Book Review: “The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper”

I’ve been looking forward to reading Roland Allen’s book “The Notebook” ever since I first heard about it. I mean, a book about the history of the notebook, what’s not to like? And yet, when I looked at the table of contents and started flipping through the book, I wondered if I would find it disappointing. So much of the history seemed to date back to earlier centuries and I wasn’t sure how interested I would be in the parts covering, say, the invention of accounting in the year 1299.

But I was so wrong! The invention of accounting turned out to be really interesting, because Roland Allen is a great storyteller who knows how to bring history to life. I ended up being completely fascinated and entertained by the way he recounts the history of how and why people started keeping notes and how the notebook developed as a physical object, from wax tablets written on with styli, to papyrus and parchment, to the arrival of paper, whose lower cost made it more widely accessible.

The early chapters of the book take us through the gradual adoption and popularization of notetaking on paper, from financial record-keeping, to household use. You may think you already know some of this story, but this book makes it feel fresh and new. For instance, I’d read about the concept of a zibaldone before, but I learned so much more about them here– more than just a commonplace book, a zibaldone was sort of like a cross between Pinterest and Facebook bound into a book, as these highly personal collections of family history, handy information, quotations, and jokes would be passed along in families and showed to friends, who might then copy a favorite item into their own zibaldone. They were recreational, kept for fun, unlike commonplace books, which tended to be more systematic and organized, and used as a substitute for memorization.

notebook history of thinking on paper illustration
My dog-eared, marked-up copy!

The Notebook goes on to trace many other uses of notebooks, from ships’ logs to scientific observation and cataloging nature, sketching, friendship albums and autograph books, and more. The history brings us right to the present day, covering the genesis of the Moleskine brand and the Bullet Journal method. Allen concludes with some really eye-opening observations about the notebook as a “cognitive technology,” arguing that a notebook becomes an extension of our minds. Using a notebook can actually change our brains.

If I have to quibble with anything about this book, it’s just that I wished there was MORE of it! I would have liked to see more information about how notebooks were used in cultures outside Europe and North America, and more attention to specific physical forms and brands of notebooks. Other than Moleskine and Letts diaries, the book mostly focuses on how people used their notebooks rather than why they chose particular designs or makers. Filofax is mentioned as a mere footnote, which seems like a big omission. I would also have liked to read more about how children use notebooks, and more about notebooks as a commercial product. The book also lacks a bibilography, though there are lots of references to sources in the endnotes. (This blog was cited!)

So yes, it would have been great if The Notebook was an even more comprehensive history. But hey, I’ve been blogging about notebooks for over 16 years and still haven’t run out of things to say, so I can understand that you can’t always fit everything into a book– at least not a reasonably sized book that most people would be willing to buy and read. Maybe he left enough material on the cutting room floor for a volume 2! But nevertheless, as it is, The Notebook is a hugely satisfying and enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it.

the notebook roland allen

4 thoughts on “Book Review: “The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper””

  1. It’s on my hold list at the library! And how cool for your unique blog to be cited, as well it should be!

  2. We just chose this as our Book Club book so I’m glad to hear your perspective and excited to start reading it.

  3. Your review prompted me to buy a copy, but I am somewhat ashamed to say I went for the ebook instead of paper.

  4. Thanks for the review Nifty! So glad you liked the book.

    Filofax… nearly didn’t make it at all! They had completely slipped under my radar until very near the end of the process – then my editor said ‘Filofax deserve a footnote, don’t they…?’ Which is why it is, indeed, a footnote (albeit a long one).

    Anyway really glad to read this. Thanks again and keep up the good work.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.