I'm 84 and I just wish I'd found you before. I am going to re-read two of my favourite books, East of Eden and For Whom the Bell Tolls, and start my journal. When I have got into the habit I would like to look at Milton and Dante. Thank you so much for enriching my senior years.
I love you! You have rekindled my love for great literature. Thank you. I taught literature in public schools here in Michigan for 34 years to grades 7 through 12. I taught world and American literature plus mythology and African American literature. I was burned out from teaching, but now, because of your passion, I am rereading novels that I taught in my courses plus novels that I did not use in my courses. Thank you again. I am so happy that I found your channel.❤️❤️
It may well have been obvious to others, but your idea of scheduling re-reading of marginalia at the end of each session and regularly journalling about books you are reading - was a real light bulb moment for me. Instead of skimming over the surfact of the novels I read - eg currently The Brothers Karamazov - I look forward to taking a deep dive into my thoughts, making meaningful connections and deepening my experiences - both literary and in real life. Thank you!
I see how passionate you are about literature, you are not just reading the books, you are living them and this is so inspring, you literally convey the joy of reading thank you!❤
Thanks so much for this great video! I am 72 yrs old and love reading! I have always used underlining, asterisks, highlighters, and even hearts. I also love writing in journals but it is so easy to let it ‘slide’. You have motivated me to work harder at journaling (and re-reading)-if nothing else but for my 6 children and 7 grandchildren to have something to look back on and see what my life looked like as well as to be able to say, “ my grandmother loved books and loved to write”. ❤️
Very interesting. What I've found is that the act of writing, no matter what it is related to, brings things that are kind of on my mind to the forefront and makes me really think about them. My guess is that it is just because writing is slower than thinking and much slower than sensing and feeling, so with writing I find that I am forced to consciously process things that would otherwise go unnoticed. But I've almost never written in my books. I have had some attempts to write in a journal about what I was reading and now that I've watched your video, I think I know why it didn't work out for me. I was not journalling, I was attempting to write the definitive sentence for such-and-such part of what I was reading and I gave up the moment I didn't have it; it never came to my mind to write down a question instead of an answer. For this alone, I thank you so much.
So many great tips here Ben. The shift from creating marginalia to actually using marginalia for re-reading and then taking it on to regular, selective journaling will make a huge difference not only to my reading but also personal growth. Thank you.
I am so happy when you post a new video. I really look forward to learning, deep thinking and communing with others on these topics, and your channel is just a gift!! I learn so much from every video. Thank you!
Ben, thanks for the very helpful videos. I recently finished Middlemarch, reading 2 pages a day. I had started last August, but put it on hold after quadruple bypass surgery. I restarted from the beginning, filling 200 pages in a notebook and writing definitions in the margins. It really made reading the novel more interesting. I think too many people are more concerned with reading fast and moving on to the next one.
I am 60 years old and after retirement I find no time at all as I read a lot and take notes all the time. I question everything. A friend of mine asked me what right I have to question great masters. But if you don’t question it is not worth reading a masterpiece. Loved the video.
Thank you so much. I love how deeply you engage with these great works. The great masters are great because they hold up to questioning! Entering a dialogue with them on the page and in the form of taking notes is truly one of the best things I've discovered for personal growth!
I would reply to your friend: “ oh … I am not questioning them I am carrying conversations with them”. While reading I try to come as close as I am able to understanding the author and his / her meanings but even more importantly aspiring to understand the writer I get closer to understanding my own self.
I recently watched your Moliere video and copied whole passages in my journal/annuaire. I am also polishing up my penmanship by writing French style script with a fountain pen. These videos have inspired me to enjoy taking my time with books and savoring all the details, and all the undercurrents. I wish there were more hours in the day so I could delve into all the things I love in my books. Thanks for helping me along this journey!
Thank you so much for making this guide, Benjamin. When you said "remove the editor" and gave permission to make mistakes and silly, frivolous notes, it really spoke to me. I've recently returned to annotating as I read, but enjoying a different mindset from the one I had in school, where the annotations were purely to try to prove my intellectual worth or impress the teacher and gain extra marks, now I put in my emotional responses to the text, not just notes on historical/political context, and it's made reading so much richer and more enjoyable. I hope lots of people follow your advice in this video, and find even more enjoyment in reading!
I have been keeping a notebook since high school, which was a long time ago. My notebook is dedicated to what is going on in my life, what I've read, and news that interests me. I record what I started reading (title, author), when I start and finish. Also, what page I stopped on that day and if I gave up what I was reading, why. With fiction, I record the plot so far, what I think of the characters and how good or bad a writer the author is. I love to trace the influence of other writers and figure what methods are used to tell the story. As I have gotten older, I note connections between what I am/have reading/read to what's going on in my life. Non fiction reading is mostly science, history, and autobiography. I write down events where famous people do brilliant or stupid things. Keeping multiple notebooks has never appealed to me, I like to streamline my writing. Making notes at the end of stories sounds interesting, however.
I honestly cannot get enough of these videos. I know that by the time I've finished watching these 30 minutes, I'm going to become profoundly smarter when it comes to reading. Thank you for sharing. This intro was phenomenal.
A great posting. But in my case - although I have always underlined and added short notes to many of the books I own - there was almost never enough space.. A situation which I found somewhat stressful or even disappointing to tell you the truth. I would buy small moleskin notebooks, but archiving these became a nightmare ..So, on my 80th birthday, I got my family to buy me a Kindle Scribe and I have to say that it's changed my life! I can now make lots of massive notes (as many as I chose) underline whole paragraphs; check the meanings of individual words in the Oxford dictionary that they supply for free. The etymological info was a bit of a problem but I created a pdf of Origins by Eric Partridge and uploaded it to my Scribe so I have that to hand now :-) I plan to use the voice to text facility next.. What to own - the analog and or digital copies - needed to be sorted out and that has involved me in some expense but I am I feel, now able to move forward ..
Your work is amazing and most useful. I am sincerely grateful for you, your thoughts, your hard work and terrific videos! Thank you so very much - please do not stop. Frequently, restatement is a very powerful tool of communication as well as emphasis. You have a true talent and skill, I am learning from you every day!
This video's timing is almost eerie because I've been trying to get myself into a consistent journalling habit for about a week now but with life picking up I've been feeling a bit like it was getting in the way, and this is a great reminder to keep going. Not to mention a way to give myself something else to think about when doing my morning pages. When it comes to annotating, I think I slipped out of the habit when I stopped doing literature classes but I've been making myself do it on re-reads (I'm one of those you mentioned who can't do a lot of annotating on a first read - definitely helps me to be at least a little familiar with the overall story first) and I forgot how much richer it makes the reading experience. Even if the last book I did it with is one I don't particularly like and most of the notes are "both of these people are insufferable"...
Another excellent video Ben. I have a system whereby I underline vocabulary or phrases I find interesting. I then find synonyms and antonyms. And then I transfer all to a commonplace book with my thoughts. Sometimes, I rewrite either a chapter or the ending in my own words. It’s as if I’m having a fireside chat with the author. Great fun indeed.
You’re precisely the kind of mind I’ve been trying to find on youtube. Not many are as engaging as you. You create a genuine excitement for literature by sharing your perspective on this topic-at least for me. Thanks for this wonderful video.
I Love the fact that your reference to reading as a conversation. I have always considered reading a conversation but always had that conversation internally. After watching this I can now see a way froward to committing my conversation to paper, without feeling awkward. Thank you. I think my first journal is going to be on a book picked at random (eyes closed} from the Top Greatest Book List you posted. Serendipity will select.
You are a treasure in booktube. I especially love the emphasis on letting go of the editor. When I write on margins, I always attempt to be perfect and sometimes this makes me not want to write. I’ll change that.
Cést magnifique! Your videos are always incredible. I used to say to any at work who grumbled about another change "change is the only constant we can rely on" I just typed that into google and found Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher in 535BC, is quoted as saying "change is the only constant in life" - astonishing I've never heard of Heraclitus. I've been watching your videos for a couple of years now. Even in those early days when you had around 5,000 subscribers, I always thought why why, you deserve so very many more. Now you have almost 100,000 You are doing great work in the world my friend. Currently reading Les Miserables, which is just perfection (currently in the sewers which so many have complained about - I'm fascinated with it) I've not wanted it to end - I'll re-read and add "more" marginalia. Thank you for your presence!
I simply cannot read without a pen in my hand hahaha I just finished rereading and annotating in my commonplace book Walter Pater's Renaissance and I kept remembering you Ben, because you were the one who introduced him to me when you quoted him (I don't remember in which video) saying that 'all art aspires to the condition of music'. It became one of my favourite books and it sure made a lasting impact! Anyways loved to see your annotations xx
Wow! I’m so happy to hear how special Walter Pater’s Renaissance has become to you too, Julia! That really is an extraordinary quote, isn’t it? One of my favourites. Thank you so much for your kind words ☺️xx
*Open a book* “He underlines.” “So?” “We tend to underline observations that confirm our view of the world. Give me a day with those books and I’ll serve him to you on a plate.” (Luther s03e02)
@@BenjaminMcEvoy A whale died in Hong Kong yesterday. We kind of got her killed. We want to tell ourselves it is not our fault. And I just want to drop everything and read Moby Dick. (No. I didn’t read it. Not a required reading in our town.)
This video has it all: encouragement, generosity, passion for the mission behind it, and straightforward and practical and effective recommendations for using a note-taking and journaling practice to retain what you read. Actually, mere retention doesn't do justice to what is outlined here. Benjamin provides a framework for living with literature, for allowing it to become part of your imagination, to taking active part in the conversation that is literary history. And it is simple to follow but requires the discipline of a regular habit. I love in particular the idea of reviewing your notes, at least some of them, each time you pick up the book. You think you want to barrel through and finish the book but actually taking those few minutes to just skim through what you've noted helps keep the whole picture in mind, and in detail, as you immerse yourself imaginatively in the new sections of the work. Thank you, Benjamin, for this. I'm inspired! As for me, I've recently read and have been journaling about the poetry of C. Day-Lewis and Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, which I'd somehow never read before. It floored me, constantly surprised me, and turned out to be one of the most moving books I've ever read. But that's the thing with the classics: I find that they nearly always surprise me constantly and go far beyond the expectations or assumptions I bring to the reading. Anyway, have a lovely day. --Chris
Thanks to Ben this year I’ve read some classics I would never thought possible. Most recently I read War and Peace…copy is battered and has much writing in it. My plan for the next books are; 1984 Don Quixote Middlemarch However any recommendations welcome! Thank you Ben for bringing this books into my life
This is great content. Such a helpful way to organize and get the most out of reading. I already keep a notebook nearby when I'm reading, but this helps streamline the system and bring some order to it. Can't wait to try it out! Right now I'm reading the Iliad and what I've been struck by, and what I'm going to journal about, is how this idea of masculinity -- tough-guy, fighting, etc -- seemed to be very much what my Dad had, and he got it from his father, who was from Greece.
I’ve been binge watching your content since I found your channel about a week ago. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for all of your intelligent, inspiring, and insightful work I just started the Brothers Kazamov tonight for the first time and used lots of marginalia! Already, I can see how much deeper the meaning of the book will be for me by doing this. When I reread my notes, I jotted down “nature versus nurture - nurture seems to win a bit” I only read the first book first book. I think that will be my journal topic. 📖👍🏻😊
Your passion for literature is infectious! Thank you for reigniting my love of books and reading. I had been brought up to never ‘graffiti’ a book with my comments, scribbles and thoughts. However you have completely turned this on its head.You are correct, it is the greatest compliment that you can give an author. I’m a new subscriber to your channel, love the content. Thank you ❤
So helpful to an old, too often anxious-to-get-through-it-reader, like myself! Reminds me of my continuous rereading of Colin Falck’s tome on French structuralism, and the importance of the history of ideas (Isaiah Berlin), the Enlightenment and Romantic eras: Myth, Truth and Literature (1989, 1994).
Metaphorically speaking, language is like a motor vehicle that takes you somewhere. The more you work on it the more it is understood. Putting together a story by word accuracy in prose or poetry is a learned art, blessed by a subtle inspiration which the videographer here provides. Thank you Ben.
This video should be shown on the first day of high school (or Junior High) English class, I think it would really change kids appreciation of reading and literature... and how it relates to life and living! Great work and very dense video.
I can't express how grateful I am for these videos and podcasts from you, Benjamin. I'm reading Infinite Jest, it is exciting even though there are parts where I have to reread a sentence many times... but it is generally exciting and enjoyable, and there are passages that resonate deeply to me. Then, yesterday, I received a news that an old acquaintance did himself in. It was so out of the blue, and weird, since I have heard many stories but never had it in my own circle. First it was hard to grasp the text message, then I kept asking questions for more information even though I know they mean very little now. It was confusing, I couldn't stop thinking about that person and the situation all day. Then last night I was restless. Even though I didn't feel like reading anything, I sat down and tried to focus on a page. There was also a resistance in me, I think I felt like Levin when his brother is dying, like nothing I do would feel 'normal' or reasonable, I worried that if there was something funny and I would be laughing while reading the book, I would feel guilty. But lucky for me I was at the part where the look on addiction and self-abuse was sympathetic and moving, and reading it calmed me down a little. After that I also journaled. It was helpful. Over the years I have been writing a lot to process my problem, I alter things a little bit for literature journaling thanks to your advice. But sometimes there are new challenges like this, so strange and confusing. But it's still a good thing to have built the habit, and it is easier to let the ink flow. Everything you've put out have been a soothing source and guidance for many aspects of my life. Thank you wholeheartedly, Ben.
Thank you for sharing all of these tips that i have never heard anywhere else. Very inspiring video and also thank you for reminding me of how much i loved reading 😊
This is my first introduction to you/your channel. I could say many fine things, relatable and articulate; rather, I will simply share, that I immediately got out of bed, to my desk, journals and books. Thank you!
Seneca's essay on the Shortness of Life. After watching other TH-camrs write and underline their books it has become a great habit. It has been a lifesaver as I am currently going through my master's in history. I can flip through my texts and see where I made notes. It makes writing my essays much easier and shorter because I am not searching for my evidence. Enjoying the channel.
I am so grateful to you for the gift you have given all of us through your channel. There is so much in this episode, I'm going to listen again and take notes!! I am reading Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens, and loving it. War and Peace is next!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that :) And I'm so happy to hear that you're loving Our Mutual Friend. Masterpiece, and one of my personal favourite works from Dickens. You have an exciting adventure ahead of you with War and Peace!
Jordan Peterson said the best way to improve critical thinking is by writing! Rereading is something I rarely ever did; that will now change. This was insightful and awesome.
The wisdom and peace emanating from him are like a bowl overflowing with satisfaction - an immensely gratifying experience to simply listen to him to speak with such great passion, savouring each word! 26:59
Brilliant content, Ben. I usually mark my books with sticky tabs and have a notebook I jot things into, but not to the extent you do. The last book I did this with was Blood Meridian ( I commented about it on The Hardcore Literature site). Very rewarding. Thanks for all you do 😊 all the best, Ruth.
Thank you so much, Ruth! I really appreciate that! I’ve been meaning to return to using sticky tabs myself. I love how they look, and they make it so easy to find what you’re looking for. It sounds like your personal copy of Blood Meridian has become very special to you ☺️
@@BenjaminMcEvoy I'm going to reread it again soon. My father had a lot of Western books when I was a kid and I still have some of them. And he loved the Western movies and Spaghetti Western ones... I guess I was reading it with his eyes too... come to think of it! And yes, there are plenty of sticky tabs on it 😁
One of your videos from 2021 (I think?) was the impetus for my finally letting loose and highlighting/underlining in my books - but I still don’t really annotate them, just jot down my favorite bits in my commonplace journal. Still inspired by your method and wish I could devote so much focus to each reading!
Inspiring! I have an old, unused Leuchtturm 1917 (dotted) that was waiting for me to sketch, it is now ready for me to journal. I'm rereading 'The Brothers Karamazov' and will schedule time to explore its religious profundity and how it comforts me . Thank you!
Hey! Maybe you'll come back to this comment after finishing the read and you'll share your insights, it's something that sparks my mind up whenever I'm delving deeper into writing (and especially Dostoyevsky) :D I'm curious if you know of other literary fiction that has these lingering questions and emotions reserved for God and spirituality Thanks for taking the time
@@nonamejustme2222 I don't think I've read another book, or author, that delves quite so deeply into spirituality. Others tend to have issues and questions as a lesser part of the plot, like 'The Count of Monte Christo' and 'Jane Eyre' but Dostoyevsky is unique in my experience with his incredibly penetrating look into the soul of man. The only other writer that has affected me in a similar way long after reading him was William Blake. Mind you, I don't tend to read much after the Victorian era so there are probably more recent ones. Sorry I can't be of more help but if I think of anything I'll return. I'll be happy to come back with my journalling results and thank you for the encouragement! PS Just remembered 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' - that kept me awake at night but I expect you've read it.
@@zaygezunt this makes me even more eager to prioritise "The Brothers Karamazov" now, although I think I should read "Crime and Punishment" first... hmm I wonder, would it still be the same experience if I hadn't? Anyhow, I definitely need to read William Blake if you say the effect is tightly comparable!! And in regards to "The Picture of Dorian Gray," yes I have read it, although I can say that I should return to it because I read it in translation and think that there's a strong chance for the beautiful prose to have got stranded. Looking forward to hearing of your experience with journaling and your other reads! Thank you :D
@@nonamejustme2222 I read 'Crime and Punishment' first and, although it gave me an understanding of Dostoyevsky's style of writing and his penchant for introducing background characters with intimate detail that creates an atmosphere, I don't know if I would choose to do so now. C&P is so disturbing that it made me feel physically ill. Whereas The BK has a lighter touch, also the Elder Zosima is truly inspiring. But it is up to you and reading Dostoyevsky can change one's perspectives. Blake's 'Auguries of Innocence' (with his original illustrations) is my favourite but check out his short poem 'A Poison Tree' to see if you like his style. Happy reading!
@@zaygezunt I must say it does sound rather intriguing and, in a guilty way, satisfying to have a book stir up within you such visceral emotions. Something like this happened to me at some point while reading "The Idiot," but I'm sure the experiences are uniquely varied for each of his works, and for each of us who are reading them. As for the short poem, thank you so much for the recommendation. I did read and somehow it reminded me of Snow White, this fairy-tale-like kind of moral, but in a beautiful way showing how, in fact, it's not just one of the two involved getting poisoned, but the deed starts even before it manifests in the metaphorical crime. I appreciate everything you detailed about here and I'll definitely try to work my way up through this anthology. At first glance, it does look brim with connotations and more elusive concepts. Hopefully this practice of deep reading and rereading constantly will unfold, with time, more of its mysteries :) I also wish you have a wonderful reading and journaling time!
I was happy to hear you encourage reading literature for self-engagement, because learning more about myself is one of my favorite takeaways from reading any book. Thank you (for the permission)!
Thank you, I can’t tell you how many videos I have watched on Journaling and on note taking. The approach was fresh and far more insightful that any of the others I have watched! ❤💙
LOVE THIS!!!! I've been thinking how to do this with all my myriad non-fiction and literature and you have given me both motivation and a way to think about organizing my thoughts and readings. Every rare instance, someone comes along, like yourself, on youtube that I can relate to and is imminently likeable.
coming here after I'm consumed most of your contents since I searched War and Peace discussions on TH-cam. I'm grateful for your contents and couldn't say thank you enough for this video because I had abandoned my annotating & reading journal since last year :( thank you for making me open my journal again and I'm totally agree when you say that our reading journal is like our soul...
This youtube channel is a gem. I love your insight into literature and your enthusiasm for it, it is contagious. I will try journaling now and your marginalia technique.
You are full of surprises, Benjamin. Amazing video. Or was it because l am in complete synthony with your comments on: How to Live a Great Book that it can become your walking companion? The friend that triggers questions that you were not even aware of? The ally that you might put aside for a while knowing you will come back to it? Because great books, great writers have a way to awake your inner self and arise your curiosity to different words, worlds new to you... And you explain in a magical way how rewarding it is to read, to re-read, and to do slowly. Thank you.
I started doing this sort of thing when I was studying Literature - it used to write in pencil and eventually pen in paperbacks. Some people I knew were flabbergasted but others thought nothing of it. Currently, I am working through Ulysses by Joyce.
I remember people being flabbergasted when I first started! I began with pencil and then moved onto pen too :) Ulysses definitely deserves a lot of marginalia and scribbling!
Thank you for sharing your passion for reading and literature with the rest of us! I haven’t been an active reader for many years and these videos are rekindling my desire to read. Your enthusiasm jumps through the screen and is infectious.
Delightful. At the end of the video I caught myself smiling. :-) Alas, I was prepared so many times to write inside the book while reading but it won't do. It does not matter if I'm reading one page or more, stopping to mark bother the flow of my reading. It happened that I stopped to ponder on something that I have read and then took a photo of the page to copy it to a notebook. But it had to be something profound that stopped me. I will keep on, doing my best, also so my son, now at the beginning of his classics journey, will be able to be part of his mom conversation with the books while reading my copies. Thank you so much for your videos and podcast.
Writing in books is so contrary to my upbringing, which taught me the almost sacredness of literature. But! I can overcome this by having a used or duplicate copy of my favorites so the book can become a study document; a more personal journey. Thank you Ben. I so enjoy your presentations!
The great writers are so lucky to have you champion their cause, Ben! In lockdown, I took it upon myself to collect Wordsworth editions, and slowly work through a book at a time. I began with Middlemarch, then Dracula, and it was so rewarding to read and write/annotate as I went along. Your channel provided great inspiration. Love from Co. Mayo, Ireland.
As always enjoyed the video, Ben! I do not scribble in my books (mainly because I am too short on money to do that), however, I do have notebooks; and I use them to the best of my ability. I actually just finished rereading Paradise Lost as I'm writing this comment, and I will serve toward my final thoughts with pen and paper. But the "solitary way" - that speaks to me; and it tells me that I'm not the only one affronted by worldy solitude; and furthermore, it tells me that mankind has inherited this earth as a sort of corporeal perdition away from God; that he truly does walk in solitude, at least his physical body in this physical world does. Though his soul always walks with God, from now and throughout eternity. Anyways, don't want to bog down my comment (I will save it for my notebook, lol); yes, have a wonderful day my friend!
Great video, Ben! I sort of jumped into marginalia head first! I was a bit hesitant at first. Luckily, I was reading Dr. Adler's book on reading and felt inspired to continue forth. When I discovered you, I watched your older video on marginalia on the HCLB channel. Great stuff! :)
Thank you so much, Canton. Dr Adler has been such an inspiration to me and my marginalia practice too. Fantastic coincidence that you mention him as a clip of him talking about speed reading vs slow reading is going to make its way into our next coffee episode. Such a legend :)
I love this video! I've wanted to get into annotating books for a while but found it quite intimidating, I have a bit more courage now and plan to write a little note at the end of a book I'm on the verge of finishing as a start. You articulate your points so well, it's easy to see how well read you are.
Thank you so much :) I really appreciate your kind words, and I'm thrilled to hear you'll be marking your books! A little note at the end of the book is a perfect place to start!
I used to do a lot of marginalia when reading paper books . Unfortunately for the last say 10 years I started to read electronic books only ( for many reasons) and it’s difficult to make any notes on such books. One incomplete solution is to write side notes on the Notepage of iPad
This is very true! I love my Kindle and iPad, and used both exclusively for years. But it has its challenges with note-taking. I found a couple of workarounds, but it's definitely been rewarding returning to paper and pen!
This is my marginalia in watching your TH-cam video here - I’m not finished watching just yet but I love this. Wish I knew more, and it makes me want to learn. The reason I’ve paused where I have in order to write this comment specifically is that I especially appreciate what you say about the use of words without thinking about their origins. I think about that a lot and it’s fascinating to me - I’ll frequently stop and think about things like this and try to view them in a new light even before googling to find out more. For instance, one day I stopped and thought about how often “of course” gets used, and in considering that it’s a way of saying “That’s obviously the path or direction a person or circumstance would normally take”, it struck me that it must be an abbreviated way of saying “That’s just a matter of course”. It sounds obvious writing about this now, but there was definitely a time years and years ago when it was just a convenient phrase I used without thinking much about it. It really opens up the brain to delve into things like this - it makes everything feel more intentional.
Encouraging video! I wondered if I was the only one who annotated my books. I also buy copies for scribbles, to leave originals unmarked. For the annotating I use pencil, and I use colored pencils in some cases, to track themes, etc. I use a ruler to guide my underlines. I also use Post-It flags, also color-coded, to let me quickly find notes in reference to particular themes.
New subscriber and been watching some of your older ones, love them! Especially enjoy the ones you went to scenic bookstores. Trying to get into reading more! Thanks for your videos :)
Thank you so much for watching and being here! I really appreciate that :) I’m so happy you love those videos. I have some new bookstore trip videos on the way soon! Happy reading ☺️🙏
Thank you so much for this amazing video as always🌹 I get so happy when you post a new video. I'm so thankful to you for helping us improving our reading experience. Thanks a lot!
You have inspired me to get back to seeing what’s going on with Pierre and Natasha, this time journaling. It’s been a few years since I put P&V’s W&P aside
I’ve been watching your videos for a long time now, (after I read crime and punishment). I just decided to dive into poetry so I went to my local bookstore and saw the Frost pocket poets on the shelf. Since it was the only pocket poets they had I grabbed it. Then I went to my library and checked out Byron selected verse and prose works, the complete poems of John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, and The best poems of the English language - Harold bloom. Thanks Ben. Keep up the great work. Frankenstein is my favorite book. Great content as always.
Thanks to Fermat's scribbled marginalia we have Fermat's Last Theorem. A study of all the marginalia of the great thinkers would be a very interesting investigation, especially those suffering hypergraphia.
New to your channel and very much enjoying your videos. I've gone through many feast and famine years when it comes to reading. I have a list of great literary works I want to work my way through and thanks to this video, started up a journal to notate my thoughts and impressions as I work through a book for the first time- kind of a travel journal of sorts. So many people say they wish they could go back to certain novels and experience them again as a first time reader so this is me trying to capture that. At this time I am reading Dicken's Great Expectations. Many thanks for your quality content.
I did this to my Iliad, one of my favourite classics. Now I don't feel so guilty 😉 I really appreciate this video, you remind me of my English Literature tutor, it makes me yearn to return to Uni. All those sessions in pubs in London, scribbling notes in the margins of wonderful books... Special times with my head full of stories.
Writing in my books started in college and has continued. A professor neighbor told me reading a book should be a dialog with the author. Our marginalia is our side of the conversation. Reading a book the second time without my notes I'd feel something was missing. Each reading our comprehension should go deeper, in my opinion Then again I'm a nerd. 😉
I agree with you completely. I am in conversation with the author while reading and pencilling. While he intimates his story to me I discover my inner self. I do not think it is nerdy though.
It slows the reading process even more, but if a book is really important to me, for whatever reason, I will keep a side journal as well, jotting down main ideas, fantastic quotations, and my own thoughts, all with page citations. Going back over these notes and sometimes rediscovering important passages is pure joy. It's also very helpful for discussions or when writing.
Me too, I like to add different comments to my lectures, although after a while I find them stupid. But, I enjoy finding some other people's comments. It creates a communion between me and an annonim person.
The video I’ve been waiting for!!! Thanks so much Ben; always incredibly inspiring. I’m also currently rereading and journaling around Moby Dick myself and this is wonderfully insightful as to how I might get more out of this book I’ve grown to love so much. Quick question; do the journals act as your commonplace book as well? Or is that a separate journal all together? Thanks again for bringing so much passion to the act of reading, deep self work, and teaching. 📚 🙌
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I love that we live in a time where content like this is free, and available to the whole world. Channels like this will save the world
That means a tremendous amount to me :) Thank you so much!
@@BenjaminMcEvoywill you do a video on DUNE? 😢
I think so much the same !
Well said. ❤
And it is all ad free! Thank Benjamin.
I'm 84 and I just wish I'd found you before. I am going to re-read two of my favourite books, East of Eden and For Whom the Bell Tolls, and start my journal. When I have got into the habit I would like to look at Milton and Dante. Thank you so much for enriching my senior years.
Enjoy! Love knowing it’s never too late to start :)
Don't forget The Grapes of Wrath. It's such a "hearty" confirmation.
I love you! You have rekindled my love for great literature. Thank you. I taught literature in public schools here in Michigan for 34 years to grades 7 through 12. I taught world and American literature plus mythology and African American literature. I was burned out from teaching, but now, because of your passion, I am rereading novels that I taught in my courses plus novels that I did not use in my courses. Thank you again. I am so happy that I found your channel.❤️❤️
Best book/literature content anywhere. Thank you Ben
Thank you so much, Ben! That means the world to me 🙏😊
Absolutely agree with this comment BenBryan.
Agree
totally agree - best literature page on TH-cam.
Totally agree
It may well have been obvious to others, but your idea of scheduling re-reading of marginalia at the end of each session and regularly journalling about books you are reading - was a real light bulb moment for me. Instead of skimming over the surfact of the novels I read - eg currently The Brothers Karamazov - I look forward to taking a deep dive into my thoughts, making meaningful connections and deepening my experiences - both literary and in real life. Thank you!
I see how passionate you are about literature, you are not just reading the books, you are living them and this is so inspring, you literally convey the joy of reading thank you!❤
Wow, thank you so much! That really means a lot to me :) 🙏❤️
This man’s enunciation and cadence are a thing of beauty, I could listen for hours.
That's so lovely of you to say, Erik! I'm flattered 🙏
Thanks so much for this great video! I am 72 yrs old and love reading! I have always used underlining, asterisks, highlighters, and even hearts. I also love writing in journals but it is so easy to let it ‘slide’. You have motivated me to work harder at journaling (and re-reading)-if nothing else but for my 6 children and 7 grandchildren to have something to look back on and see what my life looked like as well as to be able to say, “ my grandmother loved books and loved to write”. ❤️
Very interesting. What I've found is that the act of writing, no matter what it is related to, brings things that are kind of on my mind to the forefront and makes me really think about them. My guess is that it is just because writing is slower than thinking and much slower than sensing and feeling, so with writing I find that I am forced to consciously process things that would otherwise go unnoticed. But I've almost never written in my books. I have had some attempts to write in a journal about what I was reading and now that I've watched your video, I think I know why it didn't work out for me. I was not journalling, I was attempting to write the definitive sentence for such-and-such part of what I was reading and I gave up the moment I didn't have it; it never came to my mind to write down a question instead of an answer. For this alone, I thank you so much.
So many great tips here Ben. The shift from creating marginalia to actually using marginalia for re-reading and then taking it on to regular, selective journaling will make a huge difference not only to my reading but also personal growth. Thank you.
I am so happy when you post a new video. I really look forward to learning, deep thinking and communing with others on these topics, and your channel is just a gift!! I learn so much from every video. Thank you!
That is so kind of you to say! Thank you so much. I really appreciate you being here ☺️🙏
Ben, thanks for the very helpful videos. I recently finished Middlemarch, reading 2 pages a day. I had started last August, but put it on hold after quadruple bypass surgery. I restarted from the beginning, filling 200 pages in a notebook and writing definitions in the margins. It really made reading the novel more interesting. I think too many people are more concerned with reading fast and moving on to the next one.
I am 60 years old and after retirement I find no time at all as I read a lot and take notes all the time. I question everything. A friend of mine asked me what right I have to question great masters. But if you don’t question it is not worth reading a masterpiece. Loved the video.
Thank you so much. I love how deeply you engage with these great works. The great masters are great because they hold up to questioning! Entering a dialogue with them on the page and in the form of taking notes is truly one of the best things I've discovered for personal growth!
I would reply to your friend: “ oh … I am not questioning them I am carrying conversations with them”.
While reading I try to come as close as I am able to understanding the author and his / her meanings but even more importantly aspiring to understand the writer I get closer to understanding my own self.
I recently watched your Moliere video and copied whole passages in my journal/annuaire. I am also polishing up my penmanship by writing French style script with a fountain pen. These videos have inspired me to enjoy taking my time with books and savoring all the details, and all the undercurrents. I wish there were more hours in the day so I could delve into all the things I love in my books. Thanks for helping me along this journey!
Thank you so much for making this guide, Benjamin. When you said "remove the editor" and gave permission to make mistakes and silly, frivolous notes, it really spoke to me. I've recently returned to annotating as I read, but enjoying a different mindset from the one I had in school, where the annotations were purely to try to prove my intellectual worth or impress the teacher and gain extra marks, now I put in my emotional responses to the text, not just notes on historical/political context, and it's made reading so much richer and more enjoyable. I hope lots of people follow your advice in this video, and find even more enjoyment in reading!
half my marginalia are just "lmaooo" "same" "oh no" and "jfc why??"
Your content is gold my friend! You may not know it but you've made me grow
Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me 🙏 😊
I'm sure this is the best literature channel on TH-cam
You have completely made my day! Thank you so much, my friend :)
I have been keeping a notebook since high school, which was a long time ago.
My notebook is dedicated to what is going on in my life, what I've read, and news that interests me.
I record what I started reading (title, author), when I start and finish. Also, what page I stopped on that day and if I gave up what I was reading, why.
With fiction, I record the plot so far, what I think of the characters and how good or bad a writer the author is. I love to trace the influence of other writers and figure what methods are used to tell the story.
As I have gotten older, I note connections between what I am/have reading/read to what's going on in my life.
Non fiction reading is mostly science, history, and autobiography. I write down events where famous people do brilliant or stupid things.
Keeping multiple notebooks has never appealed to me, I like to streamline my writing. Making notes at the end of stories sounds interesting, however.
I honestly cannot get enough of these videos. I know that by the time I've finished watching these 30 minutes, I'm going to become profoundly smarter when it comes to reading. Thank you for sharing. This intro was phenomenal.
A great posting. But in my case - although I have always underlined and added short notes to many of the books I own - there was almost never enough space.. A situation which I found somewhat stressful or even disappointing to tell you the truth. I would buy small moleskin notebooks, but archiving these became a nightmare ..So, on my 80th birthday, I got my family to buy me a Kindle Scribe and I have to say that it's changed my life! I can now make lots of massive notes (as many as I chose) underline whole paragraphs; check the meanings of individual words in the Oxford dictionary that they supply for free. The etymological info was a bit of a problem but I created a pdf of Origins by Eric Partridge and uploaded it to my Scribe so I have that to hand now :-) I plan to use the voice to text facility next.. What to own - the analog and or digital copies - needed to be sorted out and that has involved me in some expense but I am I feel, now able to move forward ..
Your work is amazing and most useful. I am sincerely grateful for you, your thoughts, your hard work and terrific videos! Thank you so very much - please do not stop. Frequently, restatement is a very powerful tool of communication as well as emphasis. You have a true talent and skill, I am learning from you every day!
Wow, thank you so much, Brad!! That is so incredibly kind of you. You have totally made my day!! ☺️🙏
This video's timing is almost eerie because I've been trying to get myself into a consistent journalling habit for about a week now but with life picking up I've been feeling a bit like it was getting in the way, and this is a great reminder to keep going. Not to mention a way to give myself something else to think about when doing my morning pages.
When it comes to annotating, I think I slipped out of the habit when I stopped doing literature classes but I've been making myself do it on re-reads (I'm one of those you mentioned who can't do a lot of annotating on a first read - definitely helps me to be at least a little familiar with the overall story first) and I forgot how much richer it makes the reading experience. Even if the last book I did it with is one I don't particularly like and most of the notes are "both of these people are insufferable"...
Another excellent video Ben. I have a system whereby I underline vocabulary or phrases I find interesting. I then find synonyms and antonyms. And then I transfer all to a commonplace book with my thoughts. Sometimes, I rewrite either a chapter or the ending in my own words. It’s as if I’m having a fireside chat with the author. Great fun indeed.
You’re precisely the kind of mind I’ve been trying to find on youtube. Not many are as engaging as you. You create a genuine excitement for literature by sharing your perspective on this topic-at least for me. Thanks for this wonderful video.
You have completely made my day. Thank you so much, my friend. I really appreciate that :)
@@BenjaminMcEvoyOf course :)
I Love the fact that your reference to reading as a conversation. I have always considered reading a conversation but always had that conversation internally. After watching this I can now see a way froward to committing my conversation to paper, without feeling awkward. Thank you. I think my first journal is going to be on a book picked at random (eyes closed} from the Top Greatest Book List you posted. Serendipity will select.
You are a treasure in booktube. I especially love the emphasis on letting go of the editor. When I write on margins, I always attempt to be perfect and sometimes this makes me not want to write. I’ll change that.
I love how long your videos are, they are much more detailed and captivating that way. Thank you.
Aw, thank you so much! I really appreciate that ☺️
Cést magnifique! Your videos are always incredible.
I used to say to any at work who grumbled about another change "change is the only constant we can rely on"
I just typed that into google and found Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher in 535BC, is quoted as saying "change is the only constant in life" - astonishing I've never heard of Heraclitus.
I've been watching your videos for a couple of years now. Even in those early days when you had around 5,000 subscribers,
I always thought why why, you deserve so very many more. Now you have almost 100,000
You are doing great work in the world my friend.
Currently reading Les Miserables, which is just perfection (currently in the sewers which so many have complained about - I'm fascinated with it) I've not wanted it to end - I'll re-read and add "more" marginalia. Thank you for your presence!
I simply cannot read without a pen in my hand hahaha I just finished rereading and annotating in my commonplace book Walter Pater's Renaissance and I kept remembering you Ben, because you were the one who introduced him to me when you quoted him (I don't remember in which video) saying that 'all art aspires to the condition of music'. It became one of my favourite books and it sure made a lasting impact! Anyways loved to see your annotations xx
Wow! I’m so happy to hear how special Walter Pater’s Renaissance has become to you too, Julia! That really is an extraordinary quote, isn’t it? One of my favourites. Thank you so much for your kind words ☺️xx
*Open a book* “He underlines.” “So?” “We tend to underline observations that confirm our view of the world. Give me a day with those books and I’ll serve him to you on a plate.” (Luther s03e02)
Wow. Powerful quote from an incredible show!
@@BenjaminMcEvoy A whale died in Hong Kong yesterday. We kind of got her killed. We want to tell ourselves it is not our fault. And I just want to drop everything and read Moby Dick. (No. I didn’t read it. Not a required reading in our town.)
This video has it all: encouragement, generosity, passion for the mission behind it, and straightforward and practical and effective recommendations for using a note-taking and journaling practice to retain what you read. Actually, mere retention doesn't do justice to what is outlined here. Benjamin provides a framework for living with literature, for allowing it to become part of your imagination, to taking active part in the conversation that is literary history.
And it is simple to follow but requires the discipline of a regular habit. I love in particular the idea of reviewing your notes, at least some of them, each time you pick up the book. You think you want to barrel through and finish the book but actually taking those few minutes to just skim through what you've noted helps keep the whole picture in mind, and in detail, as you immerse yourself imaginatively in the new sections of the work.
Thank you, Benjamin, for this. I'm inspired!
As for me, I've recently read and have been journaling about the poetry of C. Day-Lewis and Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, which I'd somehow never read before. It floored me, constantly surprised me, and turned out to be one of the most moving books I've ever read. But that's the thing with the classics: I find that they nearly always surprise me constantly and go far beyond the expectations or assumptions I bring to the reading.
Anyway, have a lovely day. --Chris
Thanks to Ben this year I’ve read some classics I would never thought possible. Most recently I read War and Peace…copy is battered and has much writing in it.
My plan for the next books are;
1984
Don Quixote
Middlemarch
However any recommendations welcome!
Thank you Ben for bringing this books into my life
Lovely! You are a cross between Barthes and Derrida. They loved it too. Reading books and writing in the margins is a sort of orgasm.
This is great content. Such a helpful way to organize and get the most out of reading. I already keep a notebook nearby when I'm reading, but this helps streamline the system and bring some order to it. Can't wait to try it out! Right now I'm reading the Iliad and what I've been struck by, and what I'm going to journal about, is how this idea of masculinity -- tough-guy, fighting, etc -- seemed to be very much what my Dad had, and he got it from his father, who was from Greece.
You can use post it notes or staple scrape paper on to the page as well. That's the old Journalist method. (Gary Provost)
I’ve been binge watching your content since I found your channel about a week ago. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for all of your intelligent, inspiring, and insightful work I just started the Brothers Kazamov tonight for the first time and used lots of marginalia! Already, I can see how much deeper the meaning of the book will be for me by doing this. When I reread my notes, I jotted down “nature versus nurture - nurture seems to win a bit” I only read the first book first book. I think that will be my journal topic. 📖👍🏻😊
Your passion for literature is infectious! Thank you for reigniting my love of books and reading.
I had been brought up to never ‘graffiti’ a book with my comments, scribbles and thoughts. However you have completely turned this on its head.You are correct, it is the greatest compliment that you can give an author.
I’m a new subscriber to your channel, love the content. Thank you ❤
I find Benjamins encouragement, infectious and inspirational thank you
That's so kind of you to say, Christopher :) Thank you so much!
So helpful to an old, too often anxious-to-get-through-it-reader, like myself! Reminds me of my continuous rereading of Colin Falck’s tome on French structuralism, and the importance of the history of ideas (Isaiah Berlin), the Enlightenment and Romantic eras: Myth, Truth and Literature (1989, 1994).
Metaphorically speaking, language is like a motor vehicle that takes you somewhere. The more you work on it the more it is understood. Putting together a story by word accuracy in prose or poetry is a learned art, blessed by a subtle inspiration which the videographer here provides. Thank you Ben.
This video should be shown on the first day of high school (or Junior High) English class, I think it would really change kids appreciation of reading and literature... and how it relates to life and living! Great work and very dense video.
I can't express how grateful I am for these videos and podcasts from you, Benjamin.
I'm reading Infinite Jest, it is exciting even though there are parts where I have to reread a sentence many times... but it is generally exciting and enjoyable, and there are passages that resonate deeply to me.
Then, yesterday, I received a news that an old acquaintance did himself in. It was so out of the blue, and weird, since I have heard many stories but never had it in my own circle. First it was hard to grasp the text message, then I kept asking questions for more information even though I know they mean very little now. It was confusing, I couldn't stop thinking about that person and the situation all day. Then last night I was restless. Even though I didn't feel like reading anything, I sat down and tried to focus on a page. There was also a resistance in me, I think I felt like Levin when his brother is dying, like nothing I do would feel 'normal' or reasonable, I worried that if there was something funny and I would be laughing while reading the book, I would feel guilty. But lucky for me I was at the part where the look on addiction and self-abuse was sympathetic and moving, and reading it calmed me down a little. After that I also journaled. It was helpful.
Over the years I have been writing a lot to process my problem, I alter things a little bit for literature journaling thanks to your advice. But sometimes there are new challenges like this, so strange and confusing. But it's still a good thing to have built the habit, and it is easier to let the ink flow.
Everything you've put out have been a soothing source and guidance for many aspects of my life. Thank you wholeheartedly, Ben.
I feel so blessed to stumble upon this channel.
Thank you for sharing all of these tips that i have never heard anywhere else. Very inspiring video and also thank you for reminding me of how much i loved reading 😊
Aw, thank you so much, Ozge! I really appreciate that!! 😊
So glad that the algorithms sent this to me!
I'm grateful that sent this to you too, Shannon! Thank you so much for watching :)
This is my first introduction to you/your channel. I could say many fine things, relatable and articulate; rather, I will simply share, that I immediately got out of bed, to my desk, journals and books. Thank you!
Thank you so much! That means a lot to me :) I'm so grateful that you're here!
Seneca's essay on the Shortness of Life. After watching other TH-camrs write and underline their books it has become a great habit. It has been a lifesaver as I am currently going through my master's in history. I can flip through my texts and see where I made notes. It makes writing my essays much easier and shorter because I am not searching for my evidence. Enjoying the channel.
I am so grateful to you for the gift you have given all of us through your channel. There is so much in this episode, I'm going to listen again and take notes!! I am reading Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens, and loving it. War and Peace is next!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that :) And I'm so happy to hear that you're loving Our Mutual Friend. Masterpiece, and one of my personal favourite works from Dickens. You have an exciting adventure ahead of you with War and Peace!
Jordan Peterson said the best way to improve critical thinking is by writing! Rereading is something I rarely ever did; that will now change. This was insightful and awesome.
Thank you so much, Anthony :) I'm thrilled you're now implementing writing and rereading. Powerful, life-changing practices!
The wisdom and peace emanating from him are like a bowl overflowing with satisfaction - an immensely gratifying experience to simply listen to him to speak with such great passion, savouring each word! 26:59
Brilliant content, Ben. I usually mark my books with sticky tabs and have a notebook I jot things into, but not to the extent you do.
The last book I did this with was Blood Meridian ( I commented about it on The Hardcore Literature site). Very rewarding. Thanks for all you do 😊 all the best, Ruth.
Thank you so much, Ruth! I really appreciate that! I’ve been meaning to return to using sticky tabs myself. I love how they look, and they make it so easy to find what you’re looking for. It sounds like your personal copy of Blood Meridian has become very special to you ☺️
@@BenjaminMcEvoy I'm going to reread it again soon. My father had a lot of Western books when I was a kid and I still have some of them. And he loved the Western movies and Spaghetti Western ones... I guess I was reading it with his eyes too... come to think of it! And yes, there are plenty of sticky tabs on it 😁
One of your videos from 2021 (I think?) was the impetus for my finally letting loose and highlighting/underlining in my books - but I still don’t really annotate them, just jot down my favorite bits in my commonplace journal. Still inspired by your method and wish I could devote so much focus to each reading!
The quality of your content>>>> Thank you for sharing your experiences and wisdom with the world 🙏
Aw, thank you so much! :)
Inspiring! I have an old, unused Leuchtturm 1917 (dotted) that was waiting for me to sketch, it is now ready for me to journal. I'm rereading 'The Brothers Karamazov' and will schedule time to explore its religious profundity and how it comforts me . Thank you!
Hey! Maybe you'll come back to this comment after finishing the read and you'll share your insights, it's something that sparks my mind up whenever I'm delving deeper into writing (and especially Dostoyevsky) :D
I'm curious if you know of other literary fiction that has these lingering questions and emotions reserved for God and spirituality
Thanks for taking the time
@@nonamejustme2222 I don't think I've read another book, or author, that delves quite so deeply into spirituality. Others tend to have issues and questions as a lesser part of the plot, like 'The Count of Monte Christo' and 'Jane Eyre' but Dostoyevsky is unique in my experience with his incredibly penetrating look into the soul of man. The only other writer that has affected me in a similar way long after reading him was William Blake. Mind you, I don't tend to read much after the Victorian era so there are probably more recent ones. Sorry I can't be of more help but if I think of anything I'll return. I'll be happy to come back with my journalling results and thank you for the encouragement!
PS Just remembered 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' - that kept me awake at night but I expect you've read it.
@@zaygezunt this makes me even more eager to prioritise "The Brothers Karamazov" now, although I think I should read "Crime and Punishment" first... hmm I wonder, would it still be the same experience if I hadn't?
Anyhow, I definitely need to read William Blake if you say the effect is tightly comparable!!
And in regards to "The Picture of Dorian Gray," yes I have read it, although I can say that I should return to it because I read it in translation and think that there's a strong chance for the beautiful prose to have got stranded.
Looking forward to hearing of your experience with journaling and your other reads! Thank you :D
@@nonamejustme2222 I read 'Crime and Punishment' first and, although it gave me an understanding of Dostoyevsky's style of writing and his penchant for introducing background characters with intimate detail that creates an atmosphere, I don't know if I would choose to do so now. C&P is so disturbing that it made me feel physically ill. Whereas The BK has a lighter touch, also the Elder Zosima is truly inspiring. But it is up to you and reading Dostoyevsky can change one's perspectives.
Blake's 'Auguries of Innocence' (with his original illustrations) is my favourite but check out his short poem 'A Poison Tree' to see if you like his style.
Happy reading!
@@zaygezunt I must say it does sound rather intriguing and, in a guilty way, satisfying to have a book stir up within you such visceral emotions. Something like this happened to me at some point while reading "The Idiot," but I'm sure the experiences are uniquely varied for each of his works, and for each of us who are reading them.
As for the short poem, thank you so much for the recommendation. I did read and somehow it reminded me of Snow White, this fairy-tale-like kind of moral, but in a beautiful way showing how, in fact, it's not just one of the two involved getting poisoned, but the deed starts even before it manifests in the metaphorical crime.
I appreciate everything you detailed about here and I'll definitely try to work my way up through this anthology. At first glance, it does look brim with connotations and more elusive concepts. Hopefully this practice of deep reading and rereading constantly will unfold, with time, more of its mysteries :)
I also wish you have a wonderful reading and journaling time!
I was happy to hear you encourage reading literature for self-engagement, because learning more about myself is one of my favorite takeaways from reading any book. Thank you (for the permission)!
This was so instructive, informative and inspirational. I’m going to start today as my zoom book club is reading The Scarlet Letter. Thank you ❤❤❤
Thank you so much, Nancy! I'm so happy to hear that! And what an absolutely phenomenal choice of read for your book club!! ☺️
Thank you, I can’t tell you how many videos I have watched on Journaling and on note taking. The approach was fresh and far more insightful that any of the others I have watched! ❤💙
LOVE THIS!!!! I've been thinking how to do this with all my myriad non-fiction and literature and you have given me both motivation and a way to think about organizing my thoughts and readings. Every rare instance, someone comes along, like yourself, on youtube that I can relate to and is imminently likeable.
coming here after I'm consumed most of your contents since I searched War and Peace discussions on TH-cam. I'm grateful for your contents and couldn't say thank you enough for this video because I had abandoned my annotating & reading journal since last year :( thank you for making me open my journal again and I'm totally agree when you say that our reading journal is like our soul...
Thank you so much!! That really warms my hear to hear!! ☺️
This youtube channel is a gem. I love your insight into literature and your enthusiasm for it, it is contagious. I will try journaling now and your marginalia technique.
You are full of surprises, Benjamin. Amazing video. Or was it because l am in complete synthony with your comments on: How to Live a Great Book that it can become your walking companion? The friend that triggers questions that you were not even aware of? The ally that you might put aside for a while knowing you will come back to it? Because great books, great writers have a way to awake your inner self and arise your curiosity to different words, worlds new to you...
And you explain in a magical way how rewarding it is to read, to re-read, and to do slowly.
Thank you.
Thank you Ben for brining me back on track on reading and re-reading. Truly appreciate your insights and thoughts!!!
I started doing this sort of thing when I was studying Literature - it used to write in pencil and eventually pen in paperbacks. Some people I knew were flabbergasted but others thought nothing of it. Currently, I am working through Ulysses by Joyce.
I remember people being flabbergasted when I first started! I began with pencil and then moved onto pen too :) Ulysses definitely deserves a lot of marginalia and scribbling!
Thank you for sharing your passion for reading and literature with the rest of us! I haven’t been an active reader for many years and these videos are rekindling my desire to read.
Your enthusiasm jumps through the screen and is infectious.
Delightful. At the end of the video I caught myself smiling. :-) Alas, I was prepared so many times to write inside the book while reading but it won't do. It does not matter if I'm reading one page or more, stopping to mark bother the flow of my reading. It happened that I stopped to ponder on something that I have read and then took a photo of the page to copy it to a notebook. But it had to be something profound that stopped me. I will keep on, doing my best, also so my son, now at the beginning of his classics journey, will be able to be part of his mom conversation with the books while reading my copies. Thank you so much for your videos and podcast.
Writing in books is so contrary to my upbringing, which taught me the almost sacredness of literature. But! I can overcome this by having a used or duplicate copy of my favorites so the book can become a study document; a more personal journey. Thank you Ben. I so enjoy your presentations!
That's exactly how I was raised. I'm going to grab some transparent sticky notes to help me get over the hump.
Great article Ben! Any plans to do a bookshelf tour?
Thank you! :) Yes, absolutely, I have a new one coming out very soon!
The great writers are so lucky to have you champion their cause, Ben! In lockdown, I took it upon myself to collect Wordsworth editions, and slowly work through a book at a time. I began with Middlemarch, then Dracula, and it was so rewarding to read and write/annotate as I went along. Your channel provided great inspiration. Love from Co. Mayo, Ireland.
You are such a great teacher and have helped me enjoy literature on a much deeper level. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. Thank you.
As always enjoyed the video, Ben! I do not scribble in my books (mainly because I am too short on money to do that), however, I do have notebooks; and I use them to the best of my ability.
I actually just finished rereading Paradise Lost as I'm writing this comment, and I will serve toward my final thoughts with pen and paper. But the "solitary way" - that speaks to me; and it tells me that I'm not the only one affronted by worldy solitude; and furthermore, it tells me that mankind has inherited this earth as a sort of corporeal perdition away from God; that he truly does walk in solitude, at least his physical body in this physical world does. Though his soul always walks with God, from now and throughout eternity. Anyways, don't want to bog down my comment (I will save it for my notebook, lol); yes, have a wonderful day my friend!
Great video, Ben! I sort of jumped into marginalia head first! I was a bit hesitant at first. Luckily, I was reading Dr. Adler's book on reading and felt inspired to continue forth. When I discovered you, I watched your older video on marginalia on the HCLB channel. Great stuff! :)
Thank you so much, Canton. Dr Adler has been such an inspiration to me and my marginalia practice too. Fantastic coincidence that you mention him as a clip of him talking about speed reading vs slow reading is going to make its way into our next coffee episode. Such a legend :)
Benjamin your amor for books is so infectious, as always
Thank you so much, Kevin :)
I love this video! I've wanted to get into annotating books for a while but found it quite intimidating, I have a bit more courage now and plan to write a little note at the end of a book I'm on the verge of finishing as a start.
You articulate your points so well, it's easy to see how well read you are.
Thank you so much :) I really appreciate your kind words, and I'm thrilled to hear you'll be marking your books! A little note at the end of the book is a perfect place to start!
I'm going to start journaling about Keats
Thanks for you video! I learned a lot!
I am quite gladdened to find this new update.
Thank you so much for watching 😊
I used to do a lot of marginalia when reading paper books . Unfortunately for the last say 10 years I started to read electronic books only ( for many reasons) and it’s difficult to make any notes on such books. One incomplete solution is to write side notes on the Notepage of iPad
This is very true! I love my Kindle and iPad, and used both exclusively for years. But it has its challenges with note-taking. I found a couple of workarounds, but it's definitely been rewarding returning to paper and pen!
This is my marginalia in watching your TH-cam video here - I’m not finished watching just yet but I love this. Wish I knew more, and it makes me want to learn. The reason I’ve paused where I have in order to write this comment specifically is that I especially appreciate what you say about the use of words without thinking about their origins. I think about that a lot and it’s fascinating to me - I’ll frequently stop and think about things like this and try to view them in a new light even before googling to find out more. For instance, one day I stopped and thought about how often “of course” gets used, and in considering that it’s a way of saying “That’s obviously the path or direction a person or circumstance would normally take”, it struck me that it must be an abbreviated way of saying “That’s just a matter of course”. It sounds obvious writing about this now, but there was definitely a time years and years ago when it was just a convenient phrase I used without thinking much about it. It really opens up the brain to delve into things like this - it makes everything feel more intentional.
Encouraging video! I wondered if I was the only one who annotated my books. I also buy copies for scribbles, to leave originals unmarked. For the annotating I use pencil, and I use colored pencils in some cases, to track themes, etc. I use a ruler to guide my underlines. I also use Post-It flags, also color-coded, to let me quickly find notes in reference to particular themes.
I am so appreciative of the guidance on how to be a better reader. I learn so much from you.
New subscriber and been watching some of your older ones, love them! Especially enjoy the ones you went to scenic bookstores. Trying to get into reading more! Thanks for your videos :)
Thank you so much for watching and being here! I really appreciate that :) I’m so happy you love those videos. I have some new bookstore trip videos on the way soon! Happy reading ☺️🙏
Love the bookshop tours!
Thank you so much for this amazing video as always🌹
I get so happy when you post a new video.
I'm so thankful to you for helping us improving our reading experience.
Thanks a lot!
Thank you so much! That really means so much to me :) I appreciate you being here! ☺️🌹
Thank you for these great ideas. They're going to be helpful for my next read.
I'm so happy to hear that! :)
One of the best channels on all of TH-cam.
I love this guy.
My IQ feels 15 points higher after watching one of his videos.
Thanks Ben, truly appreciated.
You're so welcome! Thank you so much for watching :)
Thank you so much! I'm so happy to find your channel!
I'm so happy you're here too! :)
I love this channel just when I am weary of crazy fast social media that has driven me nuts & have no meanings. Thank you for sharing with us. ❤😊👏👏
Aw, thank you so much! That really means a lot to me ❤️🙏
Wow! Tremendous. I learned so much. Thank you for this. Love your passion. That makes all the difference in your videos.
Thank you so much, James! That really means a lot to me and I really appreciate you being here :)
So glad you suggested Brothers K. It is perfect for Blood Meridian. Grounding. Thanks would never have continued without your encouragement. Keep on.
You have inspired me to get back to seeing what’s going on with Pierre and Natasha, this time journaling. It’s been a few years since I put P&V’s W&P aside
I'm so happy to hear that! It's always great to drop in on our old friends in Tolstoy's world to see how they're doing every few years :)
I’ve been watching your videos for a long time now, (after I read crime and punishment). I just decided to dive into poetry so I went to my local bookstore and saw the Frost pocket poets on the shelf. Since it was the only pocket poets they had I grabbed it. Then I went to my library and checked out Byron selected verse and prose works, the complete poems of John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, and The best poems of the English language - Harold bloom. Thanks Ben. Keep up the great work. Frankenstein is my favorite book. Great content as always.
I love your talked Ben. Thank you very much for the amazing content.
Thank you so much, my friend :) I really appreciate that!
Thanks to Fermat's scribbled marginalia we have Fermat's Last Theorem. A study of all the marginalia of the great thinkers would be a very interesting investigation, especially those suffering hypergraphia.
New to your channel and very much enjoying your videos. I've gone through many feast and famine years when it comes to reading. I have a list of great literary works I want to work my way through and thanks to this video, started up a journal to notate my thoughts and impressions as I work through a book for the first time- kind of a travel journal of sorts. So many people say they wish they could go back to certain novels and experience them again as a first time reader so this is me trying to capture that. At this time I am reading Dicken's Great Expectations. Many thanks for your quality content.
I did this to my Iliad, one of my favourite classics. Now I don't feel so guilty 😉 I really appreciate this video, you remind me of my English Literature tutor, it makes me yearn to return to Uni. All those sessions in pubs in London, scribbling notes in the margins of wonderful books... Special times with my head full of stories.
Writing in my books started in college and has continued. A professor neighbor told me reading a book should be a dialog with the author. Our marginalia is our side of the conversation. Reading a book the second time without my notes I'd feel something was missing. Each reading our comprehension should go deeper, in my opinion Then again I'm a nerd. 😉
Love this comment, thank you 😊. I go back and read what I wrote and think about what was in my heart in that moment .
@theresapellicano402 thank you for replying 🙏🕉
I agree with you completely.
I am in conversation with the author while reading and pencilling.
While he intimates his story to me I discover my inner self.
I do not think it is nerdy though.
It slows the reading process even more, but if a book is really
important to me, for whatever reason, I will keep a side journal as well, jotting down main ideas, fantastic quotations, and my own thoughts, all with page citations. Going back over these notes and sometimes rediscovering important passages is pure joy. It's also very helpful for discussions or when writing.
Me too, I like to add different comments to my lectures, although after a while I find them stupid. But, I enjoy finding some other people's comments. It creates a communion between me and an annonim person.
Great channel and content- thank you for timestamps. This makes me want hard copies but a kindle is so convenient
Great job. Keep up the good work. You're starting to get alot of subscribers-awesome!!!
Thank you so much!! ☺️🙏
The video I’ve been waiting for!!! Thanks so much Ben; always incredibly inspiring.
I’m also currently rereading and journaling around Moby Dick myself and this is wonderfully insightful as to how I might get more out of this book I’ve grown to love so much.
Quick question; do the journals act as your commonplace book as well? Or is that a separate journal all together?
Thanks again for bringing so much passion to the act of reading, deep self work, and teaching.
📚 🙌
I am soooo happy I found your channel! This is fabulous! Thank you!
Thank you so much, Patricia :) I really appreciate that!