Have you heard of commonplace journals? Find out why they are essential to my summer reading list.
I shared last week about the books I hope to read this summer. I need to break out of the only-reading-half-a-book cycle, and I’m hoping to regain some mental stamina after what seems like a couple years of bad habits and mommy brain.
You can check out my summer reading list here, and find a handful of other books I consider to be some of the best I’ve ever read at the bottom of this post. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite as well.
Along with working through my reading list while we are at the park or during the many nursing sessions in my day, I am also going to keep a commonplace journal. Which is basically a nice way of saying that I will be writing down the most notable parts of the books in a dedicated journal for future reference.
It would be easier, of course, to just read the books and be done. And I’m sure I would retain a fair amount of what I’ve read. But I also know that a lot of my reading time is distracted. Actually, almost all of my reading time is distracted. If not by my kids, then by my own mind.
So a commonplace journal it is.
The how of keeping a commonplace journal ::
Of course, the first step is to read. Then as you read, mark passages and lines you want to remember. Dog-ear the pages, underline, stick on a post-it– whatever you need to do so that you will be able to return and find what you want to record in your journal.
A commonplace journal is intended for more than listing facts and information. It’s not merely a book of lists. The purpose is to record those things which will add to the wisdom, beauty, and understanding in your life.
You can divide your journal into sections according to the books you are reading or according to general topics. Or you can simply write everything down in order as you find it. Your choice.
Keep up with it so it does not become overwhelming to add to, and most importantly, enjoy the process.
{Read more about the history and process of commonplace journals here.}
The why of keeping a commonplace journal ::
More focused reading. Keeping a journal of key ideas and parts from a book will encourage better attention while reading. Discerning which ideas are worth recording means more interaction with the text.
More retention after you finish. Writing things down helps you remember them better. Taking notes during a sermon or lecture, jotting down a list, and keeping a commonplace journal will lead to a better memory of what you have read.
More accessibility to important ideas. Whether you are in a book club or chatting with a friend or wanting to reference a particular part of a book, having a central place to look will make it easier to find what you are looking for.
More building a reader’s heritage. I have journals from high school, college, and early marriage in which I recorded quotes, hymns, and excerpts from the books I was reading at the time. It’s a wonderful reminder of what I was learning at the time. Include a date on a commonplace journal and it becomes a memento of your journey.
Need a book? These are some of my favorites…
Parenting Gold:
Loving the Little Years & Fit to Burst :: Rachel Jankovic
Mission of Motherhood :: Sally Clarkson
For the Children’s Sake :: Susan Schaeffer Macauley
Making a Home:
The Nesting Place :: Myquillin
Shopping for Time :: Carolyn Mahaney
Organized Simplicity :: Tsh Oxenreider
Christian Life:
Cost of Discipleship :: Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Passion and Purity :: Elizabeth Elliot
The Gospel Primer :: Milton Vincent
Happy reading!
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