🖍️ The Case for Marginalia

Like a conversation with the author.

One of the habits I get the most criticism about is putting marginalia in my books. Marginalia is the process of underlining and adding comments to the books when you read them. Yes, in the books themselves.

That is the part that gets most people mad: I am writing in books.

However, hear me out.

First, let me say I have many beautiful hardcovers that I never write in. I save this shameful behaviour for second-hand paperbacks. Adding my thoughts to these books personalises them. It is like I am having a conversation with the author.

I have a record of my thoughts and feelings precisely when I read the book. I also read a significant amount for my writing, so these provide me with notes and snippets that end up in my writing. It is my form of note-taking.

This may not convince some of you. You would like me arrested for crimes against books.

If you are still not convinced, I would like to try an experiment if you are willing. Here is something that I did a while ago, and I would love to do it with some of you.

The experiment is simple and will result in you reading other books. Every person who takes part picks a book, preferably one of their favourites, and whilst reading it, they mark their favourite passages and add their marginalia.

Then, after a month, they send this book to the next person on the list. That person, then, using a different colour, reads the book sent to them, add their marginalia, and then post the book on again.

At the end of four months, you receive your original book back with your marginalia and the other three people (four people are in each group.) You see the passages they enjoyed and their thoughts—a keepsake for years.

Then tell me you don't think marginalia is useful.

If you would like to participate in this book exchange and experiment, reply to this email with your name and postal address. I will then arrange the groups and send only the addresses people need.

If you don't want to take part, then you must all think writing in your books is completely acceptable. 🤣

Until next week stay safe

Sam 😊

Quote of the week

The man who does not read good books is no better than the man who can’t. - Mark Twain

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