Writing in Books

[Chocomom63]

I know some people write in books or highlight things that are significant for them, but I don't.  I'd kind of like to, but I can't get myself to do it.  Must be something from way back when and treating books with care.  Still, if they're YOUR books shouldn't you feel like you should be able to mark them up if you want??  

 

So, my question is do you write in the books you own?  What about library books - do you write passages down that are significant to you if you want to remember them?  

 

Seems silly, yeah, but inquiring minds want to know. And would like to get over that you can't write in a book thing my brain is stuck on. :-)

[Tsuga]

I used to write in books and now I don't. I don't like it.

 

So... I changed, and maybe there's hope for you yet. :)

[Arcadia]

If it is textbooks or required literature readings, I just put lots of post it flags. My kids and I don't like books that are highlighted due to sensory issues. Writings in the margins of used books are entertaining to read even though we don't write in books because we are not that neat to squeeze sentences into the margin.

 

My kids music teacher write in my kids music books. Somehow we associate music books for lessons as workbooks to be written in. The music books we buy for our own leisure playing don't get written in.

 

Ironically we have plenty of free highlighters because the trade fairs/conferences hubby goes to give them out. I use the neon yellow one on my kids consumable workbooks sometimes.

[forty-two]

So, my question is do you write in the books you own?  What about library books - do you write passages down that are significant to you if you want to remember them?  

 

I used to never write in books, because it was a "thing" for me, too. But in college I got in the habit of taking notes in the (nice, big) margins of my textbooks and appreciated the convenience of it, and now I'm in theory willing to write in books. No highlighting, though - I still have a thing there - although the highlighting in my dh's books doesn't bother me. (Drives him nuts, though, when he's reading my books and can't highlight them.)

 

Even so, I don't actually write in most of my books, though - unless I'm reading a big hardback that stays open on its own at the table, it's just seems so *inconvenient* to write in a book. I need a nice, hard surface to write on, and for the book to stay still, and most of the time I don't have that. (And I always write lightly in pencil - it's not that I'm going to go through and erase them, but that somehow it just seems less obtrusive.). There's only one book that I'm currently writing in (a big philosophy hardback that has biggish margins and can stay open on its own and has *so much* to think about that it's helpful to bracket important bits of text and jot down thoughts in the margins as they come).

 

Most of the time, though, I usually journal. Whenever I hit a really good quote, or I have thoughts that want to get out, or I want to muse about some point further - I go over to my computer and jot it down. Usually I let the interesting thoughts or quotes percolate until I have enough in my head that it's worth putting down the book and going over to the computer to get them down. (And then I usually bang out a couple of thousand words of musings about them.)

[Mimm]

I keep a commonplace book where I copy down parts that I want to remember instead of writing in the book itself. This way it's all in one place anyway, and I think they frown on writing in library books. ;)

[Chris in VA]

Pretty much only in my bible.

[Happy]

I write in books, especially non-fiction educational types. I underline more than I write--almost always in pencil because I like the feel and sound of pencil on paper. Stars in the margin are also a big thing to me. It makes it easy to open a book and find a few relevant thoughts.

 

I do not do as much in fiction books, but I should find a way to keep some of those passages as well.

 

At a funeral many years ago, the preacher took the deceased lady's Bible, flipped it to various pages and read aloud the thoughts and comments she had written in the margins. Study notes, quick convictions, even short prayers---she had been a fine teacher and the depth of her commitment and study was apparent.  It was moving and wonderful....

[Chocomom63]

 

I used to never write in books, because it was a "thing" for me, too. But in college I got in the habit of taking notes in the (nice, big) margins of my textbooks and appreciated the convenience of it, and now I'm in theory willing to write in books. No highlighting, though - I still have a thing there - although the highlighting in my dh's books doesn't bother me. (Drives him nuts, though, when he's reading my books and can't highlight them.)

 

Even so, I don't actually write in most of my books, though - unless I'm reading a big hardback that stays open on its own at the table, it's just seems so *inconvenient* to write in a book. I need a nice, hard surface to write on, and for the book to stay still, and most of the time I don't have that. (And I always write lightly in pencil - it's not that I'm going to go through and erase them, but that somehow it just seems less obtrusive.). There's only one book that I'm currently writing in (a big philosophy hardback that has biggish margins and can stay open on its own and has *so much* to think about that it's helpful to bracket important bits of text and jot down thoughts in the margins as they come).

 

Most of the time, though, I usually journal. Whenever I hit a really good quote, or I have thoughts that want to get out, or I want to muse about some point further - I go over to my computer and jot it down. Usually I let the interesting thoughts or quotes percolate until I have enough in my head that it's worth putting down the book and going over to the computer to get them down. (And then I usually bang out a couple of thousand words of musings about them.)

 

I'm not much on highlighters either. I like your journaling idea - I think I may try that out.  I read a really good book recently and there were so many good quotes that I really wanted to remember.  I wrote a couple down on index cards and they've stuck with me so that was good.  But I like that you go further to process what you've read.  I may give that a whirl.  Thanks for sharing.

[Chocomom63]

I keep a commonplace book where I copy down parts that I want to remember instead of writing in the book itself. This way it's all in one place anyway, and I think they frown on writing in library books. ;)

 

Oh yeah - I've read about keeping a commonplace book.  That would be another great way to keep everything together..  Yeah, the library frowns on writing in the books, but I've taken plenty out that people have written in.  I've always thought it was pretty bold.

[Tsuga]

At a funeral many years ago, the preacher took the deceased lady's Bible, flipped it to various pages and read aloud the thoughts and comments she had written in the margins. Study notes, quick convictions, even short prayers---she had been a fine teacher and the depth of her commitment and study was apparent.  It was moving and wonderful....

 

That is beautiful but my god I hope they don't do that with my college textbooks! I was snarky, unforgiving and also not as well-educated as I am now.

[elegantlion]

I write in most of my books, which makes it difficult for me to read library books. I have a pet peeve about bending covers and pages, so it's hard to tell I've read a book from looking at the outside. I use pencil mostly and underline, write in the margins, circle vocabulary words. I also read a lot of non-fiction. I consider my notes me writing back to the book. 

[purpleowl]

I am firmly in the "no writing in books" camp. I am weird about my books in many ways. A friend claims that when I lent her a book while we were in college, I picked it up while she was reading it to check and see if she had messed up the spine. I don't remember that particular incident, but it totally sounds like me. Said friend is now a traditionally published author, and she signed her first book for me. Her message begins, "Amanda, I'm writing in your book! AAAH!" I have a second, unsigned copy of her book that I actually read.  :lol:

 

I feel no need at all to begin writing in my books. I can journal my thoughts on books elsewhere. In high school I tried the highlighting thing once, and I'm still annoyed when I look at my copy of Hamlet with blue all over it. *shudder* (Yes, I still have my copy of Hamlet from high school.) And the Bible? Forget about it. I just can't, ever.

 

(Sorry, this posted before I was finished typing it...new laptop is playing tricks on me!)

Edited April 22, 2016 by purpleowl

[Seasider]

I write in books, especially non-fiction educational types. I underline more than I write--almost always in pencil because I like the feel and sound of pencil on paper. Stars in the margin are also a big thing to me. It makes it easy to open a book and find a few relevant thoughts.

 

I do not do as much in fiction books, but I should find a way to keep some of those passages as well.

 

At a funeral many years ago, the preacher took the deceased lady's Bible, flipped it to various pages and read aloud the thoughts and comments she had written in the margins. Study notes, quick convictions, even short prayers---she had been a fine teacher and the depth of her commitment and study was apparent. It was moving and wonderful....

Some of the most meaningful encouragements I've received over the years have been the marginalizations in books given or loaned to me by friends. I usually do this in paperbacks, but all my bibles are inked up. Books that make a significant impact on me are marked up, stacked up, and hopefully will be appreciated by my children one day when I am gone. Edited April 22, 2016 by Seasider

[Chocomom63]

I write in most of my books, which makes it difficult for me to read library books. I have a pet peeve about bending covers and pages, so it's hard to tell I've read a book from looking at the outside. I use pencil mostly and underline, write in the margins, circle vocabulary words. I also read a lot of non-fiction. I consider my notes me writing back to the book. 

 

Dog earing pages of certain books bother me but catalogs?  I can write, circle, you name it in those.  I need to translate that to books somehow.  

 

I love the bolded part of what you said - hmmm - what a great way to think about it!

[Garga]

You bet I write in the books. Why ever not? :). If I need to remember something about what I'm reading for the next time I'm reading, then I write it in the book.

 

You can always try writing in pencil, lightly.

 

It's just a matter of convenience for me. I don't know why it would be wrong or careless to do so. Maybe if you're a kid and doodling on your books, that would be "bad" but if they are notes with a reason, then go for it.

[happypamama]

I have occasionally marked in cookbooks.  I have a Greek cookbook that I bought used from Amazon, and it came with the previous owner's little penciled notes.  Somehow it makes it feel like a cookbook handed down from a grandmother or something.

 

I do underline Bible passages occasionally.  And I date them.  It can sometimes be painful to see dates that I know were significant because they were hard, when I flip through the Bible, but it's comforting too, to know that God brought me through those hard times.  (Ugh, I really hope nobody reads my marked passages at my funeral; I'm way too private a person to want that!)

 

Textbooks -- I generally just use post-it notes or flags or take notes elsewhere.

 

Other books -- no, I don't generally write in those.

[Elfknitter.#]

I wrote, highlighted, post-it noted all the time in college.

 

In some personal books, marginalia is a must.

 

I think this stems from my historian/bibliophile background. One of the best things to see in personal books or ephemera of the past were handwritten notes. They tell so much about a person.

 

I haven't done it since having kids simply because what I most read now are picture books or teen fiction items. I tended to add notes, underling, or highlights to non-fiction, adult books.

[marbel]

I write in some books.  Sometimes I just underline.  If I want to keep a book nice, I'll mark the page with a post-it flag and write what I want to remember in a notebook.  Or, I'll write a very brief note on the post-it flag.    In college I was a big highlighter user. 

 

<shrug> I think that is a personal thing and no one has to be talked into or out of writing in books that they own.  (I do get annoyed by writing in library books.) 

 

Personal anecdote:  when my kids were little, we had a strict no writing in books rule.  Then we went to our first author reading where we met the author and had her sign the book. My son (3? 4?) looked at her very solemnly when she started signing the book and said "we don't write in books."  She winked at me and said something - I don't remember what - to him that was very respectful of his comment but made it clear to him it was OK for her to write in that book.  He was fine with her explanation, but still never wrote in his own books.  I think he underlines now. 
 

ETA: I write in cookbooks all the time.  I adjust seasonings, note changes I made that improved it, note side dishes I used that went well (and where to find those recipes), write "Don't make this!" or "Excellent!" as appropriate.  Cookbooks are workbooks and thus should be written in.

Edited April 22, 2016 by marbel

[lllll]

nm

Edited April 24, 2016 by _ ?^..

[Cinder]

I write in books and encourage my dc to write in their own books if it helps them. Both sons are firmly against writing in books; it bothers them to see it and they find it distracting. My dd is happy to write in books, but it may have nothing to do with the book. She's 11yo and quite the artist, so her books are often covered in cat drawings--even her math book.

 

I remember, when I was young, thinking writing in books was something you just didn't do. Then I met my SIL who took notes in cookbooks. She starred recipes that were successful and made other pertinent notes. That was when I started writing in books; it started with cookbooks. I have one favorite muffin recipe that is for 16 muffins--seriously, 16?--so I noted adjustments in the margins for 12.

 

Years later I needed to remember some things in my first edition of The Well-Trained Mind so I underlined and wrote notes right in the book.

 

I also write notes in my Bible.

 

I prefer to use pencil for writing in books. I never write in books that I don't own. Even as a very young child, dd knew she was allowed to write in her own books--and she did--but not in books she didn't own. Her little friend was horrified one day to see her writing in a book. His eyes were huge as he pointed out to me what dd was doing. I explained our rule and assured him it was ok but I'm not sure he believed me. :p

[Carrie12345]

It is much easier for me to annotate non-fiction than fiction.  So I'm reading a lot of non-fiction and hoping it eventually transfers over, lol.

[MercyA]

So, my question is do you write in the books you own?  

 

NOOOOOOO!!!! Don't do it, chocomom! 

[elegantlion]

Two of my favorite used books are a hardback complete Shakespeare that someone used as a college text in the 50s, their notes are all over the books, it's so fun to read. The other is a new book on Quintilian, it came with notes and post its inside, very helpful in understanding the book.

[importswim]

We inherited some of DH's grandmother's bible commentaries and it's fun to go in and read some of the things that she wrote in the margins.

 

I was just re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird yesterday and felt the need to highlight a sentence. Unfortunately, I'd borrowed it from the library so I couldn't. I'm going to buy the book, however, so that I can go back and highlight all through it. :laugh:  

[SparklyUnicorn]

Never.  I can't bring myself to do it.  I keep a notebook and note the page near my note. 

 

 

[Tanaqui]

I don't usually write in books (except the occasional recipe or shopping list or phone number tacked onto the end pages or inside back cover of whatever came to hand when I couldn't find a notepad), but I have copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends I picked up from a library sale that has "My favorit pome" written neatly above one of the poems. The girls went to erase it one day and I wrestled the eraser out of their little hands.

[Chocomom63]

I'm really enjoying reading everyone's take on this!  I want to add that I do make comments in cookbooks - although even that is difficult.  My mother, however, wrote much in her cookbooks.  I have her original Laurel's Kitchen from 1976 and it is loaded with her notes and bookmarks which make it really special to me.

 

I mostly read non-fiction and I often feel the need to make notes or underline or whatever and then I think - I can't do that.  But, I think it's time I get over that because otherwise I'm not going to remember my train of thought on a passage that really stuck out.  I would probably not write notes in fiction, maybe underline some of my favorite phrases (like "Pass the damn ham" from To Kill A Mockingbird) then again who knows.

 

I do enjoy it when I find what others wrote in books too - like a conversation being passed around.

 

 

[theelfqueen]

This is so funny because my son watched the Super Star Student episode about annotations and writing in your texts today.

 

He knows he has to keep it to the minimum cause I want to resell text LOL

[Peach]

I don[t write in fiction books, but books for class I will mark things in, both with a pen and with post-it flags because the flags make it easy to find marked pages when writing papers. The one exception to class books are those I know I won't keep and plan to resell.

[importswim]

Never.  I can't bring myself to do it.  I keep a notebook and note the page near my note. 

I have a kajillion (may be a slight exaggeration, but only slight) half finished notebooks laying around the house. I also have adult ADD. I have to get the thought down right away or I forget about it.  :lol:

[shawthorne44]

Only writing allowed is a To/From, or an author's signature.  DH doesn't even like there to be a To/From. 

[Chocomom63]

This is so funny because my son watched the Super Star Student episode about annotations and writing in your texts today.

 

He knows he has to keep it to the minimum cause I want to resell text LOL

 

Yeah, I also don't allow writing in school books (workbooks excepted)  for that reason.   Unfortunately, my last kiddo was very doodly in books as a toddler - she was doing school I guess. :-)

[Chocomom63]

Only writing allowed is a To/From, or an author's signature.  DH doesn't even like there to be a To/From. 

 

Author's signature I wouldn't mind, but I don't always like a personal greeting in them.  If I ever want to give the book away I feel guilty because of the inscription.  I think writing on a bookmark to put in the book would be good though. 

[trulycrabby]

I write in textbooks all the time, but never in non-textbooks. I don't have any strong opinions about it; just never occurred to me. :o

[Emba]

I have flip flopped back and forth on this in my life.  I used to never write or highlight in books, then I went to college, and it was useful to highlight, so I did.  After college, I still highlighted everything that stuck out to me, and sometimes wrote margin notes, but later some of my margin notes were embarassing, and I realized that highlighting made the book unattractive to me, so I stopped.  Now, I underline in pencil in nonfiction books that I expect to refer to later, and sometimes flag with post its, and don't write much, EXCEPT in my Bible and cookbooks.  I write extensive modifications/substitutions to reicpes and notes on the time that they take to prepare, as well as smileys for good recipes and frownies on bad ones.  If I don't do that, I end up re-making the same recipes that I don't like over because something in the recipe appeals to me and I don't remember that it actually turned out bad.

 

I have an extensive personal color code for my Bible, and take lots of notes/write down thoughts in it often.  I realize that many people DO. NOT. WRITE. in their Bibles, but for me it helps so much, to be able to have it written down and not think "Didn't I read somewhere once..."

[Emba]

I do not use highlighter in my Bible, or regular ballpoint pens anymore.  I have a special set of colored pens and only use them.

[theelfqueen]

My mother was Horrified to learn nor just that I write in my bible but that I go to one of Those churches where it is common. In my house growing up we were only allowed to touch the family bible to dust it. Bible study was not a thing we indulged in lol

I know that SWB, and others wiser than me, advocate writing in books. But if I have a book filled with my marginalia, how am I supposed to find that one quote I'm looking for?  Not that I'm organized enough to take notes anywhere else.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I love to annotate in my books, add notes, write in vocabulary definitions, so yes, I do.  My oldest took a class a few years back that taught and advocated annotating, at first she was horrified, but became a big fan.  Of course, she, like myself, has a snarky sense of humor and some of the required reads just begged for sarcastic comments, so she ended up calling it snarkotating. ;)

[Farrar]

If I'm teaching a book to a group, I usually write in it. I have a method. I like it.

 

On the other hand, I don't write in books I read for pleasure. When I was a kid, my mother used to take my books and highlight in them. We had a HUGE knock out screaming fight about it once when I was in middle school. She wrote and highlighted in a book I'd bought for myself with my money that she also wanted to read. I still feel mad when I think about it. Marginalia is kind of cool. Highlighting is just so hideous. Neon. Shudder.

[Tanaqui]

I love to annotate in my books, add notes, write in vocabulary definitions, so yes, I do.

 

I don't mind so much getting a used book with notes, but I hate one with underlined vocabulary words. I always go "You didn't know the definition of that word? Are you illiterate?" and the feeling of smug judginess just ruins the whole reading experience. I can't seem to turn it off!

 

And what's weird is that I wouldn't do this in speech, like, if somebody came up to me and asked "Hey, Tanaqui, you have a broad vocabulary, what does 'antejentacular*' mean?" I wouldn't make fun of them even within my head, no matter how common I thought the word was. But in reading... ugh.

 

* But using a word I already know the meaning of. I legit don't know which words in my own vocabulary are unusual or not, and didn't want to muddy the issue by using a word everybody really does know. And certainly, even in a book I wouldn't judge somebody who honestly didn't know the meaning of "apple" or the like :)

 

Marginalia is kind of cool. Highlighting is just so hideous. Neon. Shudder.

 

When people leave notes, they don't make one for every single line. Can you imagine how cramped their handwriting would get? But highlighters, ugh, you give somebody a highlighter and all of a sudden EVERY SENTENCE is deep and meaningful! And then they realize that yellow is a plague, so they add colors so they can differentiate, because EVERY SENTENCE is deep and meaningful.

 

The one good thing about highlighting is that most of them realize about three chapters in that this is stupid and give up. Or maybe they give up on the book?

[Corraleno]

I don't usually annotate fiction (I keep a notebook for quotes and passages I like), but I read a lot of nonfiction and I frequently write in those books, especially philosophy, history, literary theory, and the like. I write in the margins, as well as underlining and starring various passages. To me, that's an integral part of the reading process: "conversing" with the author, connecting ideas to other ideas outside the text, adding notes supporting or refuting the author's arguments, etc. I find that I retain a lot more of what I read if I annotate as I go along, then go back through the book a second time looking at my notes.

[Chocomom63]

Just wanted to say that I'm another of those people that do not write in my Bible.  I want to say thanks to everyone who replied - I really enjoyed the comments and so I'm going to start writing in, underlining, and taking notes elsewhere to see what will suit me.  I often think "oohhh, I want to remember that" and then it's, Oh, how should I do that?  So, I'm off to the land of annotation. :-)