Annotating Books - Blog Posts

Someone please explain to me why I'm putting so much effort into a book I hate

Are you REALLY a chaotic academic if your annotations arent silly and goofy

Exampes below

*"Days at the Morisaki Bookshop"* by Satoshi Yagisawa is a deeply touching novel set in the heart of Tokyo’s Jimbocho district, a place where the streets are lined with countless secondhand bookshops, each holding a world of stories within their worn pages.

The novel follows Takako, a young woman whose life has been shattered by heartbreak and a sense of aimlessness. She’s lost, struggling to find meaning in a world that suddenly feels cold and uninviting. In the midst of her despair, her uncle Satoru offers her a lifeline: a place to stay at his humble, slightly dusty, yet incredibly warm bookshop, Morisaki.

Reluctant and emotionally numb, Takako accepts, thinking of it as just a temporary escape. But as the days turn into weeks, the quiet charm of Morisaki begins to work its magic. The smell of old books, the gentle hum of the shop, and the steady rhythm of its regular customers start to seep into her soul. Slowly, the weight on her heart begins to lift.

In the comforting embrace of the bookshop, Takako starts to rediscover parts of herself she thought were lost forever. The stories within the books she reads mirror her own journey, and she begins to find solace in the written word. The simplicity of life at Morisaki, coupled with the warmth of her uncle’s presence and the small but meaningful connections she forms with others, helps her heal.

"Days at the Morisaki Bookshop" is more than just a story of personal renewal. It’s a poignant reminder of the quiet, healing power of books, the importance of community, and the way small, everyday moments can slowly stitch a broken heart back together. It’s a story that resonates deeply with anyone who has ever found refuge in a book or a place that feels like home.

i don't think there's anything more human than annotating a book. you have a physical copy of thousands upon thousands of words- words that are meaningless, unless put together in the perfect way- and within those meaningless words, you find the meaning. you find what you're meant to find, and you make note of it. you make note of it so, when you come back, you're filled with that emotion. that lovely feeling, that heartbreak, that pain and sadness and anger and laughter and suddenly it isn't just a physical copy of thousands upon thousands of words. it's more like home.

and don't get me started on how it feels to see other people's annotations. seeing the thoughts and feelings of other people, splayed right there on the page; it's a window, isn't it? it's a way to see what they're processing. what sticks out to them, what makes them feel, what makes them tick. is there anything more human than that, seeing a person's heart and soul with your own eyes, among a physical copy of thousands upon thousands of words? they take in these words and, in return, give the physical copy something of themselves. and i think that's absolutely breathtaking.

THOUGHTS ON:

,,THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY"

Yeah, that's it.

It's very gay.

And I enjoyed it.

Maybe It would even look slightly aesthetic if it wasn't taken on android

Annotating your work 

Annotation means writing key information alongside your work. It can help to record your thoughts, keep your development on track and let others know what you have done and why.

Annotations can be added to artwork using a variety of formats:

Writing them next to work produced in a sketchbook

Writing on the back of the work – take care not to spoil the work by doing this

Writing them on separate presentation sheets

Creating a blog - taking photographs of the work at different stages and tagging the images with comments

Posting work on social media and adding comments