How to use this blog

Perhaps it was a bit improper of me to jump right into the process of reviewing before first taking a moment to discuss what I hope to accomplish with this blog.

Why this project?

I hope that my reviews will spark discussions about what you and I are reading. I don't see it as a book club; we don't need to be reading the same books all the time and can learn quite a lot from each other if we don't. However, I'm always open to suggestions. If you have favorite selections, chances are very good that I will love them, too. Feel free as you read along (and thanks to those of you who are!) to disagree with my approaches and/or suggest new ways of viewing the same material. I'm hoping for a challenge, and thoughtful exchanges via the handy comments section will absolutely make my day.

Why now?

Since finishing school (for the time being), I have been feeling intellectually and creatively stagnant. I need a project that will allow me to express myself in a stimulating way and keep me reading something far more substantive than the trashy Web sites that have been draining too much of my energy and focus. For the first time in a long time, I may actually have the luxury of being able to read a book each week -- which is the pace I hope to maintain here -- so hopefully opening myself up to a potential audience of more than one will keep me accountable for this goal.

How not to use this blog: as a flotation device. That's pretty much my only rule, because I imagine it wouldn't do you a lick of good in such an emergency and I don't want to be held responsible if something goes wrong.

Enjoy!