How to read a book with extensive notes?

[nd293]

How do you tackle a book with extensive notes at the end? Do you read each note as you come to the reference in the text? Do you read notes only where you think they might contain extra information you might find interesting? Do you read them at the end of each chapter?

 

I'm reading Gilgamesh (A new English version by Stephen Mitchell). A third of the book is an introduction, a third is the epic itself, and a third is notes. I've read the introduction, and am now reading the notes, doubling back to the text reference when necessary. I'm curious as to how others read end notes. Footnotes might not be practical with extensive notes, but they're definitely easier to read.

 

Nikki

[Pod's mum]

Hello Nikki,

I read a lot like this but most is not for pleasure, but study. Like you I much prefer footnotes to end notes.

The way I attack it is with two large chunky book marks, one for notes and one for text, and either check each note at the end of the sentence it's in, or else go back and do the page worth and maybe check the next page worth then too. Sometimes they are needed as you come to them, sometimes it works to read a few ahead.

(I read Gulliver's Travels like that. It was so chock full of historical/political references that made no sense without the notes.)

I really enjoyed Gilgamesh and and looking forward to sharing this with my dd, so if you can find a way to not break up the story too much it would be good.

Hope this helps.

[nd293]

Thanks for your input!

 

I've just realized that the reason I got to the end of the introduction without reading any notes (which is what got me pondering the 'how to read notes' question) is that the author actually did not reference the notes in the text. I guess what Mitchell wants is for us to read the text without the distraction of the notes.

[Mergath]

Thanks for your input!

 

I've just realized that the reason I got to the end of the introduction without reading any notes (which is what got me pondering the 'how to read notes' question) is that the author actually did not reference the notes in the text. I guess what Mitchell wants is for us to read the text without the distraction of the notes.

 

I was just going to say that this is how I do it. I go through and read the story without the notes (unless something has me really confused) and then I read through the notes after, going back to the text to refresh my memory as needed.

[Rai B.]

The way I attack it is with two large chunky book marks, one for notes and one for text, and either check each note at the end of the sentence it's in, or else go back and do the page worth and maybe check the next page worth then too. Sometimes they are needed as you come to them, sometimes it works to read a few ahead.

This is exactly what I do. :D

[happyhomemaker]

I read the notes when I get to a stopping place. So I might read chapter 1 and then read all notes for that chapter, then start chapter 2. I do look up a note immediately if I am confused about something in the text.

[Reya]

I hate books like this. I try to get footnotes or notes on facing pages. :(

[nd293]

I hate books like this. I try to get footnotes or notes on facing pages. :(

 

Yes, they are frustrating! The first 6 months of this coming year I am going to be trying to read non-fiction to gear my brain for studying again in the second half of the year, so the whole footnote issue will become more relevant than it has been in recent years. I think reading each chapter, then reviewing footnotes unless they are immediately needed to clarify the text will work for me. In Gilgamesh I have a free pass to ignore them until the end. Right now I am 'delaying gratification' and reading footnotes before I get onto the poem itself. Thanks to those who shared ideas.

[Pod's mum]

Gilgamesh might be a 'delayed gratification' character too. I think he grows on you through the story.

Same as Don Quixiote, the first couple of chapters of that was hard going, but well worth it. In that one I had a list of archaic words I didn't know that I wrote on the inside back cover and came back to. (Sometimes lack of end-notes is a pain.)

Enjoy

[thebacabunch]

I read A Prairie home companion this year and the footnotes were hilarious. I couldn't wait to get to a stopping place so I could go back and read them.

[Jayne J]

I tend to scan the notes first. Often they are scholarly notes, about which manuscript was used for a certain verse, or comparisons of different manuscripts. I feel pretty safe skipping those. If they are more social/cultural notes explaining things that might be confusing, I flip back and forth, using the two bookmark method that previous posters mentioned.

 

BTW l love Gilgamesh. So much interesting food for thought! It was the gateway epic for me, leading me deep into the seedy world of epic literature. Just watch out or you might find yourself using grocery money to buy the Poetic Edda one day... LOL :)