Another recent NY Times spotting: Tom Verlaine Was a Mystery. His Archives Reveal More of His Story. I spy an Eastern Tablet Paper King composition book (small Paper King spiral notebooks were my favorites when I was a kid), and a small Pen-Tab spiral notebook (with yellow and black tape covering most of the spiral), … Continue reading Tom Verlaine’s Notebooks
Louise Carmen notebooks were featured in the New York Times recently. The article is dated Jan. 16, 2026, so I expected to see it in the print edition’s Sunday Styles section, but as of this writing, it seems to have appeared online only: A New Coveted French Accessory The article talks about the brand’s social … Continue reading Louise Carmen Notebooks in the NY Times
Happy 2026! I can’t claim to have any major new notebook plans to report for this year: I’ll be sticking with the tried and true. But sometimes, even the tried and true changes a bit. This will be my 9th year of using a Nolty Efficiency Notebook. I’ve really gotten into a groove with Nolty’s … Continue reading 2026 Nolty Gold Planner Differences
This notebook made by Asia Pacific Offset was a gift, but not a holiday gift. I received it in a roundabout way, with a sample book I needed for my job. Though I sometimes get free notebooks as samples, I can’t remember the last time I got a promotional notebook from my day job. It … Continue reading Promotional Notebook from Asia Pacific Offset
I don’t think I’ve ever written about this notebook, which is a surprise. I fell hard for the Nava Memoria 1992 diary the minute I saw it. It was sold in a store I was working at then, and since I had just been promoted, I made the case that I needed this diary to … Continue reading New Year, Old Planner: Nava Memoria 1992
Another reader has gotten in touch with a burning question, something I hadn’t really thought about much. Stephen asks: What are the optimal use cases for a notepad, as opposed to a notebook? I use Rhodia A4 and A5 Bloc pads all the time at my desk, ruled with that great ivory FP-friendly paper; and … Continue reading How to Use a Notepad
Orhan Pamuk’s Memories of Distant Mountains was published last year. I bought a copy right away but it’s taken me a while to review it! I wrote about Pamuk once before, quoting a passage from one of his books where he talks about his grandmother keeping notebooks that she wrote in every day. He must … Continue reading Orhan Pamuk’s Notebooks
This notebook was a fun eBay find– so retro, with a kind of sexy-ugly vibe. Often I see things like this and just admire them without buying, but for some reason, I had to have this one, even though lots of things about it don’t fit my usual notebook preferences. The size is about 6-1/2 … Continue reading Vintage Looseleaf Notebook from Woolworth
I sometimes shudder at the idea of old notebooks being altered in any way, but I came across a book that captures what I think is an interesting and beautiful use of old books and journals. Photographer Francesca Woodman bought various old books, notebooks and exercise books at flea markets in Italy in the 1970s. … Continue reading Francesca Woodman’s Artist’s Books
I forget how I came across this Leitz notebook on Amazon— I might have seen the brand mentioned somewhere else, or maybe it was just some algorithmic recommendation. Whatever it was, it intrigued me enough to spend $19.30 plus tax to try one out! This notebook is made in China but Leitz is a German … Continue reading Leitz Premium Notebook Review
