It occurred to me that I'd ended up somewhere obvious as I hit reply - but two days in a strip-lit barn in Earls Court can do that.

But to be fair, in book publishing the problem is deeper than web search - you need to be a better curator because the consumer investment is bigger.

Hitting a search link is close to free for the consumer, but accepting a book recommendation is relatively expensive, both in time spent sampling and pounds sterling. So good curating has greater value.

I'm going to be less happy if the third book on the recommendation list is the one that hits the spot if I've had to purchase and start to read recommendations one and two.