not relate, but his inclusion is still highly important. Paul is an abusive boyfriend, an arrogant jerk who uses Facebook to hook up with women when he isn’t using his Nike app to broadcast the routes he takes for his morning run. I would be lying if I said I didn’t know anybody like him, people who use valuable applications to show off and who use Facebook to stalk their exes and meet new sexual partners.
I can scarcely imagine a use for social media that is not captured in this book, from running a successful realty blog to taking pictures of food at restaurants. And yet, it never feels heavy-handed. These are real characters with complicated emotional lives. If ever there was a book that used everyday characters to capture the truth of the world as we know it, this is it.
It is difficult to find a character who is either unlikeable or unrelatable within this text. Rose is new to the internet, but quickly finds it to be a suitable way to check up on family with whom she has not spoken in some time. Greg uses it to run his business and, like Rose (though with slightly different intentions), also uses it to revisit his past. We are able to pray along with Martin as he tries to raise Kickstarter funds to help cancer patients, and groan along with Nancy as her mother grills her about cute boys on her Facebook page. We also get to follow Susan Donahue, who tries to hold her family together by Skyping with her husband while he’s deployed in Afghanistan.
There was only one character to whom this particular reviewer could not relate, but his inclusion is still highly important. Paul is an abusive boyfriend, an arrogant jerk who uses Facebook to hook up with women when he isn’t using his Nike app to broadcast the routes he takes for his morning run. I would be lying if I said I didn’t know anybody like him, people who use valuable applications to show off and who use Facebook to stalk their exes and meet new sexual partners.
I can scarcely imagine a use for social media that is not captured in this book, from running a successful realty blog to taking pictures of food at restaurants. And yet, it never feels heavy-handed. These are real characters with complicated emotional lives. If ever there was a book that used everyday characters to capture the truth of the world as we know it, this is it.
January 8, 2015
Social media-it's here to stay and Bart Hopkins has highlighted how this avenue has taken on a variety of "intents" depending on one's aim in using it. Drawing from 4 vastly different individuals-a realtor, grandmother, professor, and cancer survivor-Hopkins creatively shares the distinctions as to why Facebook and social media are regularly and often fanatically utilized.
Greg is a realtor and has successfully marketed homes along with created a blog "The Square Foot" that has generated 28,000 likes. It has however consumed him as he checks his accounts a dozen times a day. Contrast this with Rose who has a gracious neighbor that helped her set up a Facebook account and use the Internet for the first time. Rose's aim however is to find her estranged daughter and also connect with her grand kids. Good ol' Paul would pull a "naughty" in responding to a high school sweetheart years ago though now a married man. The last individual that will be entwined throughout will be Martin, a class survivor and Professor. His students will use Facebook for a fundraiser and he in turn to share with many his progress.
It's a book that will solidify the fact that there is no turning back for social media but rather a progressive push forward. This entertaining book will put a new perspective on Skype, Facebook likes, Internet exploration, and warning before pressing the send button. Author Bart Hopkins has formerly served in the Air Force as a Meteorologist and holds degrees in Liberal Arts and Education. You will enjoy this engaging book as it will be a fun read and very entertaining.
Greg is a realtor and has successfully marketed homes along with created a blog "The Square Foot" that has generated 28,000 likes. It has however consumed him as he checks his accounts a dozen times a day. Contrast this with Rose who has a gracious neighbor that helped her set up a Facebook account and use the Internet for the first time. Rose's aim however is to find her estranged daughter and also connect with her grand kids. Good ol' Paul would pull a "naughty" in responding to a high school sweetheart years ago though now a married man. The last individual that will be entwined throughout will be Martin, a class survivor and Professor. His students will use Facebook for a fundraiser and he in turn to share with many his progress.
It's a book that will solidify the fact that there is no turning back for social media but rather a progressive push forward. This entertaining book will put a new perspective on Skype, Facebook likes, Internet exploration, and warning before pressing the send button. Author Bart Hopkins has formerly served in the Air Force as a Meteorologist and holds degrees in Liberal Arts and Education. You will enjoy this engaging book as it will be a fun read and very entertaining.
January 16, 2015
5 Star Liked!!
Anyone a part of social media has friends, they may have never met but through the internet the world has come alive to more “friends” than one could ever imagine. But what if we knew the story behind the profiles of those people...
Hopkins takes us into a fictional world of the people behind the profiles on social media. Written in small bite-sized short, short stories he gives us a unique glimpse of the story behind the picture. The author has a refreshing writing style as the stories unfold. I found the stories reminiscence of the 70's show of “Love American Style” or the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books. There is a roller coaster range of emotions from heartwarming, funny, sad and even at times heartbreaking, but all are downright engaging as the reader is led from one profile to the next. Yes those of us involved in social media feed upon the proverbial quest for “likes” and the relatable characters in Hopkins stories show us the frenzy of people seeking those obsessional “likes”.
I have to admit I didn't think I was going to like “Like” as social media is a giant social group that I am not a huge part of but I'm glad I choose to engage in this remarkable book. I clearly enjoyed the writing style of Hopkins way of plotting his stories making it a nice escape from the social media platform. Do I recommend “Like” yes a resounding 5 star “like” and even more. A very enjoyable novel to be enjoyed over and over again and could even see a television show in the vein of “Love American Style”.
Anyone a part of social media has friends, they may have never met but through the internet the world has come alive to more “friends” than one could ever imagine. But what if we knew the story behind the profiles of those people...
Hopkins takes us into a fictional world of the people behind the profiles on social media. Written in small bite-sized short, short stories he gives us a unique glimpse of the story behind the picture. The author has a refreshing writing style as the stories unfold. I found the stories reminiscence of the 70's show of “Love American Style” or the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books. There is a roller coaster range of emotions from heartwarming, funny, sad and even at times heartbreaking, but all are downright engaging as the reader is led from one profile to the next. Yes those of us involved in social media feed upon the proverbial quest for “likes” and the relatable characters in Hopkins stories show us the frenzy of people seeking those obsessional “likes”.
I have to admit I didn't think I was going to like “Like” as social media is a giant social group that I am not a huge part of but I'm glad I choose to engage in this remarkable book. I clearly enjoyed the writing style of Hopkins way of plotting his stories making it a nice escape from the social media platform. Do I recommend “Like” yes a resounding 5 star “like” and even more. A very enjoyable novel to be enjoyed over and over again and could even see a television show in the vein of “Love American Style”.
January 9, 2015
Like the word many of us wished we weren’t so addicted to. It is the new “ping” sound we eagerly anticipate from our smart phones and tablets. It is also the chief culprit for many of the disappointments in our lives when we fail to garner enough likes for our FB posts. That said the book Like tells the story of four lives:
• A university professor Martin, who is successfully fighting cancer with the help of Facebook.
• A Realtor Greg, who gets caught in (sorry no spoilers here, read the book) the world of facebooking.
• A not so single mom Susan, who keeps connected with her significant other via you guessed it…..FB
• A winner for the jerk of the year award character Paul, I would unlike him if it was possible.
• The prize winner Rose, a woman who wishes she could undo the past and the mistakes she made with her (again read the book)….
These are the five lives of the book; they are characters to be identified with because we all face similar struggles. I have always thought that we spend too much time connecting to the world and our vast network of friends on all the various social networks. We know what our friends had for dinner, what are their thoughts for the day, what time they got out of bed, we know basically every and anything about these ‘friends’ yet how much do we know about the ones that are in front of us?
Read this book, like if you wish because there is a lesson for us.
• A university professor Martin, who is successfully fighting cancer with the help of Facebook.
• A Realtor Greg, who gets caught in (sorry no spoilers here, read the book) the world of facebooking.
• A not so single mom Susan, who keeps connected with her significant other via you guessed it…..FB
• A winner for the jerk of the year award character Paul, I would unlike him if it was possible.
• The prize winner Rose, a woman who wishes she could undo the past and the mistakes she made with her (again read the book)….
These are the five lives of the book; they are characters to be identified with because we all face similar struggles. I have always thought that we spend too much time connecting to the world and our vast network of friends on all the various social networks. We know what our friends had for dinner, what are their thoughts for the day, what time they got out of bed, we know basically every and anything about these ‘friends’ yet how much do we know about the ones that are in front of us?
Read this book, like if you wish because there is a lesson for us.
October 11, 2016
With the way we all are with social media I think this book really touched on a number of different aspects of our social interactions. While it is a fiction story, the stories in it can be very real and there are times we hear something similar happening in real life. At first the book came across as dull. Just someone talking about their social media habits but once the initial description of how social media was accessed the story began to take off. I liked the way the interactions where described and how the story not only showed the positive things that can come from all this interaction but also the negative things. There are times when we can forget that there are negatives to all the sharing we tend to do but this book is a small reminder even though it is fiction. It serves two purposes and I am not sure if that was the author’s intention. To remind us that both good and bad can come with what we put out in the world but also to be careful because we never know who we are sharing with. Overall the story and characters were well written. The story was shorter than I expected but it ended in a way that wasn’t lacking and tied everything up neatly.
January 19, 2015
I thought this book would be boring, but I was wrong. Bart Hopkins put the daily life of any that has a social media account in a book. I'm one of the people that can't go a few minutes without updating my status. I enjoy letting everyone know what's going on in my life from the good to the bad. This book shows that social media isn't going anywhere. People from all walks of life use it daily. Bart Hopkins has done a good job on this book. It's definitely a book of its own kind. It was a very enjoyable read. It caught my attention from the start to the beginning. He brings the social media lives of four different people to life and keeps you hooked wanting to know what will happen next. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is into social media.
January 8, 2015
Like, A Novel, When Life and Social Media Collide by Bart Hopkins is a 254 page fiction story. It has some interesting facts listed, thirty-five chapters and an author bio at the end. Hopkins has several other books available which I will be looking through and buying shortly.
Like is what I call a character driven story. The cast is large and the way Hopkins wove the lives and stories together was brilliant. You cannot help but get invested in the characters. The pacing is great. I was never bored and kept clicking through the chapters to see what would happen with the relationships. I will keep this author on my radar.
Like is what I call a character driven story. The cast is large and the way Hopkins wove the lives and stories together was brilliant. You cannot help but get invested in the characters. The pacing is great. I was never bored and kept clicking through the chapters to see what would happen with the relationships. I will keep this author on my radar.
January 6, 2015
“Like” gives us a startlingly accurate look at how we are all connected in someway or are just a few clicks away from it. Bart Hopkins has very believable characters as well as plausible situations. He makes us think about the role that we have allowed “Social Media” to play in our lives. Checking Facebook, twitter, instagram and vine are now a staple in the lives of adults and teens alike. A great read with minimal violence and no sexual content. I recommend this book for light bedtime reading.
January 18, 2015
I really enjoyed this book because I have a love/hate relationship with social media. Like is told by 4 different lives- a grandmother, a realtor, a cancer survivor, and a professor, and shows how social media has a place and purpose for different lives. These 4 individuals are so different, yet all 4 of these individuals are intertwined. The hype of social media is explained and validated very well in this book. Bart Hopkins does a very good job writing this book and I highly recommend it to everyone…especially those who do not understand the social media addiction! 5 stars
December 28, 2015
"Like" is a pretty awesome book. Showing us all of the different ways social media is shaping our world for both the good and the bad. I was excited to read this book because I blog and I am two weeks into beginning my own business. This book has showed me a lot of the things people don't want to see and has reminded me that once you hit send or post it is out there for the world to see and no matter how fast you delete the internet will never forget it or take it back!
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