Given that tomorrow is the start of the Book Project, I thought I ought to explain what the Book Project is, and how it is going to work.

The idea for the Book Project was seeded when I wrote about two food related books recently, and then reinforced when a friend asked me how many books a week I read. I threw out a number (four to 10, depending on the week and the books), but I was curious to know how many books I actually do read. And what kind of books I read, and how many books I re-read.

So, the Book Project. It’s pretty simple; I will write about every book I read in 2008, with no exceptions. If I read a cheesy piece of chicklit on a plane somewhere, I will write about it. If I study for the MCAT, you people will be the first to know. I will trash books I don’t like, and praise books I do enjoy. The idea is to have a brief review of each book, and if I reread a book over the course of the year, I might reflect on the new things I get out of it from the re-reading. I think it’s going to be interesting to trace my reading habits over the course of a year.

Within reason, I will also try to read every book you folks recommend to me. I tend to hit the library for book recommendations, in case I don’t like the books, so that I don’t have to buy them, but I should warn you that my library is not the greatest. Although it does try very hard. The point is, I may not be able to get every recommended book through the library. If you really want me to read something, you can mail it to me: s.e. smith, PO Box 2764, Fort Bragg, California, 95437. I will pledge to read every single book that is sent to that post office box. If it’s some sort of rare one of a kind book that you want returned, I will also mail it back to you, as long as you include a slip with a note indicating that you want it back, along with your name and address. This pledge holds true even I get BoingBoinged or something and end up with thousands of books to read. Which would actually be kind of neat.

I think the way in which the Book Project is going to work is pretty simple; if you have any burning questions, you can leave them in the comments. Also feel free to leave comments if you want to see Book Project posts organized in a particular way, beyond the organization system already used on the site, or if you think that they should go on a totally separate site.

And with that…happy New Year to all, and to all a happy New Year. I hope that 2008 is a better, more excellent year, in which awesome things happen and the travails of the past are sloughed away. I have a feeling it’s going to be interesting, if nothing else.

Also, please drive safely, and if you’re planning on drinking, use a designated driver or public transit!