Today’™s question comes from Conspiracy-Girl:
I’™m still relatively new to this meme so I’™m not sure if this has been asked yet, but I’™m curious how many of us write notes in our books. Are you a Footprint Leaver or a Preservationist?
I’m a Preservationist who occasionally leaves Footprints. At one time I would never, ever write notes in a book. It was considered a desecration. I’m a bit less strict these days and occasionally bring myself to underline in pencil or add a little asterisk next to a passage I like. 
Having said that when I looked at my copy of Reformation Europe 1517 -1559, which which I was given as a prize at school one year I see that I have underlined sentences in red biro. I can’t believe I did that!
BooksPlease 
Ah…I have no problems with textbooks since they are mostly notes for my easy reference, but as for books for reading pleasure, definitely a no-no to me, LOL.Happy BTT!
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If I’m working on a text I always like to make notes on the book itself. Do you read Helene Hanff? She bought second hand books and loved to see what other people had thought about her favourite passages.
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Melody, I agree textbooks are different, so perhaps it’s not so terrible.Ann, that’s interesting. I do like to see what other people have marked in second hand books too. I’ve only read Hanff’s 84 Charing Cross Road, which I enjoyed.
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I used to write in my text books in school. Those were passed on to my brother who was a year junior. He loved it as all the answers were written in the book itself by ME!Those were the days..Even now I solve problems in the textbooks from which I teach. That helps me no end!Writing in paperbacks, are you crazy?:D
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I gained the habit of underlining in non-fiction books from my textbook days, but I recovered eventually. I prefer to keep my books clean and neat, but I’m not an “oh my god!” freak about it. Books can be replaced; as much as I adore them, they’re possessions like anything else, and there are things (such as people) I care far more about. Perhaps it’s something about growing up with one foot in the information age, but it gives one a bit of perspective on the idea that damage to a single copy of a book in no way diminishes the ability of that book’s contents to thrive—at least certainly in America and similar countries, where getting a new copy is usually as easy as going on Amazon or running to the local library.Sorry for the mini-rant… I’ve seen a few too many “agh! My books must be perfect!” answers this morning I think. 😀 I cherish my books and don’t want to give the impression otherwise, but perspective is good too. 😉
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Sorry, Heather, I’m firmly in the perfect books corner. Ha! Now, that didn’t apply to my textbooks where I wielded a mean highlighter. However, since that time, I don’t even like to crease the spine of paperbacks. Silly, I know. But there it is. And I don’t even keep many books. I give them away or pass them on or whatnot. Count me a preservationist and what else would you expect from someone who works in a library. I am not a library shusher though. 🙂
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Interesting how seriously we “perfect books” people take this question! But we’ve all admitted to marking textbooks. I do find that it seriously detracts from my pleasure in a book if it’s written in, particularly as I’ve come across some very opinionated and sometimes, just plain wrong, comments. I suppose it’s because I like to lose myself in a book, and I don’t want someone else intruding.
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The most I will do is mark something with a pencil or fold down a page so I can find the passage that way (not the best method). I have those little post it notes and book darts, but they never seem to be handy when I need them. I guess I’ve always thought it was a bit of a sacrilege to mark books, too. I admit I don’t like buying books that have been marked by others, but I’m less bothered these days by marking something of my own.
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I write in many non-fiction books… notes to help me remember pertinent information because that is why I read them. But fiction?? NO. Never.Happy BTT!
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I could never write in a textbook but sometimes used a highlighter. Now I can’t even do that! I write notes seperately in a notebook.
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We are similar in this, I see. I prefer not to leave my footprints, but I do sometimes and always in pencil (unless I’m writing a dedication).
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I’m a preservationist too.
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I just can’t bring myself to write in books. In the past, a few textbooks or teacher’s editions, but that was rare. Diane
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I write in books but when I read the comment where Danielle said she folds down pages I gasped. :o)Happy BTT!
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