Journaling

Thursday, March 25, 2010

(My current book review journal)

So I'm curious, do any of you still keep an actual journal of the books you read or are all of your reviews online? Even though I use Library Thing and blog now, I can't seem to let go of my book journal. There's something about being able to flip through past years and see my own writing that makes it seem more personal. Also, I wonder if I'm more honest with myself about my thoughts on the book when I know I'm the only one who reads them.

Some part of me is convinced (even though logic says I'm silly) that the internet will shut down and lose everything I've entrusted to it. So I still keep track of the books I read each year in a journal. I usually write down the title, author, a rating (1 to 10) and a brief summary of the book and a few thoughts. I also jot down quotes I love from my reads so I can flip back to them later.

Anyone else out there still clinging to something tangible to chronicle your reading in?


Photo by moi.

6 comments:

claire said...

I still do, but mostly now I just write down words or phrases instead of sentences. And since blogging I mostly only write down page numbers and the first few words of a passage I liked.

Jenners said...

I never wrote anything down before I started blogging so the blogging is it (plus LibraryThing, Goodreads and Shelfari).

Captain Nick Sparrow said...

I still keep a book journal too, although I'm behind. I much prefer paper to technology. I also keep a quote journal for my favorite book bits.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Captain- I'm with you. There's just something about actual paper and pen that makes the whole experience different.

Today I Read said...

That is one lovely journal. Funny enough, I collect pretty and unique journals, but rarely write in them. I have, however, begun keeping a reading journal (in a regular notebook) with a slight twist.

One thing that I notice will happen over the years is that I'll completely forget whole junks of a book I've read, so I've started keeping a book summaries journal where I write the title of the book, author, and a summary of the entire story (which can stretch to a few pages).

Then I have my index cards, which are a whole other story. :D

Ann-Kat @ Today, I Read...

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

I noticed the same thing a few years ago. I hated not being able to remember more about some books so I do the brief summary thing too. I'm interested to know what the index cards are for.