For those of you who are avid readers, how do you chronicle your reading?

[gandpsmommy]

Do you keep track of what books you have read somewhere on paper or electronically? Do you write down your thoughts, reactions, favorite quotes, questions, etc. while you are reading, after you have finished a book, not at all? I have found a lot more time for reading lately and seem to be finishing a book every few days. I have a lot of thoughts when reading, and my reading often engenders a lot of thinking and pondering. Often I will continue thinking about the themes in a book for weeks. But I hardly ever actually journal about them or write down anything. I guess I'm just busy and lazy. I don't even keep track of what books I have read. I'm just wondering what others do. I'd like to start fleshing out some of my thoughts more purposefully.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

I've been wondering about this too. I've read so much that sometimes I forget if I've read a book before. Also when I come across passages that really stun me, I find myself wishing later that I had written them down. But, on the other hand I don't want to feel like reading is work, IYKWIM.

[Alice]

For the past few years I've kept a journal where I write down every book I read. Just the name and author. This year I started a blog. I started it mostly to get myself into the habit of writing again. It's not a book blog but I have done "reviews". The reviews are mostly a way for me to work through thoughts on a book. I don't do it for every book I read. I also keep a list on there of the books I've read this year.

[SFP]

I wrote about the benefits of just keeping a list of books read here:

 

http://pagesturned.blogspot.com/2006/09/books-read-in-93.html

[Melinda in VT]

I have a small notebook where I write down passages that strike me. My blog has a list of the books I've read and short reviews of each one.

[lionfamily1999]

I'd have to stop reading to write all that down ;)

IOW, I like to READ, not to write or review, or even keep track. So, no, I do not write down what I read, although I have written down really touching quotes and usually lose them immediately thereafter.

[WTMindy]

I keep a list on a spread-sheet so that I can also search to see if I have read a book before. (I have a terrible memory!) You might like to try out http://www.goodreads.com/

 

You can write about the books and connect with other readers. I just joined and haven't done much there yet, but it seems like it is a great way to track the books you have read.

[danybug]

I have a journal book where I just write the name of the book and author of all books I finish. I also, basically with non-fiction, sometimes put the small size post-its sticking out of the top of a page that has a quote or thought I like. That way I can quickly open to them again.

 

I too wish I did something more with journaling about books I read.

[Kidlit]

I keep a book blog. I admit that it is time-consuming, but I have had a lot of fun with it, and I've even had the opportunity to interview a Newbery award winning author because of it (with another interview with a different, new author upcoming!). I've also connected with other people with similar likes and passions. I guess you could say that one hobby/passion has created another one. :tongue_smilie:

[Julie in Austin]

I keep a book blog--very brief. See my sig line.

[Amira]

I use a blog too (see below), although it isn't exclusively about books, and I'm not into all the book stuff that some book blogs do. It's just a way to keep track of my reading and what I thought about it. It doesn't feel like work at all.

 

I do use Librarything and Goodreads too, but I find a blog to be the easiest system for me to consistently use.

[dcjlkplus3]

I'd have to stop reading to write all that down ;)

IOW, I like to READ, not to write or review, or even keep track. So, no, I do not write down what I read, although I have written down really touching quotes and usually lose them immediately thereafter.

:iagree:This means that I have been known to reread a book on occasion, but I read fast enough (and have a bad enough memory) that that doesn't usually bother me. Every so often I enterain the idea of writing down what I read, but if I pick up another book, the idea goes away. Usually I only have the thought in hindsight "what was that book I was waiting for called...who was it even by...have I read that...who was that author I enjoyed..."

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

Blogging has really filled that need for me. I posts book lists (finished, plan to read, want to read...), reviews, quotes, etc. I love having those posts and lists to look back on. It has really helped me be deliberate about my reading. It gives me a chance to interact with others who have read or are interested in the book (blog comments). Many people have mentioned that they have read a book after I recommended it, and that's fun, too! (I obviously post about more than books on my blog, though.)

 

I also belong to a book club. We're in our sixth year and are all very close friends, now! I appreciate having that time to discuss books and ideas with adults!!!

[Laurel]

I keep a written journal where I list the books read, when I started and when I finished. I also have a running list in the same journal of books I want to read - often books referenced in the books I'm currently reading - and of topics/ideas I want to find books about. (This is why, even though I finish a book every 2-3 days, my To-Be-Read pile never gets any smaller.)

I also track what I have read on LibraryThing, with just the year. (And I am doing the same thing with the kids' reading. 5 yo loves to see that she has read more books than I this year!)

 

I don't like to stop reading to write something down, but if there is something really profound, or gets me thinking, I do have a notebook nearby that I can write in. I have also written reactions to a few books after I've finished them in there.

[eaglei]

Also when I come across passages that really stun me, I find myself wishing later that I had written them down. But, on the other hand I don't want to feel like reading is work, IYKWIM.

 

 

:iagree:

Long years ago, I used to keep a journal of notes from books. Don't really have the time for that now. With the current *issues of life* in our lives right now, I don't really want reading to be work and I don't want to stop the flow of the story to write something out. AND, if I WERE to take notes, then I'd fuss at myself over how to logically organize and store them. :glare:

 

The only RARE exception to this has been when I've read something I thought should go in the church bulletin. In five years, that probably hasn't happened a half-dozen times.

 

Until the Book-a-Week thread started here on the Hive this year, I have never kept a list of books I've read. I am SO enjoying that thread!

 

OTOH, I have always kept a list of books ds has read as well as books we have read for family reading. The list includes title, author, date finished, and general type (fiction, biography, etc.). Originally, I hand wrote those lists; now I keep it as a computer file.

[TeacherZee]

I use Shelfari to keep track of the books I've read. I blog about the books I read occasionally (not right now because life is a little bit hectic but I hope to get back into it soon) and I deface my books. I write in them. I underline them. I argue with them. Just today I commented in the margin of The Heart of Darkness "Racist much?". SWB said we could write in our books. I follow the leader;)

Edited April 2, 2009 by TeacherZee
edited to add link

[Joyful]

I jot down notes and interesting quotes in my computer.

[Audrey]

I don't chronicle my reading. Tracking and writing about what I read would seriously cut into my time to actually read. :D

[Georgiana Daniels]

Like TeacherZee, I use Shelfari. I like keeping track and logging the year I read such and such a book. I also enjoy seeing other people's opinions.

[lionfamily1999]

:iagree:This means that I have been known to reread a book on occasion, but I read fast enough (and have a bad enough memory) that that doesn't usually bother me. Every so often I enterain the idea of writing down what I read, but if I pick up another book, the idea goes away. Usually I only have the thought in hindsight "what was that book I was waiting for called...who was it even by...have I read that...who was that author I enjoyed..."

That is exactly what I do. I have read and reread many books and enjoyed them just as much the second time around. I did write down what Charles Dickens books I had read, he was my favorite author at the time, because I knew I wouldn't be able to keep track.

I don't chronicle my reading. Tracking and writing about what I read would seriously cut into my time to actually read. :D

:iagree: exactly

[jujsky]

I've been using Shelfari (http://www.shelfari.com). It's a virtual bookshelf which allows you to post the books you've read, the books you want to read, and the books you're currently reading. You can write reviews, rate books, and see what other people are reading. I love Shelfari :D

[Susan in TN]

I'm a big reader but not a big journal-er. I do have a reading journal, though, and I basically use it to write down my thoughts after reading a book, or sometimes while I'm reading if I'm very inspired. I also use it to write down my yearly reading list and jot down the date that I read the book. I actually haven't written in it for several months now and will have to play "catch up". Of course I haven't been reading much lately since putting our house on the market and having a baby. :)

[Sharon H in IL]

With a Commonplace Book, of course!

 

I once read a biography of Thomas Jefferson, and it mentioned how he kept a blank book in which he wrote down all the titles of books he had read, and then quotations from them which struck him as really important.

 

So I started keeping my own Commonplace Book. It's been a blessing. I reread the quotations frequently, and they have come in handy so often for clarifying my own thoughts, or with wise advice.

 

And I can look back over each year's titles and see which ones have stuck with me, and which ones were fluff, which were classics that I loved or that I ended up being unimpressed by. I put a star by those titles that made the most impression on me during the year. It's been an enlightening exercise.

[valkett]

I love using goodreads.

 

I also have my own book blog that I've started this year. If I can keep it up throughout the year, I'm hoping to have it printed through Blurb and place it on a bookshelf. :)

 

Val

[Desert Rat]

I have a little notebook I keep titles in especially the series I read and I jot down when the next one is due to be released. I also have a section for the serials we read aloud like Sisters Grimm.

Sshhhh...I read so many books that I never buy them. So every once in awhile I go on a hunting mission at the bookstore with my handy dandy notebook and write down all the titles and authors then request them from the library! :o)

[ElizabethB]

I agree with Julie's double agree!

 

I don't keep track, I sometimes forget and re-read but I read fast and enjoy reading, and I don't want to cut into actual reading time. (I almost choked when I read that one, that was very funny!)

 

However, I do bookmark pages for books that I may want to quote for my phonics and reading research, weeks or months later I may actually get the quotes typed up.

 

I did this for Liping Ma's "Knowing and Teaching Elementary Math" as well so that I wouldn't forget, and I thought I might post them here as well. I finally typed them up because I couldn't renew the book any longer. I read it in less than a week, it's the actual typing that's a problem--it cuts into my reading time!