Humulus Lupulus (that's hops, as in beer ... mmm ... beer)

That's right, my friends, you've made it through another long summer week to Friday.  To tell you the truth, I really don't know how you do it.  Seriously, with the kids, all that work around the house, and the added responsibilities at work, it's a wonder that you find the time and the energy to get it all done.  But done it is, week after week, and you've earned the right to kick back, relax, pop a cold one (might I suggest a Steel Rail EPA?), and be catered to.  Take all the time that you need, and don't be shy, as there's plenty of EPA to be had. 

Can I turn on the game for you?  No?  What?  The Rachel Zoe Project?  And a chardonnay?  What the hell?  Come on, this is a guy's blog!  Ok ... ok ... I get it ... the entire book blog universe is female.  The Rachel Zoe Project it is.  And I might have some old pinot grigio in the fridge, I guess.  Fine.  Whatever.  Fantastic.

Anyway, one of the many here in book blogdom that work tirelessly to make your life better, cleaner, easier, and more efficient is Jennifer over at Crazy for Books.  Each week Jennifer hosts the Book Blogger Hop, which aggregates the old and the new of book review websites from around the globe.  I can honestly say that I have never taken the time to peruse her listings without finding at least one new voice taht I return to week after week.  So give it a try, leave a comment here and there to express your appreciation, and feel free to invite any you may meet on your wanderings back here to The Literate Man.  We're always open to new friends.

If you are joining us from the Book Blogger Hop, then welcome!  Please feel free to kick our tires and check under the hood.  Don't mind that cat in the wheel well--he climbs up there to get warm.  You might be interested in our abbreviated, yet (somewhat) comprehensive review of the work of Ernest Hemingway in last week's The Inevitable Ernest Hemingway Post.  Or perhaps you'd be interested in our Declaration of War on All Things Twilight from a while back.  Or maybe, just maybe you'd like to take at our review of Sometimes a Great Notion, otherwise known as the greatest novel ever written.

Jennifer's question this week is whether we use a rating system in our blogs. We do, of course, use a ten-point system measured to the nearest integer. But we also have our doubts. Book-loving is an inherently subjective endeavor, and our rating system is likewise a reflection of our own likes and dislikes, which certainly differ from yours. On the other hand, guys like shorthand, and the ratings do serve that useful purpose. What are your thoughts on the subject?