How to Read a Book: the classic guide to intelligent reading

by Mortimer J. Adler

Here are some devices that can be used: 1. UNDERLINING—of major points; of important or forceful statements. 2. VERTICAL LINES AT THE MARGIN—to emphasize a statement already underlined or to point to a passage too long to be underlined. 3. STAR, ASTERISK, OR OTHER DOODAD AT THE MARGIN—to be used sparingly, to emphasize the ten or dozen most important statements or passages in the book. You may want to fold a corner of each page on which you make such marks or place a slip of paper between the pages. In either case, you will be able to take the book off the shelf at any time and, by opening it to the indicated page, refresh your recollection. 4. NUMBERS IN THE MARGIN—to indicate a sequence of points made by the author in developing an argument. 5. NUMBERS OF OTHER PAGES IN THE MARGIN—to indicate where else in the book the author makes the same points, or points relevant to or in contradiction of those here marked; to tie up the ideas in a book, which, though they may be separated by many pages, belong together. Many readers use the symbol

Interestiny in ebooks we have only highlights and notes. But tbat is usually good ebough. Notes are slow to type though and it makes a cognitive barier to overcome