As a child, I read competitively. Not like it was an actual sport, of course – the only prizes given were for Accelerated Reader points, and those cheap trinkets were hardly a lofty prize. But I did read with the goal to read more than anyone else – and it was easy for me. Last year, without too much effort I read 65 books. I did this while working a full time job, a part time job, and running a small business and this blog, and I didn’t go without sleep to make it happen. That sounds a little braggy, but I say it only to drive home the point that reading is easy for me.
Reading has always been easy for me. But sometimes that makes me a lazy reader. I often race through the pages to add another book to my “done” list without pausing to think on it, to really seep up the words. The more I read, the more I forget, sadly.
And then I went to college. Studying for a double major in literature and history taught me something big:
The best reading is always done with pen in hand.
Holding a pen in hand transforms the reading experience from a passive to an active one. Instead of merely scanning the pages with your eyes, landing on each word long enough to comprehend it contextually and then move one, reading with pen in hand allows you as the reader to interact with the text and to ultimately get more out of each book that you read.
I tend to underline phrases or passages that make an impact on me as I read, or ones that seem to all follow an underlying theme. Once, I read Pride & Prejudice with the express purpose of noting any time one of the characters spoke about marriage in terms of money (spoiler alert: it was quite often).
I also ask myself questions in the margins – Is he being a reliable narrator here? What does this development mean for Joe? Can a person be in love and not in love at the same time? – any question that pops in my head as I read. Sometimes they are resolved by the end, and sometimes they are not. But taking note as I read is something that keeps me engaged with each portion of the text.
My goal with The 2015 Book Project was to slow down, to read more intentionally. I find that I do so better when I have a pen and a handful (or two) of those little post it flags to use as page markers to note the really good stuff.
So stop being afraid to write in your books (it’s another story if it’s from the library or a friend… unless its a REALLY good friend!)! Read actively, with a pen. You’ll remember more of what you read, you’ll be able to find underlined passages sooner, and you’ll get to know each book just a little better.
P.S. TWO separate people sent me a link to this Buzzfeed article the other day with “story of your life” as the caption. I take that as a compliment.
Leave a Reply