Fellow windmill-tilter Danielle has been considering the possibility of taking notes while reading Don Quixote in order to better organize her thoughts about the book. I wrote in saying there is no way I could say anything about the book without taking notes, and thought I'd post something on exactly how I'm reading Don Quixote.
My long-time blog readers may recall that I've been tinkering with my reading technique for... well... since the beginning of this blog. I should say "techniques" because different books and different depths of reading demand different techniques. For this first (but not last) reading of Don Quixote, I am underlining in pencil any words or passages that seem important. I'm using pencil not because I might want to erase it some day but because pen is so dark that it would disturb the flow of future readings.
After finishing a chapter I write a quick prose summary of what happened, just two to four sentences. I've found that summarizing the action in my own words and in complete sentences makes it stick in my mind far better than point form notes. After that I review what I underlined and pick out what still seems important and write it down as notes or quotes, as appropriate. So far, most of the chapters have required about a page in my trusty Moleskine, though the book inquisition chapter got a well-deserved two pages. When it comes time to post, I read over all my notes and the patterns and ideas start to form in my mind and I can start to write. I always mark down a page reference for all my notes and quotes so I can easily go back to the book if I need more detail, and the underlining helps me find the exact spot quickly.
This may seem like a lot of work, but if I didn't do this, what I read would go in one brain synapse and out the other. I do it because I have to if I want to get anything lasting out of the book. For me, reading is about learning, and learning is pure enjoyment. If it takes a little effort, so be it!
Colophon for stationery addicts (like myself):
I underline with a Staedtler graphite 777 0.5mm mechanical pencil, and write with a Pilot Hi-Tecpoint V5 Extra Fine black pen in my large ruled Moleskine.
