Musing Mondays – Note-taking

This week’s Musing Mondays asks

Do you take notes while you read?

Yes. This is one of the reasons I like reading on the Kindle; I can put notes right into the book and then look at a summary of the notes all on one page when I come to write my review. It’s a little tougher for dead tree books because I don’t annotate books, so I tend to take iPhone photos of the quote and just hope that the thought I had comes back to me when I look at the quote later.

I sometimes put sticky notes all through a book (The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai was a good example of a book with many sticky notes) but I rarely write anything down on them so I’m stuck with the old “hope the thought comes back when I look at the passage I’ve marked” trick. Every now and again I find an envelope in my handbag which has notes scribbled on it from a particular book, or I might email myself if I am desperate to capture a thought.

The things we do when most of our reading is done on the commute!

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9 thoughts on “Musing Mondays – Note-taking

  1. Jo 11 September 2012 at 7:25 pm Reply

    I highlight on the kindle too and on occasion, slightly fold a page at the bottom of the book, if I want to refer something. But just like you I hope that I remember what moved me to mark the page.

    On ocassions I email myself from work if something strikes me. I am currently reading about the Mitfords and having to take notes after each section, because it is a HUGE book.

    • readingwithtea 16 September 2012 at 3:09 pm Reply

      I email myself so many things back and forth between home and work that book quotes would definitely get lost in the mix!!

  2. Jo @ Booklover Book Reviews 12 September 2012 at 2:03 am Reply

    That is why I like reading on the Kindle or in BluefireReader (iPad) too because I do not write in physical books, and I never have a sticky note within reach when a great thought strikes me. Taking photos on your iPhone is such a great idea, I had not thought of that – thanks! You could email yourself the photo along with the thought you had for your review at the same time.

  3. Charlie 12 September 2012 at 1:28 pm Reply

    I do that photographing thing too, it might look weird if someone were to view your photo collection but it’s a lot better than writing/typing out quotes you may decide you later don’t care for. I also keep a sheet of paper in my ereader case because my reader can’t take notes, otherwise I use a notebook. No writing in books here either.

  4. Chinoiseries 12 September 2012 at 3:21 pm Reply

    You know, I can’t believe some people actually annotating printed books. I like to highlight on my e-reader as well. And the taking photos with iPhone trick, I’ve only just started doing that :) I’m sure I’d also stuff a book full of post-it notes if only I had enough of them :D

    • readingwithtea 16 September 2012 at 3:11 pm Reply

      The Book Accumulator annotated books he taught (he was an English teacher for a while) and I have a few of his teaching editions, so it’s interesting to see what he pulled out of a text. But no, I’m not a book scribbler. I could never make my handwriting neat enough to be worthy of being in a book!

  5. Nose in a book 26 September 2012 at 9:44 pm Reply

    I leave scraps of paper throughout my books to mark quotes I like but I don’t write notes. I actually quite like the idea of annotating my books and then finding my thoughts again on my next read, but I never do it!

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