The Well Educated Mind

[Mom-ninja.]

I am reading this book. I love the part where SWB states to write in your books. She mentions that public schools teach us to not write in books in any way. This has so been drilled into me. I remember in my AP English class our teacher taught us to write in books. He actually purchased "Our Mutual Friend" for each of us so we could write in them. He would have us show him our books each week so he could see if we were making notes. That was so hard for me. Even now this is hard for me. I truely appreciate what my high school teacher tried to teach us. SWB has reminded me of this important step in reading.

 

My favorite line, "Defacing your book is much more efficient."

 

Ok, I will do this. I will write in my books. Even if it does make me feel a bit naughty. :blushing:

[MamaT]

I have read the book as well, and I KNOW what it says but I just can't do it. I keep a notebook that I write in, and maybe it would be much more efficient just to write in the book. I just cannot bring myself to write in books.

[Veritaserum]

I confess that I keep a notebook, too. :p

[Frontier Mom]

Funny, I am really bad about marking in some and not in others. I buy books specifically to mark in. For instance, just Saturday I bought a new bible for $10 so I can mark in it. However, I don't like to mark in my more expensive ones.

 

So, I buy books to read to mark in and then I don't feel as quilty. Others I buy to keep in my library and never mark in them. That is why I love the new Barnes & Noble Classics for $7. Affordable, big print and markable. Yeah!!

 

Crazy, I know. Now how am I going to mark in the books on my new Kindle shipped today? Sorry, I just had to throw that in because I am sooo excited.

[PinkInTheBlue]

No, I can not do it. :) I just can not write in my books. I love my notebook, however. I love ya, Susan, I do but just not doing it. :)

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

No, I can not do it. :) I just can not write in my books. I love my notebook, however. I love ya, Susan, I do but just not doing it. :)

 

:iagree:I. just. can't. do. it.

[WTMindy]

I get in big trouble with the librarians when I do that!!! ;)

 

 

I prefer a notebook too, but mostly because I get most of my books from the library.

[Chris in VA]

I do both--keep a notebook and write in the book. I am currently reading House of Leaves, and I'm marking it up--it's so weird a story, I'm sure I won't loan it out to anyone.

It is kinda neat to read the books my father has found significant in his life. He writes all over them. It's a window to his mind and heart, and I know those books will be very special to me when he's gone.

 

But there's not enough room to write in most of the books I would mark up!

[Parrothead]

Nope, I can't do it either.

[Murphy101]

I. just. can't. do. it.

 

my neither.

 

I have never understood why anyone would do it.

 

to me, writing in a good book is like scribbling commentary and little arrows pointing to details of note on the Mona Lisa painting (or any fine art work) - iow, I find it danged near criminal to contemplate.

 

good literature is expensive artwork

 

I can't afford to replace it and I hate being distracted by other's marks made on it.

 

just my .02

 

and no, you'll not find a single dog-earred page in my bookcases either.;)

[Starr]

My dh can't read without a pencil. So much for sharing. :001_smile: We had to buy four copies of the Iliad for our family!

[BabyBre]

I'll shout it out! I LOVE writing in my books! TWEM has opened up a whole new world for me! All those thoughts and questions I'm supposed to be writing in a notebook, I put right in the margins of the book. It makes them mine.

 

However, I plan to keep all my classics. We're trying to build our library.

[Melanie]

My dh can't read without a pencil. So much for sharing. :001_smile: We had to buy four copies of the Iliad for our family!

 

:lol: That's exactly why I don't write in my books - nobody wants to read them afterwards! And I hate reading books that have been marked up by someone else, because that person is always WRONG. :D

[Mekanamom]

 

Crazy, I know. Now how am I going to mark in the books on my new Kindle shipped today? Sorry, I just had to throw that in because I am sooo excited.

 

Oooh, yours shipped? How exciting! Mine is supposed to get here Thursday. :D Actually, one of the reasons I wanted a Kindle is because you can take notes in it. Amazon even backs your notes up so you won't lose them if anything happens to your Kindle!

 

And... I was just thinking that I should start working through The Well Educated Mind once the Kindle arrives... hopefully most of the books will be available to download...?

[moki4]

and I have been writing in my books since HS!

:001_smile:

[Frontier Mom]

Oooh, yours shipped? How exciting! Mine is supposed to get here Thursday. :D Actually, one of the reasons I wanted a Kindle is because you can take notes in it. Amazon even backs your notes up so you won't lose them if anything happens to your Kindle!

 

And... I was just thinking that I should start working through The Well Educated Mind once the Kindle arrives... hopefully most of the books will be available to download...?

 

Wow, I didn't know that. The more I hear about the Kindle, the happier I am that I bought it!! I'm watching the mail this week for sure. PM me if you find the books in WEM.

[Mad Jenny Flint]

I tried it a few times in high school and college, but my heart just wasn't in it. I use a notebook when I think about it. I am not even all that diligent about that. This being true confessions n' all, I just thought I'd throw that in.

[Susan Wise Bauer]

[quote name=Kleine Hexe;806180\That was so hard for me. Even now this is hard for me. I truely appreciate what my high school teacher tried to teach us. SWB has reminded me of this important step in reading.

 

My favorite line' date=' "Defacing your book is much more efficient."

 

Ok, I will do this. I will write in my books. Even if it does make me feel a bit naughty. :blushing:

 

Come on, people. DIG DEEP. If you can't put a #2 pencil mark in a paperback edition, at least you should know why.

 

You've gone through parenting these children....do you really believe that you don't deserve a $6.99 book of your own to mark up, in service of your own intellectual development?

 

How long does it take your family to EAT $6.99, anyway? if they're like mine, about 3 minutes. Putting $6.99 into the intellectual ownership of the family's intellectual anchor (that might well be you) doesn'f cancel the invoice.

 

SWB

[WTMindy]

Come on, people. DIG DEEP. If you can't put a #2 pencil mark in a paperback edition, at least you should know why.

 

You've gone through parenting these children....do you really believe that you don't deserve a $6.99 book of your own to mark up, in service of your own intellectual development?

 

How long does it take your family to EAT $6.99, anyway? if they're like mine, about 3 minutes. Putting $6.99 into the intellectual ownership of the family's intellectual anchor (that might well be you) doesn'f cancel the invoice.

 

SWB

 

No eating this week, kids! Susan said I could write in my books and I'm hitting Amazon!!!! :001_smile:

[KidsHappen]

It's funny, the only book I have ever written in is The Well Trained Mind and the only reason I could do that is that I knew I would be replacing it, that I would turn the pages until they fell out and eventually there would be a new edition. I do use post-its and a notebook.

 

The books in this house constitute a library used by many people and if everyone wrote in the books, then we wouldn't be able to read the actual author's words. I own pretty close to 1000 books and there are eight or nine people who use them so if everyone had their own personal copy of each book, I would have no room in the house for the people. Books are meant to be shared and passed down but never written in, stepped on or in any other way devalued, defaced or destroyed. The scene in The Day After Tomorrow where they burn the books for fuel caused me say out loud in a theater, "OMG, no. Don't burn the books!"

 

As someone pointed out, all of the people who have written in the book are just plain wrong. I have never read a note from someone else in a book that I agreed with. Most of the time, their info isn't even factually correct. And finally, as someone else mentioned, it is like defacing the Mona Lisa. Sorry, just can't do it.

[TeacherZee]

I've been writing in my books since High school. If I buy a book then the book is MINE and I can do what I want with it. :D I was so happy when SWB told me I could write in my books because now I had another reason to do it. It is great now that I am in grad school because it is so much easier to find the passages in the books when I go back to write essays/answer questions because I have a visual clue to the passage.

 

I also dogear books any more. :D

 

Susan you rock:D:D

[Yabusame]

I've read through TWEM and I've started to mark my books... well, I've done it with one so far. I've started highlighting passages I really like or find insightful. I haven't really started adding comments yet but I will. Little steps :001_smile:

 

I have bought a few books recently (for TWEM) that I really don't want to mark, I guess I'll get over it.

 

Yabusame.

[Guest Lorna]

It really isn't the money. Many of my books were only 20 pence.

 

I suppose it is a combination of reasons. I was taught not to by my parents and school. I guess books couldn't be bought for as cheap then.

 

I know SWB doesn't advocate defacing library books (there is that incendiary word: 'defacing') but I hate, hate, hate scribbled notes on books I have borrowed. They are so distracting. The comments are invariably silly.

 

In fact I cannot properly read any offically annotated novels. I see those little numbers beside a word and I wonder and wonder. Eventually I have to leave the pleasurable reading in order to find out what that comment is. I flick to the back of the book and find it is something silly like 'pegasus - a mythological winged horse'. Bah, I knew that already. I wanted to know something new. Now, where was I. I was enjoying the book and now I have to get back into it.

 

I love my notebook. I can write in summaries, comments and copy down my favourite quotes. I spend money on a nice one :001_smile:. Then I can go back to my book and read it with the author's words and as it was intended (without my comments which are sure to embarass me later).

 

I still don't see what the advantage is...

[Veronica in VA]

I write in my books. I went to a private school so we had to buy our own books. One of our English teachers would yell if we didn't write in our books - he wanted to see underlines, stars, writing, etc. It took me some time to get used to that - but now I do it all the time. I like to write in a notebook for additional thoughts, though. I just lose my notebooks all the time - lol!

 

Veronica

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Putting $6.99 into the intellectual ownership of the family's intellectual anchor (that might well be you) doesn'f cancel the invoice.

 

SWB

 

Wow, that was obscure. Sorry. I was posting in an airport and my flight was called, so I hit "post" and ran. Obviously I was in mid-thought...and now I can't remember what the thought WAS.

 

I actually make sense most of the time.

 

SWB

[Cathy in SoCal]

I tend to be a by-the-book-kinda-gal, pun intended, and when I did let loose and started marking (in pencil--haven't in pen yet....not that loose) all over my books, there was a type of euphoric feeling that is hard to describe........suffice it to say I've got notes everywhere, BABY--margins, sides! below! above! end of chapter!!!!.....I can hardly take IT ALL IN!!!!

 

So as a word of warning....if you let loose and be free, there's potentially no stoppin' :driving:...And if you ever reread, you may need to pad the budget for an extra copy so more notes can be taken b/c of course you'll see even more in the next reading!!! Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mom-ninja.]

It is kinda neat to read the books my father has found significant in his life. He writes all over them. It's a window to his mind and heart, and I know those books will be very special to me when he's gone.

 

 

That is beautiful. I'm so glad you have this gift from your father.

 

 

 

However, I plan to keep all my classics. We're trying to build our library.

 

Same here. The very affordable B&N classics line is great.

 

 

And... I was just thinking that I should start working through The Well Educated Mind once the Kindle arrives... hopefully most of the books will be available to download...?

 

I happen to know that The Well Educated Mind is available on Kindle. :D How cool that you can keep notes on Kindle.

 

 

 

 

You've gone through parenting these children....do you really believe that you don't deserve a $6.99 book of your own to mark up, in service of your own intellectual development?

 

 

 

Yes, I do deserve it. :D

 

 

"Our Mutual Friend" I read in high school is so fun to go back and look over. It's neat to see the notes I left in the book at that time in my life.

 

 

Thank you Susan for giving me permission to "deface" my books!

 

Oh, as for the Mona Lisa reference and defacing....you're not actually defacing the original manuscript of a book. You're writing in a mass produced book that usually costs less than $10.

[lovemyboys]

My favorite line, "Defacing your book is much more efficient."

 

Ok, I will do this. I will write in my books. Even if it does make me feel a bit naughty. :blushing:

 

 

I used to be the same way, but it's kind of liberating. When I was doing the WEM Don Quixote with a couple friends, I definitely kept a notebook, way too much info to be writing in margins or underlining with that. And I'm so glad I did.

 

For me, it depends on the book. I'm quick to underline in a paperback, less so in a hardback. But if it's something that I'm reading to thoroughly grasp the subject, I will underline so that I can find quotes and passages later. I was so bummed when a neighbor was totally careless with one particular volume that I had very particular notes in, it's gone for good, I'm sure. But it's made me think twice about loaning something like that.

[Colleen in NS]

I wanted to reply to this thread the other day, but chickened out! The only book I've really written in so far is WTM, and that is only in the past year or so (I've had it for over four years). But last weekend I spent hours combing through WTM again and underlining things and making notes in the margin - with PEN *gasp*! I was determined to understand the thread of the authors' mindsets in the grammar-to-rhetoric science sections and religion sections - boy, did I get some new revelations and encouragement, just by taking my pen and marking up my book some more! After doing that, I suddenly realized I could take all my underlinings and notes of those two sections, and create an outline from them for myself, and write up a composition from my outline - and the whole process from marking up book to writing composition would be purely to help me think things through. Not to show anyone, not to turn in to someone for a grade, but JUST to help me THINK about why I would teach science and religion that way and with those resources.

 

So, after I realized this, I also realized "Gee, THAT'S why SWB said the following in TWEM:

 

My favorite line, "Defacing your book is much more efficient."

 

Much more efficient in the thinking process, if you don't have to worry about bits of paper in the library books or going back and forth between a notebook and your book. To me, it's the difference between writing something out by hand or typing it on the computer. Typing is more efficient (unless you want to write by hand for some reason). I like efficiency.

 

All those thoughts and questions

 

Yep, I can see now how the process of marking up books would spark even more thoughts and questions!

 

and I have been writing in my books since HS!

:001_smile:

 

Wish I'd been taught this way back then!

 

You've gone through parenting these children....do you really believe that you don't deserve a $6.99 book of your own to mark up, in service of your own intellectual development?

 

I could just cry reading this, thank you for emphatically jumping in and cheering us on again!!

 

How long does it take your family to EAT $6.99, anyway? if they're like mine, about 3 minutes. Putting $6.99 into the intellectual ownership of the family's intellectual anchor (that might well be you)...

 

...should be just as important as buying groceries." ??? Just a guess as to what your train of thought might have been. Maybe buying books doesn't cancel the invoice of the grocery bill - doesn't make the grocery needs go away.??

 

I've been writing in my books since High school.

 

Again, wish I'd been taught. :D

 

I still don't see what the advantage is...

 

For me, it's being able to think faster. Less cumbersome.

 

One of our English teachers would yell if we didn't write in our books - he wanted to see underlines, stars, writing, etc.

 

:lol:

 

when I did let loose and started marking (in pencil--haven't in pen yet....not that loose) all over my books, there was a type of euphoric feeling that is hard to describe

 

And if you ever reread, you may need to pad the budget for an extra copy so more notes can be taken b/c of course you'll see even more in the next reading!!! Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Fun to read this!

[wide eyes & laughter]

to start reading and marking up this evening. Gotta say just the name of this book is a turn-off but I *am* going to read it :D Hope it's a good start to my journey!:auto:

[Nan in Mass]

as I was trying to keep quiet waiting for my children to finish arguing over one of the questions. I write in books pretty happily (my mother did), but drawing the mantlepiece clock and the dog and painting daisies and Maine islands in the margins felt daring. You know what, though? It is now MY book, my very own book. The tiny island reminds me of when we were huddled under a tarp in the cockpit of Tenent's Harbour reading Agamemnon aloud in parts and discussing it one rainy day. And anything that helps me be quiet and patient has got to be a good thing GRIN. When my children are gone and I'm STILL working my way through great books, I'll be happy I drew some memories in. I've been buying three copies of our books, too, because I can't demonstrate reading pencil in hand unless we all have our own copy. It seemed rather wasteful tripling our book bill, but hearing my children say they want to take this book or that book to college with them has made it worth it.

-Nan

 

PS - Maybe imaging someone else drawing in a book will help somebody write in one. : )

[Colleen in NS]

but drawing the mantlepiece clock and the dog and painting daisies and Maine islands in the margins felt daring.

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol: I am howling here, at the title of your post, and at this bit! But what a great idea!!

[lovemywhirlygirls]

I have always written in books that I own. Love it. I began to do it more regularly after my dad died. He died when I was 15. If it weren't for all of his notes in books (and in notebooks) I wouldn't know much of "who" he was. He worked full time until shortly before he died. I didn't know I'd have him for short a time. Don't know if I would have pursued knowing him more than the average teenager seeks to know his/her parent, but I hope I would have. I am SO GRATEFUL for those notes written in the margin of War and Peace, the James Herriot books, his Bible, etc.

 

So, I write for me and for those who come after me.

 

I invite you to try it out.

[The Governess]

to start reading and marking up this evening. Gotta say just the name of this book is a turn-off but I *am* going to read it :D Hope it's a good start to my journey!:auto:

 

I have 200 pages to go! Didn't write one word in my copy though. :D But I am keeping a journal, and can't wait to go back and read through it after I'm finished with the book.

 

I have no problem writing in nonfiction books....but I just can't bring myself to write in a novel. I love getting completely immersed in a story while I'm reading it and am afraid of being distracted by my own interjections. Plus most of the things I write while I'm reading are only half-thought through and usually aren't as intelligent as I would like them to be. I guess I'm afraid of annoying myself with my own comments. :lol:

[wide eyes & laughter]

I have 200 pages to go! Didn't write one word in my copy though. :D But I am keeping a journal, and can't wait to go back and read through it after I'm finished with the book.

 

I have no problem writing in nonfiction books....but I just can't bring myself to write in a novel. I love getting completely immersed in a story while I'm reading it and am afraid of being distracted by my own interjections. Plus most of the things I write while I'm reading are only half-thought through and usually aren't as intelligent as I would like them to be. I guess I'm afraid of annoying myself with my own comments. :lol:

 

I'm going on faith in SWB and my dh for the start of my journey as I am definitely a reader of biographies and other non-fiction works, but not much of one for novels! You brought out an interesting point... and while reading Don Quixote last night, I found it hard to write in the book also - I think for the same reason you mentioned. But I will try to force it b/c as I said, I'm going on faith here and will at least try! LOL

 

Btw, it's good you are getting started on your journey for a WEM while your kids are so young. Good for you!

[The Governess]

I'm going on faith in SWB and my dh for the start of my journey as I am definitely a reader of biographies and other non-fiction works, but not much of one for novels! You brought out an interesting point... and while reading Don Quixote last night, I found it hard to write in the book also - I think for the same reason you mentioned. But I will try to force it b/c as I said, I'm going on faith here and will at least try! LOL

 

Btw, it's good you are getting started on your journey for a WEM while your kids are so young. Good for you!

 

Thanks for the encouragement! And good for you for trying too! As I get older, I feel like my brain is slowly turning to mush, and I have to keep pushing myself or I will lose my ability to think altogether. :lol:

[wide eyes & laughter]

Thanks for the encouragement! And good for you for trying too! As I get older, I feel like my brain is slowly turning to mush, and I have to keep pushing myself or I will lose my ability to think altogether. :lol:

 

 

get that! LOL

[Mom-ninja.]

Thanks for the encouragement! And good for you for trying too! As I get older, I feel like my brain is slowly turning to mush, and I have to keep pushing myself or I will lose my ability to think altogether. :lol:

 

 

I feel that since I had my first child 8 years ago that my brain has been turning to mush. :tongue_smilie:Now, with three children I feel like I need to take time and do some thinking and reading that doesn't have to do with children. Even my work involves babies and children so I want to do some thinking like I did pre-children.

 

I don't want to start with novels though. I've done my share of novel reading/analysis in years past. I've never done it with autobiographies or historical/political writings though. I think I'm going to start with the autobiography list.

[Yabusame]

I recently read The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas, which I picked up from the Hillsdale Academy summer reading list. I thought it would be a gentle introduction into reading in an active, rather than a passive, way (I wanted to get used to the idea before tackling the TWEM reading list). I've always had a love of books, but I have always read passively, and I have to admit, I have read books quickly simply to finish them, without really considering what the book was trying to tell me about the author's thoughts or society's mores at the time of publication (I can barely remember the whole storyline at times).

 

Anyway, The Robe was my introduction to active reading. I read with a highlighter, a pencil and a writing pad beside me (as TWEM suggested). I highlighted anything I thought insightful. I underlined in pencil any word I didn't understand. I would write down any new characters I'd meet and who they were. I'd also write down the words I had underlined for checking in a dictionary at a later date. In a wordpad file, I'd transpose my written notes, maintaining a permanent list of characters and an expanding list of new words with their dictionary definitions (new vocabulary). At the end of each chapter I'd also type up a chapter review, highlighting the main events of each chapter (trying to keep it to just a handful of sentences).

 

There was only one time, however, when I actually wrote something in the book. A comment was made about government (in the setting of the story) and I simply wrote "Is this how the author sees the government of today?". In hindsight, I think that one single comment has been answered for me (I won't spoil it for others) and I think it would be interesting for anyone else that reads my copy of the book to come across that question without my answer forthcoming in later pages. They'll have to make up their own minds. I guess I was a little unsure of writing in books, rather than simply marking them for easy reference. What sort of things have you guys written in the margins of books?

 

Whenever I pick up my copy of The Robe today, I love to flick through the pages and read some of the sections I've highlighted. It has become one of my favourite books but I'm still learning how to be an active reader though.