Similar to a writing journal, a reading journal is a personal account of books you've read with or without notes and comments.
I started keeping a reading journal several years ago after reading about a local high school challenge for the students to read at least 100 books a year. I read a lot and I was curious to see just how many books I read in a year. (Believe me, 100 books is a challenge; only one year in five have I reached that number.)
What is a Reading Journal?
A reading journal can be as simple as a list of books you've read or a detailed personal analysis of what you liked (and didn't like about the book). Blank journal books are easy to find at bookstores of online retailers. They also frequently find their way to the remainder tables at major book retailers, such as Barnes and Noble.
Why a Reading Journal?
Keeping a Reading Journal has several advantages
- Reference. A journal is a quick reference of what you've read and helpful in avoiding buying the same book twice. (Yes, I've done this more times than I care to admit.)
- Reminder. Browsing through your reading journal is also a nice way to relive some of your favorite books and remind yourself of the ones you'd like to read again. (Yes, I re-read books frequently. You watch movies twice, don't you?)
- Learning Tool. If you take notes on a book in your journal, it helps to solidify your feelings about the book as well as act as a tool for finding similar books or books by favorite authors for future reading.
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