To Keep or Not to Keep: a little bit about this blog

About 6 months ago I graduated with a Bachelors degree in English and a grand plan of all the things I thought I would do with it: I'd be a writer, obviously, and get some glamorous job at a publishing company where my only task would be to read. Of course, pretty soon reality set in and I realized I might not be able to find a job, much less one that could be described as "glamorous." I searched and I searched for employment, but even just plain decent jobs seemed out of my reach. Finally I took a part time job just to make some money and its been relatively smooth, albeit disappointing and mind-numbingly boring, sailing from there.

But there was a reason I became an English major in the first place: to read. I mean, yes I want to write too, but where do you think that desire came from? I've always been a reader--while many people my age can remember childhoods full of Nickelodeon, what I remember are the shelves and shelves of books I went through. As I kid I was usually reading four or five books at once, not wanting to limit myself to only one adventure at a time. To me, books were (and still are) best friends--not in a creepy way where they're my only friends (though I do remember a few times telling my real friends that I couldn't hang out because I had to get home and finish the book I was reading). Books will take you places where you may never be able to go. They're the escape from those problems and mind-numbing jobs you have to take to make ends meet. They keep you creative, they keep you sharp and they keep you sane.

So now to explain the concept of Box or Bookshelf. In case you haven't gotten the hint yet, I don't have a lot of money. So the places I've been able to live aren't exactly sprawling mansions--my designated space for books and bookshelves has gotten pretty small as of late. So, though it breaks my heart to do it, I have to give up on my dream of having my own personal library. It's time to start going through all the books I've been saving up since I learned to read and get rid of as many as I can bear to part with--and that includes new books I read too. Like my mother keeps reminding me, "You can't keep them all." So, out of this necessary sorting process came an idea: why not satisfy my need for space and my desire to read and write all at the same time. Why not write book reviews about the books I've read letting people know whether they're worth keeping to read over and over again, or whether they should be boxed up and donated the next time there's a book drive.

So here you are. On this blog you'll find my opinions of the books I've read, and will continue to read (and trust me, there's a lot of them). Not all books are created equal--some are awesome, mind-blowing creations, some are fun, some make you think and some are just plain awful (or they can be a combination of these). I try not to be a book snob, I read pretty much anything I can get my hands on--young adult, nonfiction, literature, plays, romance novels, you name it. And I won't claim I'm a certified literary book critic with an expensive degree and an ego to match the pricetag (though my degree in English has certainly given me four years of academic experience reading and talking about books). What I offer here are simply my opinions of what I've read. One of the most important things college taught me (that I couldn't have learned just reading on my own) is the importance of discussing what you read. Sharing with others what you've read and what you think about it, and even arguing about it, is what brings your understanding of what you've read to a whole new level.

So feel free pick and choose which posts to read, agree or disagree with me, but no matter what, I hope you maintain the desire to read.