How to Mark a Book

Mortimer Adler has many respectable views on how to mark up a book. Personally I have no interest in violating a book in any fashion wether its taking notes in the margins or highlighting a important sentence. I fell it takes away from the value and shelf life of a book. I feel a book should be kept in mint condition. When I see a book marked up I second guess the persons opinion on if the topic should have been marked or highlighted. It can be very successful as a study guide for said book but the next person to come across this may not agree.Although it summarizes the book and makes you brain storm form main points of the book. In my opinion if the book is not returnable it is ruined.

Adler points out some useful methods of taking notes in a book like underlining, stars, asterisks, numbers in margin, circling key words, and jotting notes at top and bottom of the pages. I fell these would be useful in a school setting. Like books you will be tested on and books you will need for a later date. I also agree that you should not violate a library book or a friends. One of my biggest pet peeves is when I lend a book to a friend and they dog tag or highlight the pages. I feel that if the fact that you would have taken notes on or highlighted was that important then it should be on a sticky note or on index cards you could slide in to book mark the important fact.