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Monday, September 26, 2011

Marking a book

How to Mark a Book (1940) an excerpt written by Mortimer Adler defines what is means and the importance of marking a book. Adler goes into descriptive detail on what owning a book really means. He wants the reader to understand the importance of marking the pages you read in order to fully understand the book and truly have ownership of it.
After reading this excerpt, I reflected back on all these books I have read and the emotions I felt while reading them. I have never marked on any book unless it was for vocabulary but Alder made me wish I had. I would love to be able to re-read a book and look at my own notes and comments on certain events or conflicts. Maybe I would feel differently after reading the book a second time. I could really understand and truly have ownership of the book because it would become a part of me as Alder states. Alder gave a new meaning to owning a book for me.
Alder really defines what it means to own a book. He says that you must digest the information and make the book a part of you to own it. Some people who never mark their books, or never make notes on what they are reading, do not always own or completely understand the text. He mentions three type of book owners and says that only the one who marks or writes down what he is reading is the one that can truly comprehend and own his book. Alder redefines ownership and shows the importance of marking our books.
By: Rachel Nabors

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