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Moleskine Small Ruled Notebookx$8.99
  (46 reviews)
Best Price: $8.99
This long-standing tradition was continued by writer-traveller Bruce Chatwin who used to buy his moleskines at an old Paris stationery shop in Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie where he would always stock up before embarking on one of his journeys. Over the years he had developed a veritable ritual. Before using them he would in fact number the pages, writing on the inside his name and at least two addresses across the world, and a message promising a reward for anyone finding and returning the notebook in case of it being lost. He even suggested this method to his friend Luis Sepúlveda, when he gave him a precious moleskine as a present for a journey they were planning to undertake together in Patagonia. And there was no doubt as to how precious it was, given that at the time even the last moleskine manufacturer, a small family-run firm of Tours, had discontinued production in 1986. 'Le vrai moleskine n'est plus' was the short and curt statement of the owner of the stationery shop where Chatwin had ordered one hundred before leaving for Australia. Despite having literally swept up all the Moleskines he could find, they were not enough. Now, the moleskine is back again. This silent and discreet keeper of an extraordinary tradition, which has been missing for years, has set out again on its journey. A witness to contemporary nomadism, it can once again pass from one pocket to another to continue the adventure. The sequel still waits to be written and its blank pages are ready to tell the story.
MPN: MB710 - UPC: 844087000139
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Customer Reviews
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Legendary deception
By ATG9HARTWGD8Q on 2005-04-16
The notebook, made by Modo & Modo, a firm created in the 1990's, is fine overall. But the paper quality could be higher-I can clearly see the writing on the other side, no matter what pen I use. I find the elastic band unnecessary and an annoyance upon closing the notebook. The binding and cover are sturdy though. So overall, it's a fine notebook, but nothing exceptional, and thus overpriced. There are other notebooks of similar format with equal or superior quality.
So my friend's enthusiasm for it perplexed me. To hear him, the "notebook" had just been invented; a new tool was available. As if no one had used a notebook before. I soon discovered the trigger for this attitude was the proclaimed "legendary" character of the notebook, with past users apparently including Hemingway, Picasso, Matisse, Van Gogh, and others. The thought of using the same notebook as such intellectual giants was exciting to him, and unconsciously made him unduly pleased with his notebook.
This claim perplexed me, as years ago I saw Picasso and Hemingway notebooks, and my recollection of them was different. Hemingway was well-known for writing on notepads or in "blue French notebooks" and you can find several references to this on the Internet. On the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum web site, you can also see a picture of Hemingway's notebooks, which look just the way I remembered them, and nothing like the Moleskine notebook.
Another claim by Modo and Modo is appearances by its notebooks in various movies. It claims the Grail Diary in "Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade" is a Moleskine. In fact, the diary is a prop made for the movie. You can see pictures and descriptions of it on the Indygear Web site. It has a soft, brown leather cover. The elastic band is loose, sometimes used horizontally, sometimes vertically. So the diary has nothing in common with a Moleskine.
The Modo & Modo claim of legendary history is thus deceptive. Their trademark of the word moleskine is also suspicious. Years ago, many notebooks had an oilcloth, moleskine cover, then the cheaper alternative to leather for a durable cover. These notebooks were not superior to what we have today; it was just what was available then. But there are many instances of people in the past, famous or not, using a moleskine-covered notebook. The trademark is a clear intention to be the exclusive beneficiary of this history. It's akin to getting a trademark on the word "leather", making notebooks, and claiming that anyone who used leather-covered notebooks used yours.
Modo & Modo is evidently using a deceitful, manipulative marketing campaign that plays on people's desire to have something in common with the legends. It claims a legendary history to get people unduly excited and affectionate of its notebook, promote sales, and command a higher price. Falling for this deception is certainly not the way to join the intellectual elite.
INDISPENSIBLE...
By A341BG8RMH8QW on 2005-03-23
My Electric Blue Fisher Bullet and my Moleskine Notebook: two tools that never leave my presence. As one reviewer has already said, I too hope to be buried with my Moleskine in my back pocket. How to review something you live in?
My brother gave me one of these notebooks as a Christmas present two years ago. I have gone through several since. One accompanied me to Yellowstone; another keeps all my notes on the small group of kids I work with at Church (it is the Orange Van Gogh edition--since we are the "Orange Group").
I cannot say enough in praise of these little notebooks. They are tough and durable. They are the perfect size as far as I am concerned and (except for the Van Gogh editions) come with the ever-useful ribbon marker.
Moleskine Notebooks get my highest recommendation. Get one today!
I'm starting to believe...
By A3AUL23GMCOP2A on 2006-07-04
I first encountered Moleskine notebooks in a bookstore in London this spring, and what lodged in my memory was their marketing claim to be "the legendary notebook of Hemingway," et cetera. I have since learned from various sources that those claims may be a touch exaggerated. But now that I own one myself and am starting to make daily use of it, I'm beginning to see, at least, why Moleskine notebooks have so many fans.
For more than ten years, I've used a calendar/day planner/all-your-information-in-one-place system that isn't just a notebook but has an entire philosophy about how you're supposed to live your life tied into it. I never bought into that aspect of the company, but have grown used to having one reference containing all that stuff between two covers, and with a place for a pen besides. Going from that to a Moleskine, with its one small pocket in the back and no place to put a writing instrument, is definitely a switch. It's the part of the change I'm least sure about. On the other hand, the Moleskine definitely wins for portability, ease of use, style, and handiness-to-have-around in case of brainstorms.
So I'm still not completely sold that this is the best of all possible notebooks. But it's definitely a good one, and I do appreciate both the attractiveness of the design and the quality of the construction. Sure, you can get a serviceable notebook for about a tenth of the price, and a whole "lifestyle system," updated annually, for quite a bit more. It's all a matter of taste, and my taste is starting to run in this direction.
retire your PDA!
By AF9NBFWG2IN9J on 2005-01-15
I have always scoured the blank journals, diaries, notebooks, etc. for just the "right one", and after many that did suffice very well for their purpose -- I never leave home without my Moleskine. My Palm Pilot has been completely relegated to being nothing more than an electronic pocket map if I am traveling to some new place. Once again, all of my "data" is handwritten. These little notebooks each in their turn have been my "portable brain", and you really have to make a keen effort to fill them up because the pages go on and on. Grocery lists, phone numbers, addresses, mid-transit reminders of what I need to journal when I return home, journal entries when I am traveling, ISBN's of books to put on my wish list, business cards in the back pocket, etc. Less than a month after I purchased my first pocket Moleskine, I purchased a large one to replace my daily journal.
Don't let the smooth cover fool you. These little buggers can handle a serious beating. Mine get thrown in my purse, in coat pockets, jammed in my laptop case, tossed around the car, and plenty else without getting damaged. One sturdy little elastic strap keeps it all in good order and the pages are stitched rather than glued, so you have to consciously tear them out because they'll never fall out on their own.
Retire your PDA. Buy a Moleskine. (or three)
So far indestructible
By A1OUQN3PS2754L on 2006-05-26
I beat the hell out of everything I own. My PDA which this has partially replaced has an aluminum hardshell case and a metal body. I have broken just every watch I have ever owned (and I have/had a few excellent watches). I am naturally hard on things due to my focus on life not on my gear. This little notebook has kept itself together so far, while looking very hip.
I am a software engineer/project manager and am cognisant of my technological options, this is just faster, lighter and thinner than my PDA for scribbling notes. I am never without it in the office.
The back folio pocket and the elastic strap looked dumb when I first bought it. However, I use the folio pocket for receipts to be reimmbursed (better than leaving them in a pocket to be washed or thrown out)and the elastic strap serves double duty as a second bookmark and to keep the notebook together (keeping it closed helps it survive).
I like the construction and archival quality of the book. My notes look more like those of a disorganized madman than a manager (I am starting to wonder if they are synonomous) but if I ever have to refer back to them I can be assured that they will be there for a long time.
It only received 4 stars because they are [...] a piece and at my current scrawling rate, I will probably need about 4 or 5 a year. Just get your company to pay for it if you can, because they are notebooks that you can rely on to be there for a long while.
Lastly: For the person who likes their Montblanc notebook with tear out pages, they are partially missing the point. These books are for archiving and keeping records (of questionable usefulness in my case) not for making quick throw away notes. I also highly doubt that their notebook is as thin as one of these is either. Each have their own place.
- Very useful, but not as durable as many are saying.
By A1TLHSAT034TLM on 2005-08-28
I have just one thing to say about my Moleskine nootbook that isn't praise. It's really not as durable as it seems. The spine of the book has a tendency to separate from the pages, right where the cover and the first page are glued together. Don't carry 'em in your pockets or they will be destroyed.
- Ignore the hype
By A3U9UX5KXHMBNP on 2006-11-07
The paper used can be frustratingly inconsistent. Sometimes they bleed through easily making them hard to read. Its only pencil and ballpens friendly. Gel pens sometimes bleed. If you are a fountain pen lover, make sure you use extra-fine nibs and dilute the ink with water if neccessary. Better still get a fountain pen friendly journal. Moleskines people tells you that their paper are made thin for easy carry. This is a half-truth as they have been having poor quality controls lately. Wait until the current stock clears and buy single piece each time. Otherwise they are perfect.
- doesn't work with fountain pens
By A2YK9MKRC2YGAK on 2005-01-26
I love the binding, but the strangely sealed cardstock paper of these journals does not play well with fountain pens. Beware!
- Will buy another!
By AMWS9VO3PZG5F on 2006-07-01
I bought the 3.5 x 5.5 ruled pocket version. By my standards, the best notebook I've ever used. The perfect size for my jacket or pocket. Acid free paper for long-term archival storage of my notes. Good to use an acid free ink for even longer storage (gel ink pens do not work well with the Moleskine's paper though). Looks professional, and I get a lot of nice comments about it. Much easier to use than turning on my PDA and slowly typing in notes with my thumbs. I also really like the fact that it will open completely flat on a table for easier note writing and reading. When this one is full, I plan to buy another. Price is higher than most, but with this Moleskine, you pay for the quality.
- A perfectly adequate notebook line; nothing special.
By A3PK4A23OCOHOS on 2006-08-10
After reading about Moleskine notebooks for several months I eagerly bought a three-pack at a local bookstore. First of all, I was disappointed to see, after unwrapping the set, what appeared to be acid burns or some other imperfection on the covers. After using one, I couldn't understand what the big deal was. In my opinion, there are many notebooks that are just as good as if not better than Moleskine. Most are comparable in price. I used to like the similarly priced brands made by French companies, apparently for students, for example, Clairefontane. In addition, the covers of my Moleskines are not particularly sturdy, so after I transfer my notes, I'll probably throw my grungy-looking notebooks in the trash. "Legendary" indeed.
- Great Little Notebook, But Overpriced
By A29L3RMRY5GDPO on 2006-02-09
This is a great notebook, but I agree with the other reviewer that it is a bit overpriced. IMHO, a fair price would be around $5-$7.
That having been said, my hobby is creative writing and I carry it around with me in case I come up with an idea and need to jot it down. I also take it with me to my writing critique group.
A regular mini-notebook would probably work just as well, but it wouldn't be as cool.
- Not good
By AAP7PPBU72QFM on 2006-02-21
Pages not numbered, strap is cheesy in quality. I much prefer my refillable Montblanc leather notepad, pages tear oout easily or can stay in.
- A successful memory is not having to use it
By A1G2FZWVNQ30NG on 2005-04-23
I've been carrying it with me in addition to a nice pen, and have been writing down a lot of my thoughts, ideas, and reminders as I go about my day.
I've noticed two huge benefits to this:
1) I don't have to worry about forgetting things. For many years now I've been way too trusting of my faulty memory, which has failed me time and again. You know what I'm talking about. You think of something, an idea or a task you need to do and you think "Oh, I'm sure to remember it!" But then you forget, only to remember again later in frustration, usually when it's staring you in the face, past due, or the other usual consequences of procrastination.
2) Once I write something down in my pad, it's a relief. I don't have to think about it anymore. I don't have to remember it, because the notepad has it nice and safe for me. This allows me to keep going through my day without distraction. I'm one of those obsessive people who will turn an idea or thought over in my mind all day if I allow myself. Writing things down in a notepad clears the slate.
A little rant on the types of notepads out there, and why I chose the moleskine. We've all seen those awesomely cheap 'journals' and blank books in the clearance section of places like Borders and Barnes & Noble. I've bought a few of them. But they're usually big, bulky, and not easy to carry. Limiting the space to a 3x5 means you only have room to fit the core ideas down, nothing else. It also means that you can fill the page to your heart's content without going overboard. It's just the right space to remember or convey your ideas!
- Quality
By A3RQWOKHJJEQ6Y on 2005-07-15
Paper can withstand even fountain pen ink without bleeding, the binding is excellent, it lies flat, great little wrap-around elastic to keep your place, a hidden pocket inside the back cover to keep miscellaneous ticket stubs, notes, papers. It is like having a mini-brief case all in one and it can slip into your pocket quite easily. You will appreciate it so much you will have a hard time deciding what to dedicate it to and actually begin to write in it.
- i bought 10 of these, so i know i won't run out for next 10 yrs
By ABFOAYZA2UHD3 on 2006-01-05
indispensable. perfect. best thing that ever happened to me. perfect size, fits in jeans back pocket, if it has to. doesn't "crash" on you, ever. durable. sylish. compact. perfect line width for scribbling little notes. i love this lil notebook to death! and i work for a wirless application service provider, on mobtech cutting edge! forget cutting edge. this little notebook is PERFECT.
- Love it
By A140OV81QSISZH on 2006-06-08
Love love love the moleskin notebooks in every size. So cool looking and just get cooler as they get beat up. My favorite size is the small one because I can carry it around in my bag so that I can scribble down any random thoughts throughout the day. One of my unexpectedly best purchases!!
- Great tool but choose your writing instrument carefully...
By A2CKVM84FW73A3 on 2005-03-04
The notebooks themselves are great but one must be careful of the writing instrument chosen for writing in the book. Along with fountain pens, gel pens do not take well to the paper.
- Very Functional
By A28HQDUE9R846F on 2005-08-05
Don't know if Hemingway actually used this notebook or not....don't really care. It works great for me.
Functional - durable - unique. The hard shell and the fact that they open up nice and flat so you can use the front and back of each sheet without awkwardness is very nice. Million times better than a ring binder or those tightly bound journals that don't give you clean access to the whole sheet. Quality paper too. Like others have said this has replaced my PDA, and I'm a gadget freak so that is saying something.
Over-priced? Probably....but what isn't these days? I have pocket sized and large sized Moleskines and did not have to pay what they sell for here. They are still expensive but for me it has been worth it.
They make excellent gifts. Everyone I have given them to really like them and put them to use.
- Pretty good
By A3I7N315AN3Q9M on 2006-02-21
This notebook is pretty gentlemanly and, exudes a feeling of permanence. It summons the 19th century ambience of the original Moleskine, and is an item reminiscent of pre-industrial production. It is nice, sturdy and simple looking. There is a back pocket for carrying note cards, scraps of paper, etc. It is good for taking brief notes and carrying around in a bag of any given size. If you are looking for a notebook to carry in the pockets of your pants, you would be better off with Moleskine cahier notebooks, or if you need something for more long winded note-taking, the larger Moleskines might be the better option. It is, however, a pity that such a simple looking and functional notebook comes at this price.
At any rate, it is a very high quality notebook : well bound in black leather-like material, made of good ivory paper that stands up to ink.
- You pay extra for quality. Bookmark on notebook, not reporter
By A2OZ5FE4XOXTE1 on 2006-09-16
At first I thought it difficult to justify the added expense for paper, but you do get good quality. One reviewer comments on stains; but after buying and using 5 or 6 different moleskines, I have to believe that was an exception that would have been replaced.
I like the Reporter Style for writing quickly or with limited space, but I like the bookmark that is on the standard notebooks.
- Sometimes smaller is better
By A3HXJ3FAM3DAM3 on 2007-07-12
I am a huge Moleskine fan and user, but I actually ordered this size of Moleskine by mistake and decided to keep it in my car. What a great idea! I still use a larger size for my daily journal, but this one is perfect for the between-seat bin in my car. I record lists, reminders, phone numbers, mileage, ideas...just about anything when I don't have my regular Moleskin with me. When I want to take a Moleskine that fits in my pocket, this one fits perfectly.
There is no other journal or "diary" that matches Moleskine in quality, design and value.
- To India and Back
By A3HZUEECN9DROD on 2008-03-16
I diligently tried to go digital with a few different PDA's including my Blackberry, but I kept coming back to pen and paper. Paper doesn't "crash", it can't be hacked, copied or get infected with a virus. I filled a few "Black and Red" brand notebooks, and while they are high quality they are a little big (8.5 x 11).
This one is small enough that I can put it in my back pocket (jeans or dress pants). The spine has a little give even though its a hard cover and I can sit on it and it isn't too uncomfortable... your butt gets used to it. Very durable. I use it for all my my notes at work (I'm an executive at a fortune 200 company), and the little pocket in the back cover is perfect for business cards. All of my business notes are in the front and I start from the back for personal lists and notes that I want to keep. That way, no matter where I am, I've got my personal and business stuff handy.
I've filled three of them so for. On my last one, the spine split during a three week trip to India, but none of the pages fell out. It took a pretty good beating and it even accompanied me on an elephant ride. A few people made comments that you can't use gel type ink pens because the ink smears when you close the book. Didn't find that to be much of a problem.
I'll never go back to a full size notebook and I'm hooked on this durable little guy!
- Never leave home without it.
By A1UIYHGALHJR4I on 2005-04-23
I love this notebook. I've dealt with all other kinds of pocket notebooks, all of which fold, deform, get pages easily folded over and ripped out and stained. The Moleskine is an elegant little solution that protects itself with a thin, unobtrusive cover and a small elastic strap which has avoided every other problem that's plagued previous notebooks.
On top of that, it has a small pocket in the back to hold business cards and such in, and a small cloth page marker so I can open it to the right spot and pick up writing where I left off. It's all the little things, and the fact that it looks and feels so nice, that makes me love the Moleskine.
In addition to that, once you buy into the whole backstory, it builds up a pleasant aura of quality and heritage that's helped encourage me to write in it more often, just because it feels *right*. Evidently, it's enough to make product evangelists out of all of us, isn't it? :)
- The perfect little idea books...
By A2BDJFLNGTEPLL on 2005-05-23
I love these journals. I have two small ones for sketching out creative (drawing) ideas and I have the grid ones for fleshing out my writing ideas. I love the little pocket in the back of them and now I am obsessed with finding every kind I can. Apparently you can purchase address books and even a small one to hold photos.
I only wish I could find books with more pages. I tend to worry that I will run out of space. In fact, I purchased another (grid-lined) journal because it was thicker (and less expensive), and I was disappointed. The pages started falling out and so I went back to purchase more moleskins. I haven't regretted that decision in the least.
I don't care if Hemingway or Picasso did or didn't use this type of journal. It works perfectly for me and I can see that I will likely be buried with one.
- THE Best
By A3CQA7PEZESMSK on 2005-11-19
I found that my PDA wasn't that useful for me most of the time. Writing things down make a difference. I am a writing so this would make sense. So I got one of these notebooks. I loved it so much that I went out and bought two more. I will continue to use these indefinitely. The price is the only disappointing fact. They are too expensive but no one makes anything similar so what you can you do? I am more traditional - I studied in France and prefer fountain pens as well. So take that into consideration when reading my review!
- I LOVE This Notebook!!
By A134DOY5KKCWP9 on 2006-03-10
This notebook is fabulous...its history inspires. I think that it will be the last type of notebook I use for my journaling and writing. I adore it!
- Great Notebook!
By A1TLH2KPECUP2W on 2007-01-23
Moleskine makes great, sturdy, compact notebooks. It has a convenient pocket in the back for sticking scraps of paper, a photo, whatever.
I have a small ruled Moleskine I've used for years as a general purpose notebook. It's taken quite a beating, but still looks to last until it's full.
Since I purchased that first book at the Smithsonian in 2002, I've purchased, used and abused several different styles of Moleskines. Each exhibits the same high level of quality, from the sturdy cover, strong, durable elastic 'clasp', and tough, heavy paper.
- A must-have for a portable journal
By A2NSMQY6RD7MYM on 2007-01-31
I love these notebooks. They feel like they'll last forever, the paper is of high quality (thin, but not TOO thin), sturdy hardcover, the pocket in the back is great for photos and little notes for throughout your journey (no matter what that journey might be), and the band and bookmark just... work. This is a notebook of the highest quality.
True, you'll pay for this quality, but you'll know that unless it's thrown in the fire, chances are very very high that it'll last forever.
I can't recommend these enough, I try to always have one on me... y'know, just in case. :-)
- Just Try It. A Fake or Not, It's Still Hot! Ignore Other Reviewers.
By AW2BZYHG2MGSN on 2005-11-02
I didn't buy this notebook because Hemmingway or Chatwin had one. In fact, I doubt that they did. However, I got this little book because it is just perfect for the serious writer. It has nice fake leather cover, acid-free lined pages that are thick enough to write on but thin enough for maximum quantity, an elastic bank to keep the notebook closed and protect your writing, and a little paper pocket inside to store scraps of paper and business cards. It looks elegant and fits write into your pocket. Hemmingway and Chatwin may have never had this book, but if they were living today, I'm sure they'd kill to get one.
Ignore all the reviewers who bash this notebook and then follow-up with a recommendation for a different product. They probably have an embedded financial interest in doing so. Ignore all the hyped reviewers who pitch this notebook. They probably have an interest as well. Just spend the ten bucks to get one, try it, and I swear that you'll never go back to those cheapo 99 cent ones you get at the office supply store.
One again, this notebook was made with the serious writer in mind. It's not too cheap, but you do get a lot of value for what you pay for. I still have the first one that I bought. I doesn't look exactly like the original, but it still looks pretty decent. I think that it'll last me for years to come.
- Nothing comes close to my Moleskine
By A24G1H61L0TQHN on 2007-08-23
This pocket-size notebook is a joy. The paper is high quality and pleasant to write on. Because the ink doesn't bleed or show through, you can write on both sides (a big advantage over spiral notebooks). There's a ribbon placeholder which comes in handy, and a little pocket in back for business cards and random pieces of paper. And, to tie it all together, an elastic band that slips on and off with ease. At the current price, the Moleskine is a fantastic bargain, too.
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Moleskine Small Ruled Notebook Accessories
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| Product Features |
- The basic pocket-size book. 192 lined pages. Imported from Italy. 3" x 5"
- Many are the sketches and notes, ideas and emotions that have been jotted down and harboured in this trustworthy pocket-size travel companion before being turned into famous pictures or the pages of beloved books.
- Each Moleskine has a rigid, oilcloth bound 'moleskine' cover, and the acid free paper pages are thread bound.
- They also have an elastic closure and an expandable inner note holder made of cardboard and oilcloth and a removable card with the moleskine history.
- A great way to get things done! Pocket-sized - junk your PDA!
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