Pagkatapos ng ABNKKBSNPLAko?!

, Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga

Pilipino?, Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas, at Alamat ng Gubat, ipinagpapatuloy
ni Bob Ong sa librong ito ang kanyang ikalimang pagkakamaliang magk!"nto
tungkol sa sarili n#yang mga libro, bagay na di ginaga!a ng mga matitinong
manunulat$ %to ang Stainl"ss Longganisa, mga k!"nto ng nagtata"ng ballp"n sa
ka&alaga&an ng pagbabasa, pagabot ng mga pangarap, at at tamang praan nG
pagsususlat,



Good r"ad"rs, r"ading 'or blood, kno! &o! mu(& it &"lps to r"ad arm"d
!it& a p"n(il$
Mr$ Adl"r t"lls &o!, !&"n, and !&y to us" on"$
)ou kno! you &a*" to r"ad +b"t!""n t&" lin"s+ to g"t t&" most out o'
anyt&ing$ % !ant to p"rsuad" you to do som"t&ing ",ually important in t&"
(ours" o' your r"ading$ % !ant to p"rsuad" you to +!rit" b"t!""n t&" lin"s$+
-nl"ss you do, you ar" not lik"ly to do t&" most "''i(i"nt kind o' r"ading$
% (ont"nd, ,uit" bluntly, t&at marking up a book is not an a(t o' mutilation
but o' lo*"$
)ou s&ouldn#t mark up a book t&at isn#t yours$ Librarians .or your 'ri"nds/
!&o l"nd you books "0p"(t you to k""p t&"m (l"an, and you s&ould$ %' you
d"(id" t&at % am rig&t about t&" us"'uln"ss o' marking books, you !ill &a*" to
buy t&"m$ Most o' t&" !orld#s gr"at books ar" a*ailabl" today, in r"print
"ditions, at l"ss t&an a dollar$
1&"r" ar" t!o !ays in !&i(& on" (an o!n a book$ 1&" 'irst is t&" prop"rty
rig&t you "stablis& by paying 'or it, 2ust as you pay 'or (lot&"s and 'urnitur"$
1&is a(t o' pur(&as" is only t&" pr"lud" to poss"ssion$ 3ull o!n"rs&ip (om"s
only !&"n you &a*" mad" it a part o' yours"l', and t&" b"st !ay to mak"
yours"l' a part o' it is by !riting in it$ An illustration may mak" t&" point (l"ar$
)ou buy a b""'st"ak and trans'"r it 'rom t&" most important s"ns" until you
(onsum" it into your bloodstr"am$ % am arguing t&at books, too, must b"
absorb"d in your bloodstr"am to do you any good$
4on'usion about !&at it m"ans to o!n a book l"ads p"opl" to a 'als"
r"*"r"n(" 'or a pap"r, binding, and typ"a r"sp"(t 'or t&" p&ysi(al t&ing t&at
it is possibl" 'or a man to a(,uir" t&" id"a, to poss"ss t&" b"auty, !&i(& a
gr"at book (ontains, !it&out staking &is (laim by pasting &is bookplat" insid"
t&" (o*"r$ Ha*ing a 'in" library do"sn#t pro*" t&at its o!n"r &as a mind
"nri(&"d by books5 it pro*"s not&ing mor" t&an t&at &", &is 'at&"r, or &is !i'",
!as ri(& "noug& to buy t&"m$
1&"r" ar" t&r"" kinds o' book o!n"rs$ 1&" 'irst &as all t&" standard s"ts and
b"sts"ll"rsunr"ad, untou(&"d$ .1&is d"lud"d indi*idual o!ns !ood pulp and
ink, not books$/ 1&" s"(ond &as a gr"at many booksa '"! o' t&"m r"ad
t&roug&, most o' t&"m dipp"d into, but all o' t&"m as (l"an and s&iny as t&"
day t&"y !"r" boug&t$ .1&is p"rson !ould probably lik" to mak" books &is o!n,
but is r"strain"d by a 'als" r"sp"(t 'or t&"ir p&ysi(al app"aran("$/ 1&" t&ird
&as a '"! books or many"*"ry on" o' t&"m dog"ar"d and dilapidat"d, s&ak"n
and loos"n"d by (ontinual us", mark"d and s(ribbl"d in 'rom 'ront to ba(k$
.1&is man o!ns books$/
%s it 'als" r"sp"(t, you may ask, to pr"s"r*" inta(t and unbl"mis&"d a
b"auti'ully print"d book, an "l"gantly bound "dition? O' (ours" not$ %#d no mor"
s(ribbl" all o*"r a 'irst "dition o' Paradis" Lost t&an %#d gi*" my baby a s"t o'
(rayons and an original 6"mbrandt! % !ouldn#t mark up a painting or a statu"$
%ts soul, so to sp"ak, is ins"parabl" 'rom its body$ And t&" b"auty o' a rar"
"dition or o' a ri(&ly manu'a(tur"d *olum" is lik" t&at o' a painting or a statu"$
But t&" soul o' a book (an b" s"parat"d 'rom its body$ A book is mor" lik"
t&" s(or" o' a pla(" o' musi( t&an it is lik" a painting$ No gr"at musi(ian
(on'us"s a symp&ony !it& t&" print"d s&""ts o' musi($ Arturo 1os(anini r"*"r"s
Bra&ms, but 1os(anini#s (or" o' t&" 4minor Symp&ony is so t&oroug&ly mark"d
up t&at no on" but t&" ma"stro &ims"l' (an r"ad it$ 1&" r"ason !&y a gr"at
(ondu(tor mak"s notations on &is musi(al s(or"smarks t&"m up again and
again "a(& tim" &" r"turns to study t&"mis t&" r"ason !&y you s&ould mark
your books$ %' your r"sp"(t 'or magni'i("nt binding or typograp&y g"ts in t&"
!ay, buy yours"l' a (&"ap "dition and pay your r"sp"(ts to t&" aut&or$
7&y is marking up a book indisp"nsabl" to r"ading? 3irst, it k""ps you
a!ak"$ .And % don#t m"an m"r"ly (ons(ious5 % m"an !id" a!ak"$/ %n t&" s"(ond
pla(", r"ading, i' it is a(ti*", is t&inking, and t&inking t"nds to "0pr"ss its"l' in
!ords, spok"n or !ritt"n$ 1&" mark"d book is usually t&" t&oug&tt&roug&
book$ 3inally, !riting &"lps you r"m"mb"r t&" t&oug&ts you &ad, or t&"
t&oug&ts t&" aut&or "0pr"ss"d$ L"t m" d"*"lop t&"s" t&r"" points$
%' r"ading is to a((omplis& anyt&ing mor" t&an passing tim", it must b"
a(ti*"$ )ou (an#t l"t your "y"s glid" a(ross t&" lin"s o' a book and (om" up
!it& an und"rstanding o' !&at you &a*" r"ad$ No! an ordinary pi"(" o' lig&t
'i(tion, lik" say, Gon" 7it& 1&" 7ind, do"sn#t r",uir" t&" most a(ti*" kind o'
r"ading$ 1&" books you r"ad 'or pl"asur" (an b" r"ad in a stat" o' r"la0ation
and not&ing is lost$ But a gr"at book ri(& in id"as and b"auty, a book t&at
rais"s and tri"s to ans!"r gr"at 'undam"ntal ,u"stions, d"mands t&" most
a(ti*" r"ading o' !&i(& you ar" (apabl"$ )ou don#t absorb t&" id"as o' 8o&n
9"!"y t&" !ay you absorb t&" (rooning o' Mr$ :all""$ )ou &a*" to r"a(& 'or
t&"m$ 1&at you (annot do !&il" you#r" asl""p$
%', !&"n you#*" 'inis&"d r"ading a book, t&" pag"s ar" 'ill"d !it& your
not"s, you kno! t&at you r"ad a(ti*"ly$ 1&" most 'amous a(ti*" r"ad"r o' gr"at
books % kno! is Pr"sid"nt Hut(&ins o' t&" -ni*"rsity o' 4&i(ago$ H" also &as t&"
&ard"st s(&"dul" o' busin"ss a(ti*iti"s o' any man % kno!$ H" in*ariably r"ads
!it& a p"n(il, and som"tim"s, !&"n &" pi(ks up a book and p"n(il in t&"
"*"ning, &" 'inds &ims"l', inst"ad o' making int"llig"nt not"s, dra!ing !&at &"
(alls +(a*iar 'a(tori"s+ on t&" margins$ 7&"n t&at &app"ns, &" puts t&" book
do!n$ H" kno!s &"#s too tir"d to r"ad, and &"#s 2ust !asting tim"$
But, you may ask, !&y is !riting n"("ssary? 7"ll, t&" p&ysi(al a(t o'
!riting, !it& your o!n &and, brings !ords and s"nt"n("s mor" s&arply b"'or"
your mind and pr"s"r*"s t&"m b"tt"r in your m"mory$ 1o s"t do!n your
r"a(tion to important !ords and s"nt"n("s you &a*" r"ad, and t&" ,u"stions
t&"y &a*" rais"d in your mind, is to pr"s"r*" t&os" r"a(tions and s&arp"n t&os"
,u"stions$
;*"n i' you !rot" on a s(rat(& pad, and t&r"! t&" pap"r a!ay !&"n you
&ad 'inis&"d !riting, your grasp o' t&" book !ould b" sur"r$ But you don#t &a*"
to t&ro! t&" pap"r a!ay$ 1&" margins .top and bottom, as !"ll as sid"/, t&"
"ndpap"rs, t&" *"ry spa(" b"t!""n t&" lin"s, ar" all a*ailabl"$ 1&"y ar"n#t
sa(r"d$ And, b"st o' all, your marks and not"s b"(om" an int"gral part o' t&"
book and stay t&"r" 'or"*"r$ )ou (an pi(k up t&" book t&" 'ollo!ing !""k or
y"ar, and t&"r" ar" all your points o' agr""m"nt, disagr""m"nt, doubt, and
in,uiry$ %t#s lik" r"suming an int"rrupt"d (on*"rsation !it& t&" ad*antag" o'
b"ing abl" to pi(k up !&"r" you l"'t o''$
And t&at is "0a(tly !&at r"ading a book s&ould b"< a (on*"rsation b"t!""n
you and t&" aut&or$ Pr"sumably &" kno!s mor" about t&" sub2"(t t&an you do5
naturally, you#ll &a*" t&" prop"r &umility as you approa(& &im$ But don#t l"t
anybody t"ll you t&at a r"ad"r is suppos"d to b" sol"ly on t&" r"("i*ing "nd$
-nd"rstanding is a t!o!ay op"ration5 l"arning do"sn#t (onsist in b"ing an
"mpty r"("pta(l"$ 1&" l"arn"r &as to ,u"stion &ims"l' and ,u"stion t&"
t"a(&"r$ H" "*"n &as to argu" !it& t&" t"a(&"r, on(" &" und"rstands !&at t&"
t"a(&"r is saying$ And marking a book is lit"rally an "0pr"ssion o' your
di''"r"n("s, or agr""m"nts o' opinion, !it& t&" aut&or$
1&"r" ar" all kinds o' d"*i("s 'or marking a book int"llig"ntly and 'ruit'ully$
H"r"#s t&" !ay % do it<
-nd"rlining< o' ma2or points, o' important or 'or("'ul stat"m"nts$

:"rti(al lin"s at t&" margin< to "mp&asi=" a stat"m"nt alr"ady
und"rlin"d$

Star, ast"risk, or ot&"r doodad at t&" margin< to b" us"d sparingly, to
"mp&asi=" t&" t"n or t!"nty most important stat"m"nts in t&" book$
.)ou may !ant to 'old t&" bottom (orn"r o' "a(& pag" on !&i(& you us"
su(& marks$ %t !on#t &urt t&" sturdy pap"r on !&i(& most mod"rn books
ar" print"d, and you !ill b" abl" to tak" t&" book o'' t&" s&"l' at any
tim" and, by op"ning it at t&" 'old"d(orn"r pag", r"'r"s& your
r"(oll"(tion o' t&" book$/

Numb"rs in t&" margin< to indi(at" t&" s",u"n(" o' points t&" aut&or
mak"s in d"*"loping a singl" argum"nt$

Numb"rs o' ot&"r pag"s in t&" margin< to indi(at" !&"r" "ls" in t&"
book t&" aut&or mad" points r"l"*ant to t&" point mark"d5 to ti" up t&"
id"as in a book !&i(&, t&oug& t&"y may b" s"parat"d by many pag"s,
b"long tog"t&"r$

4ir(ling o' k"y !ords or p&ras"s$

7riting in t&" margin, or at t&" top or bottom o' t&" pag" 'or t&" sak"
o'< r"(ording ,u"stions .and p"r&aps ans!"rs/ !&i(& a passag" rais"d in
your mind< r"du(ing a (ompli(at"d dis(ussion to a simpl" stat"m"nt5
r"(ording t&" s",u"n(" o' ma2or points rig&t t&roug& t&" books$ % us"
t&" "ndpap"rs at t&" ba(k o' t&" book to mak" a p"rsonal ind"0 o' t&"
aut&or#s points in t&" ord"r o' t&"ir app"aran("$

1&" 'ront "ndpap"rs ar", to m", t&" most important$ Som" p"opl"
r"s"r*" t&"m 'or a 'an(y bookplat"$ % r"s"r*" t&"m 'or 'an(y t&inking$
A't"r % &a*" 'inis&"d r"ading t&" book and making my p"rsonal ind"0 on
t&" ba(k "ndpap"rs, % turn to t&" 'ront and try to outlin" t&" book, not
pag" by pag", or point by point .%#*" alr"ady don" t&at at t&" ba(k/, but
as an int"grat"d stru(tur", !it& a basi( unity and an ord"r o' parts$ 1&is
outlin" is, to m", t&" m"asur" o' my und"rstanding o' t&" !ork$

%' you#r" a di"&ard antibookmark"r, you may ob2"(t t&at t&" margins,
t&" spa(" b"t!""n t&" lin"s, and t&" "ndpap"rs don>t gi*" you room
"noug&$ All rig&t$ Ho! about using a s(rat(& pad slig&tly small"r t&an
t&" pag" si=" o' a bookso t&at t&" "dg"s o' t&" s&""ts !on#t protrud"?
Mak" your ind"0, outlin"s, and "*"n your not"s on t&" pad, and t&"n
ins"rt t&"s" s&""ts p"rman"ntly insid" t&" 'ront and ba(k (o*"rs o' t&"
book$
Or, you may say t&at t&is busin"ss o' marking books is going to slo! up your
r"ading$ it probably !ill$ 1&at#s on" o' t&" r"asons 'or doing it$ Most o' us &a*"
b""n tak"n in by t&" notion t&at sp""d o' r"ading is a m"asur" o' our
int"llig"n("$ 1&"r" is no su(& t&ing as t&" rig&t sp""d 'or int"llig"nt r"ading$
Som" t&ings s&ould b" r"ad ,ui(kly and "''ortl"ssly, and som" s&ould b" r"ad
slo!ly and "*"n laboriously$ 1&" sign o' int"llig"n(" in r"ading is t&" ability to
r"ad di''"r"nt t&ings di''"r"ntly a((ording to t&"ir !ort&$ %n t&" (as" o' good
books, t&" point is not to s"" &o! many o' t&"m you (an g"t t&roug&, but
rat&"r &o! many (an g"t t&roug& you &o! many you (an mak" your o!n$ A
'"! 'ri"nds ar" b"tt"r t&an a t&ousand a(,uaintan("s$ %' t&is b" your aim, as it
s&ould b", you !ill not b" impati"nt i' it tak"s mor" tim" and "''ort to r"ad a
gr"at book t&an it do"s a n"!spap"r$
)ou may &a*" on" 'inal ob2"(tion to marking books$ )ou (an#t l"nd t&"m to
your 'ri"nds b"(aus" nobody "ls" (an r"ad t&"m !it&out b"ing distra(t"d by
your not"s$ 3urt&"rmor", you !on#t !ant to l"nd t&"m b"(aus" a mark"d (opy
is a kind o' int"ll"(tual diary, and l"nding it is almost lik" gi*ing your mind
a!ay$
%' your 'ri"nd !is&"s to r"ad your Plutar(&#s Li*"s, S&ak"sp"ar", or 1&"
3"d"ralist Pap"rs, t"ll &im g"ntly but 'irmly to buy a (opy$ )ou !ill l"nd &im
your (ar or your (oat but your books ar" as mu(& a part o' you as your &"ad
or your &"art$
3rom Mortim"r 8$ Adl"r#s Ho! to Lo*" a Book .?@AB/$


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