How I Annotate Books

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WHERE TO FIND ME:

[Kittle]

As far as not donating annotated books, I personally LOVE getting a used book and finding someone's notes in it (as long as it doesn't interfere with the legibility of the text)! It's cool to see what someone else felt was significant/impactful enough to underline or take note of.

[mark-breen]

I didn’t even realise that annotating books was a thing until I heard people on Booktube talk about it and it was like when you learn that something from your childhood isn’t as universal as you thought.

[alannahatfield]

As a teacher, I have my students annotate readings (especially dense research) because recent studies have shown that making it more interactive does increase retention, metacognition and a general interest. Reading with a purpose can increase your retention in general.

[danieljackson]

This discussion on the habit of annotating books while you read reminds me of two things. First, my father, a former historian and curator of maritime history at the Smithsonian was want to say: "WRITE IN YOUR BOOKS! You purchased it; now make it your own!" Good advice. I've been annotating books (including color coded tabs & writing with pen and ink important citations into my MANY journals, also annotated and tabbed) for more than 55 years. My father was correct. I pass on that inheritance to all.

NOW. for the second. I am sure you have read The Book Nobody Read by Owen Gingerich--a fascinating study of the annotations and marginal notes in the original copies of Copernicus's work, DE REVOLUTIONIBUS. This is where he writes out the solarcentric model of the solar system. Why? In 1959, Arthur Koestler's book, The Sleepwalkers, claimed that no one read Copernicus's original publication. Gingerich sets out to prove him wrong, which he does in a fantastic account of tracking down the remaining first editions of Copernicus's book and copying down the marginalia in each book. Not only is he able to describe WHAT the annotations were and what they were about; BUT, WHO wrote them. In many cases, individual books had multiple owners across generations, each owner adding their own annotations as they read.

I love your videos. I confess being in my seventies I am a little more reserved than you; but not by much. Especially about annotations. For example, I have been studying the work by Moses Maimonides, The Guide of the Perplexed, translated by Shlomo Pines (Chicago, 1963) for the last 22 years. I read through one cycle; then start again. Sometimes I do not read in linear order. But for each time I read, I always leave the Date and the limits of what was read. THAT being done, the poor old copy, tattered and worn, each page is filled with annotations, illustrations I have made, cross references within The Guide, and citations of external books that might bear on this section. What pleases (and amazes) me is that for each page, I know when (during the last 22 years) I was there, what I was thinking, and where I went next.

How wonderful it is to see where I have grown, changed my mind, or maintained the same position.

It's YOUR book; MAKE IT SO.

Thank you for this topic.

[Nora-qbop]

I almost cried when you were talking about being able to let your kids have a piece of you whilst reading the book you've read and annotated. That's pure love. I love you and I'm going to steal that idea hahaha. Thank you for this video🤍

[pretendtheresaname]

3:45 I actually take a picture of quotes I like and have a section on my gallery where I throw all of them. I recommend doing that because I also can't move my hand to write the quote down considering that would interrupt my reading 😅

Edit: You were actually the first person I've seen who writes on books. When I heard it the first time I thought it was a travesty but then I tried and now I like it, my books now are full of ranting and theories of the future so thanks 😅 Now my cousin sees me writing and she thinks it's a travesty as well, oh destiny.

[nikif.]

I have never annotated a book before, but it seems like so much fun!! I'll definitely try it sometime. I'm still getting used to "ruining" books, until a few years ago I always kept them looking brand new and viewed annotating, breaking spines, folding corners etc. as a literal crime haha. But I realized how all these things make a book look like it's somehow alive, like it contains a part of you. They really make it your book, not just any other copy and I think that's so cool.

[brinleyowens]

I like annotating at my own leisure, but when my English teacher makes me annotate The Lord of the Rings under a *time constraint*, that's where I draw the line. It slows me down too much. But when it's for fun, I'm testing the waters of annotating, and so far it's not so bad...?

[alexinator-hhfe]

I like annotating unless it's a slower type of book. If it's slow, I don't mind sinking into the world and experiencing it at a reduced pace. Some treat reading like it's some huge race, but I'm fine with rereading sections just to really get into the heads of the characters.

[MXG_Productions]

my grandmother was a journalist & writing professor. she used to assemble photo albums and write out captions/cop for each of them. this talk of annotating made me think of her.

[Andmorego]

My color code for annotating is:
Yellow= new word I didn’t know
Green= new character
Blue= beautiful prose or important scene.

[geniussplenter]

I'm an english university student, i got a ton of reading material. I'm sure that these tips would help me with my studies. Thank you for sharing.

[fouzya]

when merphy says 'brief', it means 'very elaborate'. and I'm not complaining :)

[hcstubbs]

I think you could definitely donate annotated books (as long as the original text is readable and the annotations aren't rude). I don't personally annotate but I love it when I pick up a used book full of annotations - it makes me feel close to the books history. If you're buying used, I think most people expect scribbles and underlining on the pages as well as earmarks and creased spines.

Or you could post them to subscribers for the cost of postage or as a tier reward for patreons?

[truthseeker]

I didn't even realise annotations had so much values like reading with our past selves, passing our thought process down the generation. I always thought my book should be in prestine condition like as when it was brought and always maintained that. May be i should try annotating books just for the values i mentioned first.

[sciencystuff]

I love the idea of annotating since i forget crucial part of my favorite stories after year or 2. but annotating makes rereading so much more satisfying and i got into annotation from your video. So Thank you for that.

[Catlady]

I absolutely adore annotating books. It makes the writing feel even more alive and more like a collaborative experience. I don’t annotate all the time, it depends of my mood and what I’m expecting from the book or rereading. I love that writing in books is becoming more popular too. It make me excited to go to second hand book shops and look for books with writing in them.

[Akigirl]

Oh my goodness. What you described is exactly what I do when I beta or alpha read a story, I just didn't have a word for it. I always just called it a "running account of raw emotions, thoughts, and theories" for authors I was reading for for the first time and hoped it would make sense. Now, I have a word!!

[cristinagerber]

I forced myself a few years back to actually start a notebook with quotes I love, because I used to write them down in the most random places. Now I'm on my second notebook/agenda and they're great for getting me through a reading slump, like a personalized reminder of why I love reading ;)

[CNBlaze-qjfg]

That's the key! I should start annotating! A brain injury has mauled my memory and I still enjoy books but only because my emotions remember far better than the logic part. I remember they said something about that earlier and it was a stirring scene but the specifics are a mystery.... This will fix the blurred part!

Plus I'll be able to remember my reactions from reading it the first time! Awesome!