Reading Log

I have read so many great books, but often times I forget what I liked about them. So I decided to keep a reading log, like the one my mom has always kept. When I read I use a notecard as my bookmark, and I jot down notes with the page number of things I want to refer back to. Then, once I've finished the book, I type up the notes, print them, and keep them in a binder. I started this January 2009 and now I've got about twenty five books in my log. It's really fun to look back through and be reminded of the cool things I've read. I write down the title and author, a few sentences about the general plot or the overall message I got from it, and then page references to specific passages. If it's a story book, I jot down the coolest scenes, poignant dialogue, or any parallels or lessons that I like. If it's a historical non-fiction, I write down the interesting facts and history that I'd like to remember. And if it's a religious/philosophy/self-help book then I write down direct quotes or principles I like. A few of my favorite reads from 2009: Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe The Histories of my Great Grandma Pitcher and my Great Great Grandma Lee The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley by Sheri Dew Wild Swans by Jung Chang Shepherdess of Elk River Valley by Margaret Duncan Brown