How to Absorb a Book into Your Bloodstream
Just in case you were beginning to mistake me for a methamphetamine addict who blazes through books, I thought I’d write a post to correct that picture in your mind.
In fact, I want to convince you of one of the most important rules when it comes to reading.
I want to show you why absorbing a book into your bloodstream is a good thing.
And I want to show you that unless you do this, you’re likely missing out on the best kind of reading. Let me show you what I mean.
Mutilating the Garden
Now, what I’m about to say might make you grit your teeth. Clench your fist. Pick up a crow bar.
You might compare my idea to a suggestion we rip out the chrysanthemums from your garden. Uproot the lemongrass, lavender or tarragon. Or pluck your prize-winning cherry tree out with a winch hitched to a pick up.
But that couldn’t be further from the truth. So relax.
3 Kinds of Book Owners
There are book owners who buy and never read. They worship the bestseller. They adore the elegant binding and pristine paper of a collector’s edition set. These book lovers are marked not so much by intelligence but by wealth.
Then there’s the book owner who buys but seldom reads every page of a book. More likely flirts with a few pages before setting a volume down. Like the first, his books look brand new ten years after he bought them.
Then there’s the book owner who owns a small shelf collapsing under the weight of stained, dog-eared, loose in the binding and, most importantly, scrawled-in-from-front-to-back books.
It’s that last reader who absorbs a book into his bloodstream. And it’s that last reader who I want to convince you to become.
5 Good Reasons to Write in a Book
Writing in a book isn’t a magical act. And it isn’t like destroying a garden. But it is a symbol that you’ve crossed over from owning a book to actually absorbing a book. Mortimer J. Alder compares it to buying a steak versus eating the steak…
Until it’s in your bloodstream, you’re simply keeping it cool. And until you write in a book, you don’t own it. You’re just babysitting.
So, before I give you ideas on how to mark a book up, let me show you why writing thoughtfully in your books is a good idea.
Here are five reasons:
1. Activates your mind. Instead of being a participant who merely sits back and tries to acknowledge everything that comes at him, the mind leans forward and starts to interrogate.
2. Marks your territory. Disgusting, but think dog, urine, fire hydrant. Going back to a book two years later after you marked it up can be so entertaining: You get to explore your thoughts, moods and passions from the past. It’s an intellectual diary.
3. Establishes a footprint. Your scribble marks in a book tell you what ground you’ve covered in a half-read book. And they help you recall ideas and concepts you’ve read if you’re going in for a second time.
4. Teaches you how to write. After picking apart a chapter, you naturally start to absorb that writer’s style. Important if you’re an emerging author.
5. Exposes the intangible. Marking up a book uncovers the writer’s patterns, styles and meaning…much like an archaeologist meticulously dusting debris away from a ceramic pot buried three thousand years ago sees the design.
How Does This Approach Differ from Speed Reading?
Are you kidding me? It’s the difference between a dog swallowing a burrito versus a caterpillar systematically nibbling away at a leaf.
One’s fast. One’s slow. And one is better.
You drill through a newspaper in 15 minutes…devour a magazine in an hour…claw your way through a Kellerman in a night because these are light, superficial readings.
On the other hand, you linger on the poems of John Donne. Repeatedly grind a rut with a pencil into the first four pages of Charnock. And laboriously fill the margins of a chapter like Galatians 3 with notes.
Why Go Through All This Trouble?
The point of writing in a good book is NOT to see how many you can get through. The point is to see how many get through to you. How many you absorb into your blood.
And one of the best ways to do that is to write in it. Let me give you some obvious and no-so-obvious tips on how to do just that.
10 Tips on How to Write in a Book
1. Circle interesting words.
2. Underline interesting sentences.
3. Write questions or comments in the margin.
4. Draw arrows from the notes in the margin to the section of book the note refers to.
5. Record the page number where an idea is repeated.
6. Summarize each chapter on the blank page in between chapters.
7. Create an outline of the book on blank pages in the front of the book.
8. Summarize the main idea of the book in the blank pages at the back.
9. Summarize some of the supporting ideas.
10. Create an index of topics, books or ideas for future exploration.
If I’ve failed to convince you of writing in a book, at least use a scrap of paper to write on. A scrap of paper you keep in the book.
Your Turn
Writing in books: Good or bad? Easy or hard for you? What tricks do you use to mark up your books? Anything I didn’t mention? Looking forward to your thoughts.
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20 Comments to How to Absorb a Book into Your Bloodstream
Writing in books was an early issue that my wife had with me. She did not appreciate notes in books so she bought me my own copies of our mutual book interests!
I fully support writing notes in books and your list of reasons nails it on the head!
However, I feel slighted by your rather narrow view of book owners. Surely there are more than 3 kinds!
I love books used for study or reference and wholly support their annotations and dog-earing. These can cover anything from spiritual manifestos to kitchen-how-to’s to systematic theology. Write in these!
I also love the used book store, beat up, cover falling off quick read. This is a read it, enjoy it, and forget about it kind of book.
Then, there is the treasure book. This is the rare, first edition or special printing that you love to show off. Sure, you might have a paperback copy for reading, but this beauty proudly sits on a clean bookshelf and gets shown off.
And lastly, all good book owners should always have a stack of books they intend to read. They may never get to them. They may flip a page or two. But what the stack says is “I’m at least interested.” Books in this stack may get passed over for years until they are no longer relevant or of particular interest. But at least they remain!
Otherwise, great post!
AbbeyAugust 26, 2009
I really enjoyed this post. I’d given up on writing in books for the sake of purity but I think I’m ready to come back into the fold. My best thing to do is draw hearts by my favorite paragraphs or sentences 
As always, fantastic post. You really do have a gift at communicating with the pen. Keep up the insightful, well thought out, posts!
By the way, I’m aiming to be the third kind of book owner, coming over from the second. 
I have to admit, I have a semi-photographic memory. I can speed read through a book and recall much of it later. I’m blessed I suppose.
On the other hand, I used to write in books all the time (my wife still does, I love when I get a book she has read before and I can read her notes too). I found I do better when I take notes outside the book on a laptop or a notepad. I like to be able to organize the notes for better recall (like in an outline or something).
BTW, I like tips 7 & 8
sorry, i just have to clarify… its john DONNE not dunne. i have mulled over his “batter my heart” poem for years.
I agree with your thoughts. I write in my books until they look like journals. and i really enjoy going back and re-reading those books with my thoughts from previous years.
one negative to being this type of reader though is that i HATE borrowing books or getting them from the library. And I’m a fast reader and read a lot so for me, it can get expensive. My bookshelves are stacked 2 deep (or 3 in places) and i’ve read every single one more than once. I’m now turning to the world of online used bookstores (think “alibris”) or free online books (think “grace gems”). With those I’ll either print out the small books or download and mark up the file.
I’m always looking for ways to get free or cheap books (used is COMPLETELY okay with me) so if you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them.
Great post!
another thought… this style of reading tends to lend itself better to non-fiction works. Do you mark up your fiction books too? If so, how does that differ?
Demian FarnworthAugust 27, 2009
Dunne to Donne. Done. [Thank you for the correction.]
Cheap books? Used on Amazon or at half.com. Or used bookstores [though you don't get a good selection.]
whew. so much better.
Demian, I love your practical tips. I mark and write in all my non-fiction books now (writing in fiction seems to disrupt my sense of verisimilitude). I will have to try numbers 5 & 7. I think there is a definite balance between knocking out some books and absorbing others. I just finished a Max Lucado book which I crushed in a matter of hours and had very little highlighting and writing in it. It didn’t really warrant it. Other books however take me forever to read because I’m writing all over the place, underlining, etc. Some books are meat and potatoes and some are souffle (more pages than substance). Keep up the good work.
Thank you thank you thank you. I think this may well be helpful in my Bible reading as well. I have a nice old BIble I think I can wear out. More so, I have a similar article on my blog. It’s an outline of how I go about choosing books to read.
11. Write a book report.
Seriously, if you really want to get a book into you, you have to synthesize. A short 500-1000 word book report can be written fairly quickly and will help you do that.
Of course, every book doesn’t warrant that. I’ve really only done it a couple of times in the last few years. But I really got those that I did.
And, if you have one, you can use the report for a blog post
August 30, 2009
[...] How to Absorb a Book into Your Bloodstream [...]
Love this post. Hits the spot.
“You might compare my idea to a suggestion we rip out the chrysanthemums from your garden. Uproot the lemongrass, lavender or tarragon. Or pluck your prize-winning cherry tree out with a winch hitched to a pick up.” — That sort of vivid writing is one of the non-spiritual reasons that keeps me coming back
Second comment after further reflect: Feedback on this sort of post.
I am in favor of these practical posts. Though they are not immediately spiritual in content, they are of great value. Keep the blog focused on Christ and the gospel. But don’t let that keep you from sharing other helpful, practical skills that have a more indirect spiritual benefit.
Demian FarnworthAugust 31, 2009
ChrisB: re: report as blog post…brilliant friend. Summarizing in a report is also an excellent way to absorb a book.
Daniel: I’m honored by your kind words. Indeed, I’ll keep it heavily in favor of Christ. One reason I think these posts resonate with readers is that, well, they probably happen to be heavy readers themselves. We’ve come to the same theological conclusions by reading. In other words, you’ll continue to see these posts.
December 7, 2009
[...] Not only do we own them, we’ve absorbed them into our bloodstream. [...]
TeganJanuary 6, 2010
I’ve read every one of my books at least three times and most of them at least ten, but I could never bring myself to mar those pretty yellow pages!
But you make a very interesting argument.
I think that I will follow your advice, and keep notepaper in my books with all of my ideas on them. Thank you for your article <3
Joe GFebruary 12, 2010
I’m typically loathe to write in books, but I sort of love reading other people’s notes. Don’t know why. I think I just prefer to come back to the book fresh every time (I’m an itinerant re-reader).
Haven’t met many re-readers so pleasure to “meet” you Joe. I, too, like to come across other people’s notes. That’s why I like to leave my own. A public service if you will.
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August 26, 2009