It’s always fun getting a used book that’s been written in, it’s almost like you’re reading the previous owner’s mind and figuring out their first impressions as you read along
That's what I think about. I'd love to see a book from my parents or from my grandparents that has been written on. It's like part of their mind is in there, you can actually see that they put effort and thought into that. A blank book can convey many things, but a book that has notes in it has something more, has intention.
One of my neighors was a Philosophy professor at Johns Hopkins and an author. He taught me something about books I've never forgotten. He said that reading a book should be done actively. We should think of reading as a dialog. He was an advocate of writing in your books. Great video! 👍
I’ve found that writing in a separate book like a common place book is better than writing directly on the book. At least from a fictional book. Self help books almost invite you to write on them. That being said, for fictional books I think the distraction of my notes would take away from the book. I used to highlight all my books & now I can’t read them without getting my eyes drawn to the shit I highlighted. I would rather be absorbed in the story. I simply write anything that sticks out to me in a separate book so I don’t disrupt the book.
This makes a ton of sense. I usually only mark wise statements in my fiction books for the same reason. I collect wise sayings in a commonplace book so I have to mark them but sometimes that's just a dog-eared page. I'm 100% with you
Many years ago, a famous scholar gifted most of his library to me. This collection of more than 1,000 books included first editions dating back to the 1850s. The handwritten notes in the margins had become something like a dialogue among several generations scholars.
Reading is the one of the most powerful tools a human can have. I had a history professor tell me something that blew my mind when I was 18. “It’s the quickest way to the 1% of something. If you read a good book about something like dolphins, then you’d be in the top 1% of people in existence on knowledge about dolphins”. I never forgot those words.
If you really want to write in books but still feel stuck or just want your book to stay pretty, consider taking baby steps with small Post-It note tabs that you can write a symbol or word on and just use a commonplace book if you're really eager to retain the information.
This is great advice! I used to do this actually. Then I moved and a bunch of my stickies got knocked off and I had a fit haha. But definitely a great firat step and maybe someone can do it permanently if they can avoid what I did
English isn't my first language so growing up I had to learn and memorize the words, my grandfather taught me and would translate the words into our native language. So if you were a classmate of mine you would probably see the text book full of underlines and scribbles where once was an empty place. Of course my teachers highly discouraged me taking notes in the books rather than the notebook but it was me who set the trend in my entire class so making margin notes was a cool thing now
So happy to have your video recommended! I can't not write when I'm reading. I make pen holder/boards as giant bookmarks. I use highlighters and then different pens (Pilot Precise V5s). I write the date I start a book on the inside, and do that each time in a different colour. Then when I go thru, I'll know which reading it was when I made those notes. I also use page flags; blue is for quotes, yellow is for concepts, etc. I mark tables, foot notes, resources, etc. on the top of the page, and then other page flags go on the side. Each time I go back to a book, reading is faster because I see all my notes, etc. I also have post-it notes that I use. I don't write in rare or "keepsake" editions, but for regular books, they're more like an interactive journal to me. It's very much a "second brain" so that I can access the book for information & key concepts quickly. As Tiago Forte says, it really is a gift to your future self!
100% on the gift for future self bit. I don't write in my rare old books either. I like the idea of the book as an interactive journal ha that's such a good phrase for the concept. I have done the stickys back in highschool (I think they made us) but I remember them coming off and that would drive me so insane. Maybe I need to give it another try.
I tend to buy second hand books where I can, and honestly there's almost nothing more delightful than unexpectedly coming across a stranger's marginalia. You might be years and miles apart from that other reader, and have no idea who they are, but not only are you connected by this physical object you are holding, you also have a window into some private thought they had, one that they maybe never thought they'd share with another person. Do they agree with you? Is it a mundane reminder, or did they have some profound insight into the text that you missed, that they have unexpectedly and unwittingly gifted to you?
I made notes in my political philosophy books 20+ years ago and I still love opening them and seeing my scribbles all down the side. They remind me of my passion from when I studying at university. I just recently aquired a well-loved, used and written-in book on Kabbalah and adore seeing someone else's notes in the margins, underlined, etc. I am currently sitting here with a book on Ceremonial Magick and the ruler and pencils, pens are out... I think I need to create a compendium to go with this particular work, so I will look at your video. Thank you for sharing your tips 📖
The idea of writing and taking notes in books has always felt, kind of out of bounds, in a way. Growing up there were always rules at schools etc to never write in books. But who knows, maybe I'll give it a try sometime.
Totally had that same exact feeling for a while. Also, once I got over that feeling there was the feeling that I'd mess up and make the notes look gross or foolish. But if you can get over it, it can be helpful. You could also try a tablet and an apple pen
I agree, it felt really weird when classes started asking me to write in my books. I’ve found it much easier to use a pencil or a digital pdf of a text with my ipad to annotate, since I’ve definitely loosened up about writing in books but I’m still not cool with using pen. I also wont write in especially old or valuable books/books that family members have already written in in the past, usually I’ll stick to post-its or keep a seperate log of notes on my computer in a document.
I just discovered your channel - thanks for making this! If I'm studying a book I also heavily annotate so it's fun to see others' systems. One symbol I use a lot that might be interesting is a three-bar equal sign (instead of the normal 2 bars). Mathematically it means "by definition" or a mathematical identity, so I use it to indicate a definition (even when the book is not about math!). I look forward to watching more of your videos!
I like to write with pencils because I have progressed in my knowledge so much. What I wanted to highlight at one-time I know focusing on another thought. I underline or draw a line through it or circle sentences I want to never forget. I will highlight with my pencil words. I also use symbols ... D ... for definition. I also use colored pencils for highlighting subjects I want to group together throughout the book. For example green for earth ... yellow for fear ... pink for historical thoughts.
I recently reread J.S. Mill’s Utilitarianism, and I’d written in the margins my first time through 15 years ago. It was weird actually reflecting on that version of myself based on my marginalia.
Hi Parker, Your video made me wonder why I don't write in my books. And I think the reason is because here in Chile, books are expensive, especially the ones that are on the academic line (my alma mater is philosophy, and I'm an anthropologist). I do marginalia and highlight my photocopied books and my ebooks with different colors, but never the actual books; they are kind of a luxury for me. But you are totally right; the learning of the content is better if you "put your hands on" the text, and the experience is totally different, and that's why I love my photocopied books more than the other ones. Now, I will follow your advice. Thank you for your amazing content!
Per why mark books. There is value in having your record of reactions right next to the thing you're reacting to. "Why did I write this? Oh ya, it's right there."
I am an advocate for writing in books. I refrain from writing in my “old” books. But everything else is fair game. I have many of the same reasons as you, especially leaving my notes for future readers. It’s a valuable insight to my thoughts and influences at the time of reading.
Excellent education. Keep it up. Very helpful to me for sure. You are changing my life & approach to my reading. I want to read - but easily distracted. But I am goal oriented. So your recommendation is right on the money for me. Thanks
Thank you for sharing your experience! This is very useful! Before watching your video, I never used to take notes, so I would often forget most of the content I read. I will definitely try your method.
Excellent video! As a college English/Classics professor, I definitely support real engagement with a text, even a fluffy novel. I love borrowing a book and learning from (or arguing with!) previous annotations. My only caveat is that I'm passing middle age, so I already have a lot of arthritis in my hands; this means I do sometimes take notes digitally, because typing hurts less than writing with a pen at times. But at least that's something, which is better than nothing.
Great info Parker. I need do more with writing notes in the margin. I do create my own index of quotes I want to explore. My Uncle was a pastor, and i have several of his books with his margin notes
I think of my notes as my conversations with my books - my current thoughts/perspectives + additional research that I do and add in there. That's why I love to use sticky notes in my books too, so I can always revisit these notes and update any changes in my views or new research in those pages, relevant to those notes.
I've always done this! All of my non-fiction books are marked up like yours. Didn't know though about some of your cool symbols...going to add a few...great content!
do not forget transparent sticky notes! they come in all shapes, sizes and colors now, and i feel much more comfortable writing on them rather than in the actual body of the book without losing any of the complexities of advanced annotating
I also put in symbols of feeling impressed: like damn good idea! Nice! Wow! Or if they have a very funny statement, I use smiley face to marked that as well. The emotional impact help me digest the book better
I have been debating whether to go with paper or ebooks for a long time. Now I have settled on paper books precisely because I want to interact with the content. I heard Cal Newport make similar arguments as you on his podcast in favor of taking notes in the books directly.
Thank you for this video ! I am one of those who are afraid writing in the books and destroy them 🙈🙈 I am inspired now to change that 😊 PS: love the biblical Hebrew tattoo
For me it depends on the book if I would be ok writing in it. Mostly I don't write in my books. I do use dog ears though. I think I'd rather opt for sticking in an extra page with notes. More room and doesn't distract from the actual writing as much. I don't study books that much anyway lol. But these videos are encouraging me to start doing that. I did read one book on Stoicism and instead of writing notes, which I noticed disrupted my ability to read too much (I have reading comprehension troubles, so reading is a challenge!). So I opted to just dog ear all pages I wanted to lift info from later. What I noticed is that when later I sat down to make those notes, I would have to reread sections and that really helped take in the information better and better decide what to lift to my own notes. (Instead of the entire book lol)
My first read is typically a library book unless I know I'm going to like it or it's an essential. If it resonates with me I'll get a copy that I'm free to markup. I just read The Abolition of Man and Mere Christianity with a highlighter at the ready.
Thanks for showing your examples. Very interesting about handwriting vs. keyboard. I have a crude version of writing in my books but it is sort of disjointed…. And that my handwriting/printing is inconsistent and messy doesn’t help. I have been trying to come up with symbols like that for a long time and yours are a lot richer than mine. I use a editor’s “delete” symbol for a phrase, etc. that stands out or stands on its own and/or is especially well said. I try to distinguish between phrases, paragraphs, etc. that are material to the argument or point of the chapter, etc and what is good or interesting in its own right “universally” as it were. Anyway really interesting and helpful. All 16 volumes of John Owen…. I would be surprised if you, sir, had not read through them all!
Bit late to this party but I stumbled upon your video's while looking for inspiration on better remembering what I read. Fun thing is that I'm reading the book by Melanie Mitchell as we speak and It would be great to see how you transcribe or bring over your notes from the actual book into the commonplace book on AI.
A commonplace would be a more meaningful gift or window of the mind, i think. The books are there, and when they independently search for it, they can read it with a clean slate while having your commonplace as reference to what you may have taken from it (at least what i think since im not the type to hold on books for long nor am i the type to own the book for myself)
Yeah, I have 2 videos on commonplace books as well where I second this point! You're right about them being better even if you're wrong about giving them a clean slate 😉
I feel like writing in your books hurts me in my very soul, I can honestly say that I would never be able to do it (I can't even make notes of my favorite e-books). But I don't judge people who annotate or make notes in their books. Reading is very personal and subject to change based on multiple factors. If writing in your books helps with your processing of the material, more power to you.
I agree with this in the sense that I wouldn't want to write or highlight in my copy of, say, The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. Because that's a night-time read that I read for fun. But my penguin classics copy of Epictetus's Discourses? Looks like a bag of skittles hit it, flags all over the place, highlighted passages for putting in my commonplace book when I compile quotes/passages to write my own thoughts about it etc. It depends on what the book is for. I generally tend to buy used versions of books for these purposes or books from library book sales.
Excellent ideas, I'll be sure to implement some! If there is anything I want to return to in a book I'm reading, I put a sticky note on the page. This might help you find the passages in books that you mark for quote harvesting 14:04
here is my rebuttal to this entire thing. i agree writing notes for a book is helpful. i recently started doing this myself. but the big difference is i am not using a real physical book. i do my notes within an epub file on my boox epaper tablets. i cannot fathom doing this on real paper. you are ruining the paper. the page is no longer clean. and to me anyway is no longer aesthetically pleasing at all. that last point does not change with ebooks i realize, but it is easier to erase and make new again if i so choose. i just hope people can be civilized online for once and not roast me over the coals for simply having an opinion.
No way, let the roasting begin!! Just kidding. I guess I'm just wondering why the book should be aesthetically pleasing? And yeah you do kind of undercut your own point when you said you mark up your digital books. I understand the ease of erasing is different but then someone could use pencil if they want. I use a kindle scribe for my philosophy papers but it's not the same. I think of books as tools. I'm want to personalize my tools for my benefit.
@@ParkerNotes idk it might be a neurodivergent thing. the simple fact that is not a real book makes it easier for me to deal with. if i don't want the notes in the book anymore i can just get another epub without the notes in it.
You literally read aloud the conclusion of the study authors which was that it is not the format (long hand vs laptop) but the technique (rephrasing vs transcription) which they believe changed the efficacy of note taking.
Right, and in the paper they go over the stats on long-hand vs. keyboard tendencies to transcribe vs. rephrase and conclude that it's more beneficial to write note long-hand to avoid the tendency to transcribe. If someone can avoid that tendency and use a keyboard effectively then that's cool, I still gave more reasons for why I think marginal notes are worth while though. Someone could be convinced of to use long-hand note taking instead of keyboard and actively take notes along side their book in a notebook but I've given some reasons for why I think marginalia are helpful.
Read with a pen in your hand Sometime you read same sentence so many time nassary because you too passive -pen is mighty then keyboard It help you digest what you read -future you future people gonna read it And they will understand it better -imagine you are dad and you son read what you write That so good god dam gift to someone More importent is more note you should be taking
Im sure you have, I havent scowered the videos or commments to verfy, but have you read Out Of Control by Kevin Kelly? About the advancement of AI and computer systems becoming indistinguishable from living things. Its great! Huge contributing premise for the Matrix films.
Maybe we should all live our lives as if a biography will be written about us. After all. We are all written in the book of life. And our decisions in life just might improve if you hold onto wanting your biography to be a really good one. Not weird. 😂
Hi sir, about the topic: "Handwriting is better than typing on a keyboard", do you know if it still valid also for a tablet and a pen? I was struggling about this, because I can't find official studies... The demonstration of this axiom would carry on significat advantages: handwriting + portability Thank you😊
I know im late to when this was uploaded so you probably will not answer, but on the off case that you do, what are your thoughts on writing in commentaries or volume sets of a persons works. I understand writing in books that say are anywhere from $10-$50 because one could easily get a new copy if need be. But what about volume sets that are either 1)old and expensive or 2) just straight-up expensive. Because I have all of John Calvin's commentaries and those are upwards to $1000 and im expecting to get Aquina's whole summa which couldn't be easily replaced. So I'm curious to what your thoughts are on these scenarios
Hi, interesting video! - do you utilise a Kindle for your studying at all? As Kindle books can be cheaper and take on less space in a small home or permit you to carry multiple books on the go, if not would you consider it in the future? Thanks for taking the time to post these videos.
Yeah I've had a few kindle's. Now I use a kindle scribe. I like writing in my books so in the past I've only used kindle's for fiction and things I'm not actively studying. Now I use my scribe to annotated philosophy papers instead of printing them. Maybe I'll use it for books that are too pricey in hardcover too but I still like physical books best
My grandma left them to me. I had no idea what a great gift it was when she passed but I think about her everytime I see them and when I'm reading them
@@ParkerNotes That's a real treasure. I found that series while I was working on library on a theology school I did and since that time i am trying to find it online and to buy it.
I have been wondering why it took so long for Europeans to invent printing when their wiring system is so simple. Koreans, who only had this absurdly complex Chinese writing system were already printing books by etching Chinese letters on wood plates more than a thousand years ago, and using metal movable type hundreds years before Europe. The Chinese writing system has like 50,000 different letters. I imagine how printing would have been more prevalent in Korea, if it had a writing system that had only 26 letters like the Alphabets.
For me they are. Maybe you can do the same thing with digital books. I have a kindle scribe I use for marginalia in my philosophy papers and philosophy books that are way too expensive in print compared to their digital copies.
@@ParkerNotes It's a homeschooling curriculum from 1st through twelfth grade. and follows a classical learning education. Some of the symbols and highlighting techniques you used in your helpful video are the same ones I learned when I was in middle school. So I just wondered if you were a fellow alumni 😂
did you know books from the library only survive a few checkouts? the more you scuff them up, the less realistic it is someone else can enjoy them. But if you own it and you get something from it, fine. I want to say though, it's much better to think about and free recall information. There is very little benefit memory wise to writing or reviewing. Unless you are just accepting you'll need a reference for this info and are not trying to remember it. On the other hand maginailia has been historically interesting in terms of commentaries on famous texts passed from scholarly generation to generation. But now that happens in the form of essays. I'm a pretty technical person with wide scholarly interests and never have done marginailia nor plan to start. Nor did I ever really take notes, but I have kept journals sometimes where I take an idea I learned about and build on it. That's all my thoughts on it
I was brought up to treat books as well as you'd treat a dear friend. I could no more write in a book, than I could cut off a finger. Books are ideas made into physical objects for mass dispersion of ideas, and, as such need to be respected. Writing in them is totally abhorrent to me, I'm afraid.
Ok so I love books and I buy books some I pay 30,40$ and others 100,125 or 150 and more and of I want to pass them to my sons when I die then I would never ever write in my books! I will take a note book write the name of the book and write whatever I wish in the notebook! Now , I wrote in my books back in College for sure but not for the books that I buy now that are for my library. But hey just my opinion do what you feel is best with your own books of course!
Writing into books counts with one of the most progressive things Ive ever done. Sort of spoiling the idolatrous perception of books. Technology paradoxically taught me this because in an ebook, I annotated more and more and once I just thought, fuck it, I'm gonna write in my -BRAND NEW - book.
And recently I posted a video which talked about how to always find good books. Maybe someone will find it helpful! The video is: ruclips.net/video/O3NxcNCsiv8/видео.html
On to your first point, my literature teacher always encouraged writing in our books for this reason, quoting 1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober minded and alert." I enjoyed reading so much more when I started doing this. Also, you might not be famous ever but your physical books with notes in them might survive and people in the future will have books with the thoughts of random people in the past. that's kinda cool, isn't it.
If you like this video, you'll love my substack: parknotes.substack.com
It’s always fun getting a used book that’s been written in, it’s almost like you’re reading the previous owner’s mind and figuring out their first impressions as you read along
YES!!! I thought I was the only one who felt this way. ✍️ 🤓
That's what I think about. I'd love to see a book from my parents or from my grandparents that has been written on. It's like part of their mind is in there, you can actually see that they put effort and thought into that.
A blank book can convey many things, but a book that has notes in it has something more, has intention.
One of my neighors was a Philosophy professor at Johns Hopkins and an author. He taught me something about books I've never forgotten. He said that reading a book should be done actively. We should think of reading as a dialog. He was an advocate of writing in your books.
Great video! 👍
Wise man! I totally agree for that same reason! Thanks for sharing!
Reminds me of a quote by St Gerome: "To read without writing is to sleep"
I’ve found that writing in a separate book like a common place book is better than writing directly on the book. At least from a fictional book. Self help books almost invite you to write on them. That being said, for fictional books I think the distraction of my notes would take away from the book. I used to highlight all my books & now I can’t read them without getting my eyes drawn to the shit I highlighted. I would rather be absorbed in the story. I simply write anything that sticks out to me in a separate book so I don’t disrupt the book.
This makes a ton of sense. I usually only mark wise statements in my fiction books for the same reason. I collect wise sayings in a commonplace book so I have to mark them but sometimes that's just a dog-eared page. I'm 100% with you
Many years ago, a famous scholar gifted most of his library to me. This collection of more than 1,000 books included first editions dating back to the 1850s. The handwritten notes in the margins had become something like a dialogue among several generations scholars.
@@LifeAndFaithTogether wow that's so fantastic!
Reading is the one of the most powerful tools a human can have. I had a history professor tell me something that blew my mind when I was 18. “It’s the quickest way to the 1% of something. If you read a good book about something like dolphins, then you’d be in the top 1% of people in existence on knowledge about dolphins”. I never forgot those words.
I will forever write in all of my books because of you! I can’t remember anything I read unless I do!
Zettlekasten?
If you really want to write in books but still feel stuck or just want your book to stay pretty, consider taking baby steps with small Post-It note tabs that you can write a symbol or word on and just use a commonplace book if you're really eager to retain the information.
This is great advice! I used to do this actually. Then I moved and a bunch of my stickies got knocked off and I had a fit haha. But definitely a great firat step and maybe someone can do it permanently if they can avoid what I did
@@ParkerNotes Oh noo! That would be awful, lol! I would move to more permanent measures like yourself if that incident happened to me, too! :p
English isn't my first language so growing up I had to learn and memorize the words, my grandfather taught me and would translate the words into our native language. So if you were a classmate of mine you would probably see the text book full of underlines and scribbles where once was an empty place. Of course my teachers highly discouraged me taking notes in the books rather than the notebook but it was me who set the trend in my entire class so making margin notes was a cool thing now
So happy to have your video recommended! I can't not write when I'm reading. I make pen holder/boards as giant bookmarks. I use highlighters and then different pens (Pilot Precise V5s). I write the date I start a book on the inside, and do that each time in a different colour. Then when I go thru, I'll know which reading it was when I made those notes. I also use page flags; blue is for quotes, yellow is for concepts, etc. I mark tables, foot notes, resources, etc. on the top of the page, and then other page flags go on the side. Each time I go back to a book, reading is faster because I see all my notes, etc. I also have post-it notes that I use.
I don't write in rare or "keepsake" editions, but for regular books, they're more like an interactive journal to me. It's very much a "second brain" so that I can access the book for information & key concepts quickly. As Tiago Forte says, it really is a gift to your future self!
100% on the gift for future self bit. I don't write in my rare old books either. I like the idea of the book as an interactive journal ha that's such a good phrase for the concept. I have done the stickys back in highschool (I think they made us) but I remember them coming off and that would drive me so insane. Maybe I need to give it another try.
I tend to buy second hand books where I can, and honestly there's almost nothing more delightful than unexpectedly coming across a stranger's marginalia.
You might be years and miles apart from that other reader, and have no idea who they are, but not only are you connected by this physical object you are holding, you also have a window into some private thought they had, one that they maybe never thought they'd share with another person.
Do they agree with you? Is it a mundane reminder, or did they have some profound insight into the text that you missed, that they have unexpectedly and unwittingly gifted to you?
I made notes in my political philosophy books 20+ years ago and I still love opening them and seeing my scribbles all down the side. They remind me of my passion from when I studying at university. I just recently aquired a well-loved, used and written-in book on Kabbalah and adore seeing someone else's notes in the margins, underlined, etc. I am currently sitting here with a book on Ceremonial Magick and the ruler and pencils, pens are out... I think I need to create a compendium to go with this particular work, so I will look at your video. Thank you for sharing your tips 📖
I love that you can still look back at your notes in the margins. It's the best!
As an avid reader the hardest thing g for me to do is break from the “keep books pristine” mindset
I feel this
The idea of writing and taking notes in books has always felt, kind of out of bounds, in a way. Growing up there were always rules at schools etc to never write in books. But who knows, maybe I'll give it a try sometime.
Totally had that same exact feeling for a while. Also, once I got over that feeling there was the feeling that I'd mess up and make the notes look gross or foolish. But if you can get over it, it can be helpful. You could also try a tablet and an apple pen
I'm trying right now. Honestly, it's great!
@@yrkmurochkina How did it feel in the beginning?
@@sydneybales Firstly I realized that the book was created for use, not for being on the shelf. Than I felt relieved and joyful.
I agree, it felt really weird when classes started asking me to write in my books. I’ve found it much easier to use a pencil or a digital pdf of a text with my ipad to annotate, since I’ve definitely loosened up about writing in books but I’m still not cool with using pen. I also wont write in especially old or valuable books/books that family members have already written in in the past, usually I’ll stick to post-its or keep a seperate log of notes on my computer in a document.
I just discovered your channel - thanks for making this! If I'm studying a book I also heavily annotate so it's fun to see others' systems. One symbol I use a lot that might be interesting is a three-bar equal sign (instead of the normal 2 bars). Mathematically it means "by definition" or a mathematical identity, so I use it to indicate a definition (even when the book is not about math!). I look forward to watching more of your videos!
Oooo the triple bar is a good one!! I know about it from logic which is as close to math as I go haha. Thanks I may add that to my repertoire
DUDE, you saved my ass from ruthless scrolling for the right ideas! Thanks dude!
I like to write with pencils because I have progressed in my knowledge so much. What I wanted to highlight at one-time I know focusing on another thought. I underline or draw a line through it or circle sentences I want to never forget. I will highlight with my pencil words.
I also use symbols ... D ... for definition.
I also use colored pencils for highlighting subjects I want to group together throughout the book. For example green for earth ... yellow for fear ... pink for historical thoughts.
Ooo I never really mess with colors but that's interesting. I may have to give that more thought!
I recently reread J.S. Mill’s Utilitarianism, and I’d written in the margins my first time through 15 years ago. It was weird actually reflecting on that version of myself based on my marginalia.
It's been years since I cared about any youtube channel. Great stuff, we will follow closely! Keep up the good work mate!
This is an amazing compliment! Thank you. Lots more coming.
Hi Parker, Your video made me wonder why I don't write in my books. And I think the reason is because here in Chile, books are expensive, especially the ones that are on the academic line (my alma mater is philosophy, and I'm an anthropologist). I do marginalia and highlight my photocopied books and my ebooks with different colors, but never the actual books; they are kind of a luxury for me. But you are totally right; the learning of the content is better if you "put your hands on" the text, and the experience is totally different, and that's why I love my photocopied books more than the other ones. Now, I will follow your advice. Thank you for your amazing content!
That's for this! Makes sense!
Per why mark books. There is value in having your record of reactions right next to the thing you're reacting to. "Why did I write this? Oh ya, it's right there."
100% !!
I am an advocate for writing in books. I refrain from writing in my “old” books. But everything else is fair game. I have many of the same reasons as you, especially leaving my notes for future readers. It’s a valuable insight to my thoughts and influences at the time of reading.
I have a few one books that ink shall not touch too haha
These are such great videos! I am 68 and enjoy your great info Parker! Thank you! Kim
Thanks, Kim!! I really appreciate this
Wow! Seeing Lewis’ marginalia in person would definitely be an experience. I got to visit Wheaton once and see his desk. Very cool
Excellent education. Keep it up. Very helpful to me for sure. You are changing my life & approach to my reading. I want to read - but easily distracted. But I am goal oriented. So your recommendation is right on the money for me. Thanks
Perfect! So glad to have you here!
Oh thank god someone validating this practice ! I have been shamed by so many friends for doing that 😂
I’ve just watched this, and made notes along the way. This is really helpful and I’m going to start doing this, thank you!
Oh I'm so glad!!
Very helpful video. Really appreciate the tips. Also awesome mustache
🙌🙌🙌 thank you on all accounts
I like to find little notes on second hand books 😊
Haha that's pretty cool. It usually drives me nuts
Thank you for sharing your experience! This is very useful! Before watching your video, I never used to take notes, so I would often forget most of the content I read. I will definitely try your method.
I was the same way! I hope it can help!
At last here s someone who teaches effective reading❤
Excellent video! As a college English/Classics professor, I definitely support real engagement with a text, even a fluffy novel. I love borrowing a book and learning from (or arguing with!) previous annotations. My only caveat is that I'm passing middle age, so I already have a lot of arthritis in my hands; this means I do sometimes take notes digitally, because typing hurts less than writing with a pen at times. But at least that's something, which is better than nothing.
I am always looking for a good "citation needed" abbreviation/symbol, by the way, if you have suggestions--something better than "CN."
Great info Parker. I need do more with writing notes in the margin. I do create my own index of quotes I want to explore. My Uncle was a pastor, and i have several of his books with his margin notes
Marginal notes + a commonplace book of quotes/reflections on said quotes is an amazing combo!
I think of my notes as my conversations with my books - my current thoughts/perspectives + additional research that I do and add in there. That's why I love to use sticky notes in my books too, so I can always revisit these notes and update any changes in my views or new research in those pages, relevant to those notes.
I've always done this! All of my non-fiction books are marked up like yours. Didn't know though about some of your cool symbols...going to add a few...great content!
So glad to have more people on my side. Some people out here can't stand it lol. I reluctantly adopted the symbols but am definitely open to new ones
Great video! It has changed my way of reading books. 😊
Wow let's go! 🙌
do not forget transparent sticky notes! they come in all shapes, sizes and colors now, and i feel much more comfortable writing on them rather than in the actual body of the book without losing any of the complexities of advanced annotating
I also put in symbols of feeling impressed: like damn good idea! Nice! Wow! Or if they have a very funny statement, I use smiley face to marked that as well. The emotional impact help me digest the book better
Yes!! I love that.
I like using the delta symbol/triangle for highlighting difference.
I have been debating whether to go with paper or ebooks for a long time. Now I have settled on paper books precisely because I want to interact with the content. I heard Cal Newport make similar arguments as you on his podcast in favor of taking notes in the books directly.
Thank you for this video ! I am one of those who are afraid writing in the books and destroy them 🙈🙈 I am inspired now to change that 😊 PS: love the biblical Hebrew tattoo
Haha I used to be afraid too! But it's really beneficial for studying. And thanks, it's an easter egg for those who have eyes to see lol
Wow, you are incredibly smart. Thank you for creating a RUclips video on this, this is a game changer!
I just have to say that your mustache is majestic! I think you will enjoy the book Gödel, Escher, Bach. Thank you for your videos!
Haha thanks!!
For me it depends on the book if I would be ok writing in it. Mostly I don't write in my books. I do use dog ears though. I think I'd rather opt for sticking in an extra page with notes. More room and doesn't distract from the actual writing as much. I don't study books that much anyway lol. But these videos are encouraging me to start doing that.
I did read one book on Stoicism and instead of writing notes, which I noticed disrupted my ability to read too much (I have reading comprehension troubles, so reading is a challenge!). So I opted to just dog ear all pages I wanted to lift info from later. What I noticed is that when later I sat down to make those notes, I would have to reread sections and that really helped take in the information better and better decide what to lift to my own notes. (Instead of the entire book lol)
Margining to this rn.
I use the N.B (Nota Bene, make note) symbol a lot in my bullet journal when I have a thought or an important observation in my own thinking)
I have written in paperbacks, but there's no way I can bring myself to write in deluxe hardcovers...
I get that
I have books that have almost doubled in thickness because I have written so many notes in them.
Haha that's so wild! Awesome!
My first read is typically a library book unless I know I'm going to like it or it's an essential. If it resonates with me I'll get a copy that I'm free to markup. I just read The Abolition of Man and Mere Christianity with a highlighter at the ready.
Great books!
📚📚📚 Roger Scruton’s Philosophy: Principles and Problems 🧐🤩
🙌🙌🙌
Thanks for showing your examples. Very interesting about handwriting vs. keyboard. I have a crude version of writing in my books but it is sort of disjointed…. And that my handwriting/printing is inconsistent and messy doesn’t help. I have been trying to come up with symbols like that for a long time and yours are a lot richer than mine. I use a editor’s “delete” symbol for a phrase, etc. that stands out or stands on its own and/or is especially well said. I try to distinguish between phrases, paragraphs, etc. that are material to the argument or point of the chapter, etc and what is good or interesting in its own right “universally” as it were. Anyway really interesting and helpful.
All 16 volumes of John Owen…. I would be surprised if you, sir, had not read through them all!
Best wishes from India 🇮🇳 the land of philosophers ❤.
Your content is super interesting keep up the good work
Thank you so much!
Bit late to this party but I stumbled upon your video's while looking for inspiration on better remembering what I read. Fun thing is that I'm reading the book by Melanie Mitchell as we speak and It would be great to see how you transcribe or bring over your notes from the actual book into the commonplace book on AI.
This channel is amazing! Thanks for all the tips.
Thank you!! 🙌
A commonplace would be a more meaningful gift or window of the mind, i think. The books are there, and when they independently search for it, they can read it with a clean slate while having your commonplace as reference to what you may have taken from it (at least what i think since im not the type to hold on books for long nor am i the type to own the book for myself)
Yeah, I have 2 videos on commonplace books as well where I second this point! You're right about them being better even if you're wrong about giving them a clean slate 😉
I feel like writing in your books hurts me in my very soul, I can honestly say that I would never be able to do it (I can't even make notes of my favorite e-books). But I don't judge people who annotate or make notes in their books. Reading is very personal and subject to change based on multiple factors. If writing in your books helps with your processing of the material, more power to you.
This is the way to disagree!👏👏
I agree with this in the sense that I wouldn't want to write or highlight in my copy of, say, The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. Because that's a night-time read that I read for fun. But my penguin classics copy of Epictetus's Discourses? Looks like a bag of skittles hit it, flags all over the place, highlighted passages for putting in my commonplace book when I compile quotes/passages to write my own thoughts about it etc. It depends on what the book is for. I generally tend to buy used versions of books for these purposes or books from library book sales.
Excellent ideas, I'll be sure to implement some! If there is anything I want to return to in a book I'm reading, I put a sticky note on the page. This might help you find the passages in books that you mark for quote harvesting 14:04
Yep!! I used to do that but got frustrated with it after my Master's thesis and stopped but I just ordered some more stickies
@@ParkerNotes
Then the sticky noteing continues :)
here is my rebuttal to this entire thing. i agree writing notes for a book is helpful. i recently started doing this myself. but the big difference is i am not using a real physical book. i do my notes within an epub file on my boox epaper tablets. i cannot fathom doing this on real paper. you are ruining the paper. the page is no longer clean. and to me anyway is no longer aesthetically pleasing at all. that last point does not change with ebooks i realize, but it is easier to erase and make new again if i so choose. i just hope people can be civilized online for once and not roast me over the coals for simply having an opinion.
No way, let the roasting begin!! Just kidding. I guess I'm just wondering why the book should be aesthetically pleasing? And yeah you do kind of undercut your own point when you said you mark up your digital books. I understand the ease of erasing is different but then someone could use pencil if they want. I use a kindle scribe for my philosophy papers but it's not the same. I think of books as tools. I'm want to personalize my tools for my benefit.
@@ParkerNotes idk it might be a neurodivergent thing. the simple fact that is not a real book makes it easier for me to deal with. if i don't want the notes in the book anymore i can just get another epub without the notes in it.
You literally read aloud the conclusion of the study authors which was that it is not the format (long hand vs laptop) but the technique (rephrasing vs transcription) which they believe changed the efficacy of note taking.
Right, and in the paper they go over the stats on long-hand vs. keyboard tendencies to transcribe vs. rephrase and conclude that it's more beneficial to write note long-hand to avoid the tendency to transcribe. If someone can avoid that tendency and use a keyboard effectively then that's cool, I still gave more reasons for why I think marginal notes are worth while though. Someone could be convinced of to use long-hand note taking instead of keyboard and actively take notes along side their book in a notebook but I've given some reasons for why I think marginalia are helpful.
Read with a pen in your hand
Sometime you read same sentence so many time nassary because you too passive
-pen is mighty then keyboard
It help you digest what you read
-future you future people gonna read it
And they will understand it better
-imagine you are dad and you son read what you write
That so good god dam gift to someone
More importent is more note you should be taking
The word "margin" comes from Latín, Margo, marginis, and it applies to the extreme or edge of something😅
late Middle English: from Latin margo, margin- ‘edge’.
Good video and excellent shirt 😂.
A little Easter egg for the real ones 🤭
Just picked it up on steam sale for $6 for my kid
Im sure you have, I havent scowered the videos or commments to verfy, but have you read Out Of Control by Kevin Kelly? About the advancement of AI and computer systems becoming indistinguishable from living things. Its great! Huge contributing premise for the Matrix films.
Maybe we should all live our lives as if a biography will be written about us. After all. We are all written in the book of life. And our decisions in life just might improve if you hold onto wanting your biography to be a really good one. Not weird. 😂
You said it! 🙌
Hi sir, about the topic: "Handwriting is better than typing on a keyboard", do you know if it still valid also for a tablet and a pen? I was struggling about this, because I can't find official studies... The demonstration of this axiom would carry on significat advantages: handwriting + portability
Thank you😊
What is that thing that holds open books. I need that!
A leather book weight: amzn.to/47nTj0n
I read a book like How to Read a Book,
thank you for creating a video that explains exactly what I wanted to know.
What is the "Q!" mean?
@ 12:36 bro i do the same thing with my Half Price Books bookmarks haha
Haha we just became best friends!
I know im late to when this was uploaded so you probably will not answer, but on the off case that you do, what are your thoughts on writing in commentaries or volume sets of a persons works. I understand writing in books that say are anywhere from $10-$50 because one could easily get a new copy if need be. But what about volume sets that are either 1)old and expensive or 2) just straight-up expensive. Because I have all of John Calvin's commentaries and those are upwards to $1000 and im expecting to get Aquina's whole summa which couldn't be easily replaced. So I'm curious to what your thoughts are on these scenarios
2:58 If I swipe my finger across the phone screen to highlight a quote or write a note, is that different?
What’s the brand of the black flappy book things
Hi, interesting video! - do you utilise a Kindle for your studying at all? As Kindle books can be cheaper and take on less space in a small home or permit you to carry multiple books on the go, if not would you consider it in the future? Thanks for taking the time to post these videos.
Yeah I've had a few kindle's. Now I use a kindle scribe. I like writing in my books so in the past I've only used kindle's for fiction and things I'm not actively studying. Now I use my scribe to annotated philosophy papers instead of printing them. Maybe I'll use it for books that are too pricey in hardcover too but I still like physical books best
book tour pls
I’d rather use my pencil than scribble something and disfigure the page
Pen marks are scribles but pencil marks aren't scribles?
@@ParkerNotes They are but can easily be erased
man, how do I check out on that C. S. Lewis marginalia online, it would be awesome
where did you buy the volumes of Great books of western world? I can see on your background.
My grandma left them to me. I had no idea what a great gift it was when she passed but I think about her everytime I see them and when I'm reading them
@@ParkerNotes That's a real treasure. I found that series while I was working on library on a theology school I did and since that time i am trying to find it online and to buy it.
@@ParkerNotes by the way your video is worth watching. Keep it up. 💪🏻
@@roijaho thank you!!
Some ppl gate g2 pilots. Do they take rly so long to dry ?
I don't think they take long. Certainly faster than fountain pens
@@ParkerNotes just ordered. It is such a pleasure to write. They have this nice feeling that sx-107 doesn't have it just glides
I have been wondering why it took so long for Europeans to invent printing when their wiring system is so simple. Koreans, who only had this absurdly complex Chinese writing system were already printing books by etching Chinese letters on wood plates more than a thousand years ago, and using metal movable type hundreds years before Europe. The Chinese writing system has like 50,000 different letters. I imagine how printing would have been more prevalent in Korea, if it had a writing system that had only 26 letters like the Alphabets.
спасибо оч интересно
I write with soft pencils so books are note damaged at all
So physical books are always the priority? I am struggling btw physical and digital books!
For me they are. Maybe you can do the same thing with digital books. I have a kindle scribe I use for marginalia in my philosophy papers and philosophy books that are way too expensive in print compared to their digital copies.
What do you tihnk about using Obsidian to "download" the notes from the books to a digital space?
I don't like digital spaces 😅 maybe I'll change but idk
I find it useful to connect topics disperse in different books, I also prefer a more analog way, but I guess we have to adapt hehe@@ParkerNotes
Sweet shirt. Is this self-certified or was it approved at synod? :P
SDG!
Haha self-cert. No one else would approve me
Reformed Baptist?
Calvinistic Eve Free 😅
Too much DA Carson, Gentry, and Wellum to dive all in on 1689 😪
did you by chance do classical conversations growing up?
No, what's that? Sounds like something I'd like
@@ParkerNotes It's a homeschooling curriculum from 1st through twelfth grade. and follows a classical learning education. Some of the symbols and highlighting techniques you used in your helpful video are the same ones I learned when I was in middle school. So I just wondered if you were a fellow alumni 😂
did you know books from the library only survive a few checkouts? the more you scuff them up, the less realistic it is someone else can enjoy them. But if you own it and you get something from it, fine.
I want to say though, it's much better to think about and free recall information. There is very little benefit memory wise to writing or reviewing. Unless you are just accepting you'll need a reference for this info and are not trying to remember it.
On the other hand maginailia has been historically interesting in terms of commentaries on famous texts passed from scholarly generation to generation. But now that happens in the form of essays.
I'm a pretty technical person with wide scholarly interests and never have done marginailia nor plan to start. Nor did I ever really take notes, but I have kept journals sometimes where I take an idea I learned about and build on it.
That's all my thoughts on it
Who's writing in library books lol of course I wouldn't recommend that!
Do you use outlines for understanding Nonfiction like the book about AI in order to understand about a new topic which you don't know?
I can't put my finger on it .. but something gives me the idea you studied a lot of Nietzsche .. ;)
🤣
ur mustache is so cool
Haha thanks!!
I was brought up to treat books as well as you'd treat a dear friend. I could no more write in a book, than I could cut off a finger.
Books are ideas made into physical objects for mass dispersion of ideas, and, as such need to be respected. Writing in them is totally abhorrent to me, I'm afraid.
Most people who right books are honored to see beat up copies because it means someone actually read it. But I understand your position
😀😀😀
😁
🥰🥰🥰@@ParkerNotes
Ok so I love books and I buy books some I pay 30,40$ and others 100,125 or 150 and more and of I want to pass them to my sons when I die then I would never ever write in my books! I will take a note book write the name of the book and write whatever I wish in the notebook! Now , I wrote in my books back in College for sure but not for the books that I buy now that are for my library. But hey just my opinion do what you feel is best with your own books of course!
Writing into books counts with one of the most progressive things Ive ever done. Sort of spoiling the idolatrous perception of books. Technology paradoxically taught me this because in an ebook, I annotated more and more and once I just thought, fuck it, I'm gonna write in my -BRAND NEW - book.
There is something rather...deconstructive about the act, but simultaneously productive, like, the seed has to die first, or somethin'.
I destroy bibles highlighting and taking notes
Same!
And recently I posted a video which talked about how to always find good books. Maybe someone will find it helpful! The video is: ruclips.net/video/O3NxcNCsiv8/видео.html
You dont need to write in your books. Bring attention to the reading of them and let your body do the rest. No need to dissect.
My body is doing the writing lol
On to your first point, my literature teacher always encouraged writing in our books for this reason, quoting 1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober minded and alert." I enjoyed reading so much more when I started doing this.
Also, you might not be famous ever but your physical books with notes in them might survive and people in the future will have books with the thoughts of random people in the past. that's kinda cool, isn't it.
That's a good literature teacher!
Best video I’ve seen on this topic. Love that you show examples
Thank you!!