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Saturday, September 1, 2012

Rainbow Books

I actually really, really, HATE highlighting, annotating or otherwise making a mark in a book that I've read or am reading. I feel like I'm degrading the author's masterpiece and destroying something that was perfect every time I do such a thing. But for the sake of my own education, my copy of Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose has been transformed into a rainbow, because SOMEBODY decided not to give the character's names, which wouldn't bother me so much if it weren't for the fact that I need to write a text response on this book later this month, which means I have to know which character said what. Colour-coded jurors for the win!!!

I'm just saying, 11th Juror is awesome.

10th Juror: Bright? He's a common ignorant slob. He don't even speak good English.
11th Juror: Doesn't even speak good English. 

Aah the irony of the German immigrant having better English skills than everybody else.

11th Juror: I beg pardon...
7th Juror: "I beg pardon?" What are you so polite about?
11th Juror: For the same reason you are not: it's the way I was brought up. 

Owned :)

I like this play, if you couldn't tell.

What are your thoughts on making markings in a book? I want to shoot myself a little more every time I do it. How does it make you feel? 

- Bonnee.

P.S - Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

22 comments:

  1. I stray from markings too. I like my books nice and clean.

    My e-books, on the other hand...

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  2. I'm exactly the same! I forced myself to highlight on my books this year for the sake of gathering quotes, but I hate the thought of annotating my copies. I don't even like when people fold the corner of the page - why don't they just get a bookmark!? So yes, I like my books unmarked.

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    1. I have SO MANY bookmarks, it isn't even funny :) Or at least, I used to... I think I threw a heap of them out because they were broken/breaking. Hahaha :p

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  3. I have really hard time doing it. When I was in college I did start out highlighting textbooks, but gave it up because entire pages turned yellow (back in my day, highlighters were yellow, dammit. And you kids, get off my lawn!). When I read now and come across a passage I really like, I copy it into a word document, but I just can't deface the book.

    Been a while since Twelve Angry Men for me, but I recall liking it quite a bit.

    And thanks for the wishes. I guess it's Aussie Dad's Day? Ours is in June.

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    1. Hahaha it's okay, up until I decided to colour-code the jurors in Twelve Angry Men, I only had a yellow highlighter too. I had to go out and buy the other colours as soon as I decided it was the best option.

      Yeah, it's Father's Day in Australia now. Haha I always forget that different places have different days for these things :)

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  4. I know that many students in high schools and universities highlight pages, but I never did it. Also never used marking. Just read everything again and again for exams. But if it's helpful for students to highlight .. then all the best. I know that they Mother's day and father's day. Do they ever have a children's day?

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    1. I generally don't use the highlighting or marking, but it makes reading this book a little easier, so I'm making the exception :p We don't have a children's day in Australia, unfortunately...

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  5. I'm with you, Bonnee! It seems like sacrilege.

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  6. I never want to mark up books, either. Even school textbooks, which kind of have to be written in. :P

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    1. It's the worst feeling, I feel like I'm vandalizing something!

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  7. i've seen the movie, it's freakin' awesome! it's so tense, and just all dialogue. love it!

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    1. Yeah, we watched a black and white original film version in class to help us visualize the characters. It was pretty good! But I still preferred the script. Only because I was reading along and there where chunks omitted and rearranged and added and I notice EVERYTHING! Hahaha :D

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  8. You know what... to me a marked up and dog-eared book shows a bit of love and character, too :)

    I *LOVE* when my three boys play with the books on my bookshelf... they build towers, play dominoes and stepping stones (I mainly read hardcovers) and remove the dust jackets... and I don't mind because I don't want them to be scared of books...

    Does that make sense :)

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    1. Oh no, I couldn't do it!!! It makes sense, but if they're my books - the ones I've enjoyed reading, anyway - then I couldn't let it happen like that. They need to stay unmarked... though I'll happily donate anything by Jane Austen to the children. I'm not an Austen fan.

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  9. I'm with you, it's hard for me to mark up books. I used to do it with much more abandon. I've back away from that. Not sure why. Maybe b/c after writing eight novels I know what goes into putting those words on the page.
    ~ Wendy

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    1. Haha that probably has something to do with it! As an aspiring author, I'll say that my own efforts to write contribute to this attitude for me too :)

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  10. Me too, it seems almost sacrilegious to mark up any book! I'm just now starting to underline veeery sparingly in my Bible! :p

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    1. Haha I feel a lot better knowing I'm not the only one out there who feels this way :)

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  11. Thank you for your comment ! :D
    I hope soon i can read/understand all your posts ! Fight !!
    xx

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    1. Keep practicing hun, you'll get it! :) You're already pretty good at English... I wouldn't have a clue about speaking French :(

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