So who are you,
exactly?
I’m Liz. I live in Ohio with my French bulldog and a pile of
cooking implements, and I’m about to start my junior year at Miami University
as a “nontraditional” (read: old) student, where I’m double-majoring in
philosophy and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. I also teach
standardized test prep classes for the SAT and the GMAT. In previous iterations
of my career, I’ve worked in a psychiatric hospital, a vegan bakery, and for a
fashion and lifestyle mag. I’ve been an avid reader since elementary school.
I’m also a pop-culture junkie, a yoga enthusiast, and a devotee of meat-free
cooking.
And what are you
doing here?
Generally? I have literally no idea; that’s why I’m 26 and
still haven’t finished my bachelor’s degree. On this blog specifically? I’ve
noticed myself reading a lot less on my own time recently, and to counter that
I’m setting myself a challenge: read one book a week for a year.
One book a week?
Lame, dude. A week is, like, forever.
I know, self-critical inner monologue. I know! I feel you on
this. I read four books last week. But that’s the thing – this isn’t one book
in one week. This is one book every week. That includes the week I have six
final exams, the week I drive long-distance to be my bestie’s maid of honor,
the week I take my LSAT, every week during NaNoWriMo. One book, just for me,
every week. At the end of the week I’ll write down some thoughts about the book
and, with any luck, find something interesting to say. (I’m also hoping that
the one-a-week deadline will let me get ahead a little to tackle some more
ambitious books.)
So what are we going
to read?
Excellent question! I’ve set myself some guidelines for the
project.
1.
Each book will be prose (no poetry, no drama),
and I’m aiming for a mix of fiction and nonfiction every month.
2.
YA novels are fair game, if they have some sort
of literary credibility (you can have my John Green novels when you break my
fingers to get them away from me). No more than one a month, though.
3.
I can’t reread anything I’ve read before on my
own time. Books I’ve read in the ancient past for school are legit, though. I’m
excited to go back and revisit stuff I read as a teenager from a slightly more
adult perspective.
4.
What is not legit is anything I’m reading for
school at the moment. This is a project separate from my classwork. I’m
super-pumped for next semester’s Russian Lit class, but I’m doing this to make
a different choice on how I spend my free time.
So why this blog?
It’s to keep me punctual about
finishing each book on time. It’s to help me articulate a clear, achievable
goal (52 books on my own time in 52 weeks). It’s to serve as a writing exercise. It’s to let me reach out to a world
of readers, and maybe connect with some new and exciting people as I connect
with new and exciting books.
Also, because I have the attention
span of a concussed hamster, I’ll probably throw some other stuff up on here:
writings on the project in general, possibly essays about pop culture or artsy
stuff I get up to. It’ll be fun. Promise.
