Dr Adler How To Mark A Book Summary

Most children acquire their first books at a young age; some from family or friends, some hand-me-downs, and are naturally told to cherish and respect them by keeping their condition one of high standard. As per usual, no bent pages, no scribbles- only tip- top shape. As this child grows older, he/she will realize that respecting books does not come from their physical appearance, but from the amount of thought put into reading them. Or, writing in them. Dr. Mortimer Adler strives to prove the importance of writing in books in his essay, “How to Mark a Book.” Dr. Adler is correct because in order to achieve full understanding of a novel there must be a personal interaction with the author and reader, and that is fulfilled by marking up the book pages with thoughts, questions, and agreements/ disagreements. Only then will the reader truly gain the knowledge that the book has to offer.
Dr. Adler says, “If, when you’ve finished reading a book, the pages are filled with your notes, you know that you read actively” (2). This idea of being an “active” reader is the main point of marking up books (Adler 2). Any important detail noticed or small enlightenment will forever be engrained into the novels pages for the reader to come back to. While re-reading these notes, the reader will become more engaged in the authors points and arguments, and will be able to form the basis of their own points and arguments from these margin notes, leading to a full connection with the