/lit/ - Literature

Brainlet here,

I'm trying do develop a better understanding and appreciation of literature, but before I start reading the Greeks, I wanted some input on a few things:

1.) Annotating books: Feels really awkward and distracting to me, and usually end up repeating what's on the page or underlining every other sentence. Does this actually help anybody? What's your system?

2.) Secondary sources: How important is it to read essays on books (à la Norton Critical Editions) to gain a fuller understanding? Or what about other books on books, like Adler's How to Read a Book or Gardner's The Art of Fiction?

3.) Bad memory: I feel like I forget the details of any book I read, no matter how much I enjoyed it, 3 or 4 months after the fact. Anybody else have the same problem?