The Origin Story of The Notebook

The Notebook: A History of Thinking On Paper by Roland Allen (2024), Book Review

I cannot, for the life of me, remember where I came across this book. It was either on social media (likely Threads) or in reference while reading a different book. Either way, I adored it. A rich history into the origins of the notebook, with an added bonus of insight into the human brain and why notetaking is, indeed, so effective.

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So Many Notes

I made copious amounts of notes. I had to tape additional sheets of paper into my journal. However, that was mostly due to having just enough spreads left for the remainder of the year and not wanting to carry December over to a new journal. I also made plenty of notes because I read it as an eBook through Hoopla, an online library borrowing app. Knowing I only had the book for 21 days, I went in expecting to write more notes than usual.

Also, I find it funny that I read a book titled The Notebook on a digital device. I will say, that if I ever come across it in a store, and I have the money to do so, I am scooping it up. I loved everything about it.

A Brief History of Paper