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Reading Journal

direstraits

direstraits

Well-Known Member
I recently started a reading journal, which is quite a departure for me. I've always kept a list of read novels, and I (attempt) to keep a reading blog of my adventures, however this is by far the most formal I've tried doing this.

I've always seen very little value of writing things down if I don't somehow have a digital copy for me to keep for posterity (which is why I like my Livescribe pen), but a recent bookstore visit brought me face to face with this book: Amazon.com: Reading Journal: For Book Lovers (9780307591661): Potter Style: Books

What made this interesting for me was the fact that it isn't just a collection of Title/Author/DateRead/Rating/Synopsis/WhatIFelt, etc, but it is interspersed with activity pages that forces me to think a little deeper than I usually do (which I have to say I don't do a lot in the first place). There are pages for current favourite authors, preferred bibliostyles, fav childhood books, what sort of genres currently occupy my shelves, authors that influenced me, how a particular book made me want to research new subjects, or lead me to other authors, etc.

Also: 'Literary Superlatives'! Characters most like me, characters I'd most want to be, literary crushes (I'm ashamed I don't have one!!!), Best Literary Clowns, Best Literary Monsters, Places in Books I'd like most/least to visit, Books that made me cry, etc. My favourite: 'Literary Pilgrimages' (you figure that one out).

In other words, these pages go a level deeper than simply recording my impressions of a particular book - it forces the person to delve several levels deeper and having a think about one's book habits.

I've never bought a book journal, but this is fascinating to me.

Anyone else keep such a record of books read?
 
This is the first year since 2003 in which I haven't at least kept a list of books read. Feels weird! Aside from the list I kept for adult summer reading program at my local library, I really can't tell you most of what I read this year. I don't like this development very much, so I'll go back to making a list in 2012 if I do nothing else.
In looking at your link, I like the idea of a 'reading tree' to map out how one book leads to another. We know it happens, but a tangible map might be fun to have.(Surely I'm not the only one who reads the bibliography at the back of many nonfiction books to glean new book leads. Right?) The price of this book is certainly reasonable enough. I'd like to be able to search inside, but one can't have everything one wants...even if it IS Christmastime. Oh well.
 
Books like the ones in the link, Direstraits, are limited to and by their own structure/categories/activity pages. A plain empty journal, whilst requiring more effort, has far more potential and offers creative and mental freedom that is individual to you and not just a generic template.
Some of the threads in those kind of books actually resemble threads on book forums (eg. literary superlatives) so you have your very own forum in softback, only who wants a forum with just one member.
 
abc: Absolutely the key here - fun! :) At least for me, anyway. There's a commenter on the link that I've given who've listed out all the special pages of the book to give you an idea of what's inside.

eclair: You're absolutely right, having a blank journal does indeed remove all the imposed structure. But I didn't know the sort of possibilities as shown in these templates before. And that's largely because I hadn't thought of even getting a book journal before this. Now that I've seen the possibilities, it does make sense that the next book journal i start (if I want another pen/paper journal, that is), then a blank one would definitely make more sense. Also, I personally don't see the journal as a forum thread, rather more like a personal reflection. I can tell you I've never thought about my literary crushes, and I'm now raking my brains scouring memories of books read to find a hot, smart and funny chick who'd rock my literary world. :)
 
That reading journal sounds like a good thing to have, DS, in addition to other book discussions, blogs, etc, leading to a sort of dicussion with one's self about the books read.
I've been keeping lists for a number of years now and should have been jotting down simple memory joggers for the plots of titles I have read but now haven't the foggiest idea about. I know I can "just do it," but your reader's journal sounds like a much more appealing approach.
 
On another forum I post an ongoing list of books read, and also tend to write, mostly short, reviews of same in the thread. Actually, now, come to think of it, I could print those out.
 
I think something like this would be fun. One of my friends bought me a Book Journal a few years back for Christmas, but it's not like the one in the link. The first half of the pages have a heading that says "BOOKS TO READ" and the latter portion heading says "BOOKS BORROWED/LENT".
 
For ABC, and for those who are curious, I've taken pix of the journal and posted it here.

Just to give you an idea of what I mean by jogging your memories and changing your evaluations of books you've read (if you're not already doing it, that is).
 
I just read the link, it definitely looks like a good investment. I keep a running list of books here on the blog, but you are right-it's nice to have some prompts or questions to help tease out characters or themes that you may forget after some time. Good score!
 
I just wanted to do a quick update on this. I keep an online book blog, but I hardly ever update it (although I'm writing more on it now). However, I religiously keep my book journal incredibly updated.

Since I last wrote on this, I can say that in a year I had completed the first book journal. I've since bought a plain journal (the bestest writing journal I've yet owned - I bought 5 just to stock up! The notebook is called Zequenz (link)) and writing on it since March of 2013. Today, I've written way more that I have online. I'm actually behind in my reviews - I have a backlog of about 30 reviews that I need to write, so if I ever feel like I want to feel the visceral sensation of putting pen to paper, I have material! :)

I'm surprised, actually, that I actually have not only been able to continue my reviews, but also continue to go on... a wonderful experience for me.
 
Hats off to any one who keeps a journal of any kind. I've tried a few times and just end up giving up. 3 or 4 days of 'dishes, house cleaned, bed' is enough to drive any one crazy. Its bad enough doing it, but then to write about it ..... blech!
 
You just have to write about a page or so of your thoughts, not a full review. Just keep it simple. My original journal only has space for about 30 lines of text, and since I don't write in long hand (well, not all the time), I just put in my thought and poof! Gone. Then you're scribbling on the margins, etc...

This new one spoils me, because I can suddenly find myself 3 pages deep. And I spend 3 quarters of it talking about what I though the book was about, not what it really is.

Fun. It's therapeutic, as I always say.

Last year I wrote up a 3 sentence synopsis of every single Sherlock Holmes story, and I rated them all. So now I can say for certain that it *isn't* true that Doyle wrote his best stuff in the early SH stories.
 
Yeah lol I read books but the thought of writing what I thought about each one when I'm done? Waaay too much PT (effort). For whom would I be leaving these words? I'm not likely to ever go back and reread what I wrote about a book. For me surely the point would be to share my thoughts and talk about it etc I might get into blogging about books, but that is also very one sided. And I don't have time to do that. I read for pleasure and occasionally getting to air my views in a discussion (when you can get one going) on here satisfies.
 
Oh didn't you know? There's a new genre of books that selling like wildfire! They call it the teen-angst-sparkling-vampire scene of 2014 - the amateur book review compilation! I'm going to scan my book reviews and sell it as an Amazon Kindle Single, and get rich.
 
Ok maybe nobody wants to buy my reviews compilation. :(

Sent from my vanity communications device using the Book and Reader mobile app.
 
Thanks for the opportunity to update, DS.
I've been continually scaling back my book-recording involvements over the past years. Down from about 16 forums max early on, to just one -- this one -- these days. No more blog posts are carried here anymore, so I don't write them or write reviews anymore. No more lists online, just the personal one I keep: title, author, few words to jog memory, all on one line. Plus, TBR, read, deferred, abandoned, as categories. Nothing more -- all in favor of making more time available for writing my memoir.

Life gets simpler.
Best for the New Year, DS
Peder
 
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