I just read an interesting article in the NY Times about marginalia. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about “reading as a writer” and what that means, how interactive and not passive it can/should be… yet I have trouble writing in books, myself. So I take a lot of notes, recopy passages, and do my work that way. Maybe I need to rethink this, and break the water of the pristine book.
I remember being horrified when a very progressive high school teacher who introduced me to philosophy encouraged us to write in our books. It’s not a practice I took well to, avoided it mostly for many years, until I hit the Classics program at Antioch. Those books are scribbled in plenty!
I’ve gotten away from it again, now that I’m back to reading like a normal (?) person, but I take lots of notes on legal pads. And I use lots of Post-it sticky flags to mark pages.
Funny how we (as writers?) treasure the printed page.
Cyndi, that’s my problem too, maybe over-treasuring. It seems wrong to write in books, and yet I do like to get into a dialogue with the writer when I can, and so why not write? But there’s probably too much respect for books, or something, that holds me back. Then there’s the practical thing: will I want to re-sell this book? If so, do I write in pencil and erase? What a pain. Or do I commit to own this book forever, or commit to not care if others see my reading thoughts? Hmm…
There is something for evyeorne in this collection. English and Armenian speaking kids alike can enjoy these classic stories with a comical twist. The books in Armenian are an excellent read for kids in Armenian School programs. The illustrations are engaging and since the stories are familiar, our kids are more eager to read these in Armenian and reinforce their Armenian speaking and reading skills.