Thursday, June 04, 2009

Reading Journals

I have been debating getting myself a notebook especially for all my book thoughts as I go for quite some time now. Partly because I don’t think I have grown out of that love for new stationary that you have as a child at school when new terms start (I would regularly loose books on purpose simply so I could get a new one, not so good when it came to revision) the other part is that I think blogging is great but its nice to have a private diary where I can write extra little silly thoughts I have and have a place to write down the titles for books I really want to get my mitts on. I already do this in all the many random notebooks I own. I did want to take a photo of one so that you could see how my mind works on paper when am reading but I appear to have lost about three notebooks or left them in random bags and offices and don’t have time.

Hence why I am thinking that maybe a general notebook ONLY for books would be a good idea? The other reason may also be the fact that I saw that Penguin were now selling these in a certain chain of bookstores here in the UK…
I can’t deny it, I wanted one on sight, but at £12 I was slightly dubious about it and unusually for me I left a book shop empty handed. I am thinking that I deserve a treat for something; I am just not sure quite what that something is yet. I will have to think it over. What I have done though is pack a notebook (not anywhere near as special as the ones above) so that while I am in Switzerland I can give it a go and see whether it makes a big difference or not and how much I use it. Do any of you keep Journals or Notebooks of what you have read as well as or instead of a Blog? I would love to hear your thoughts by the time I am back and I will let you know how it all goes!

7 comments:

Sandy Nawrot said...

I have a leather notebook that I keep notes in on all the books I read, just to help with the reviews. I am inconsistent though. Sometimes I get so caught up in the book that I forget to take notes, and then regret it when I try to capture my thoughts!

Flo said...

I love these penguin notebooks, they do a version in the style of the penguin classics in all sorts of titles, they are expensive though. I keep two note books with me, one for general writing/thoughts/things that come to me on the train and another specifically for making notes on what I am reading before writing a blog post.

Steph said...

First, I love the Penguin notebooks too (and have an irrational love of stationary. I always want to buy post-its and pens and highlighters though I know I won't get around to using them), and am envious you can get that style of Penguin imprint in the UK (I covet those monotone covers, which you just can't get here in North America).

My blog has become a natural extension of private notes I used to keep on each book I read (in a Microsoft Excel Worksheet, because I am nerdy and like to keep a tally of books I'm reading, how many I've read, mean rating, etc.,). My blog entries are more formalized, as my personal notes generally were about 3 sentences, but I use it as an exercise to keep me writing, which I also like. Ever since I started blogging, I stopped keeping the personal notes, because it seemed like too much work and there would be too much overlap. If I haven't said what I wanted in my entry, then I need to go back and revise!

Dot said...

Those notebooks are lovely, I have a real thing for stationary! I keep a notebook solely about books as well as my blog. I do this partly because I would be gutted if something happened to Blogger and I lost all my reviews plus I like having an actual book that I can have with me in case I can't get to a computer. Hope you're enjoying your holiday!

Karen said...

Like you I have a real love for all things stationary too so I have many notebooks - at home, work, handbag etc... but I rarely use them for book notes. I have been thinking the same thoughts as you lately - I might need to start taking some notes while reading.

Kim said...

There seems to be a theme here, book lovers love stationary! I am addicted to pens, notebooks, cards and writing paper. I still like to send letters in the mail because I love to receive them myself and assume everybody else must feel the same way!
I have been thinking, like Dot, that if anything happened to my blog I would be seriously upset so have been keeping an electronic copy of all my posts. Keeping hand written notes is a good way to keep track of books, though, but my enthusiasm to keep it going often wears off, which means I do not have notes for all the books I read.
Simon, you made me laugh when you mentioned school exercise books because I used to 'loose' my books too just to get new ones!
Hope you are having fun in Switzerland!

Claire said...

They are wonderful! Can I ask where you can buy them? I'm coming to London in a few weeks, and am looking forward to some book and notebook shopping!