Writing in Your Books

Here is a great post on how to mark a book while reading it: Open Loops: Twelve Ways To Mark Up A Book. I highly recommended developing your own style of book-marking, complete with personal codes and shorthand. I have been doing this since high school, and further developed my book-marking style in college. I know, I’m a nerd, but it really helps me understand and synthesize a book when I write in it. My library is very marked up. (The amount of marking in each book is usually an indication as to whether I have read or not read a particular section of a book.) From this article, I most often the second tip under “What Not to Do.” I tend to bracket off huge sweeping sections because I find the whole argument compelling. Really, I ought to just not the key phrases and insightful comments along with the topic sentences. I have not been able to discipline myself enough to keep notes as I read, although sometimes I note quotes or key arguments, as long as I mark up my books, I can usually find information that I have read very quickly. Even if you don’t look back at a book, the process of marking them up usually helps you organize the ideas and remember them. That is why teachers tell you to take notes, because the act of notetaking itself helps you remember the ideas, even if you don’t look back at your notes ever again. By doing this, it can make your reading more effective and efficient.

Reformation Commentary on Scripture

I’m looking forward to this: IVP Reformation Commentary on Scripture.

Series like this are the reason I will never be rich, will need to invest in a bookshelf company, and never get to the end of my “to read” list.

Tips for Reading Blogs

This was good. Just don’t delete my blog…10 Tips for Reading Blogs