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Moleskine:or the art of

taking notice

Losing my passport was the least of my worries;

losing my notebook was a catastrophe.

Bruce Chatwin

M

oleskine1, the small paper notebook, is hot and

cool. Of course, the Italian company Modo &

Modo is cleverly exploiting the reputation of the

original Moleskine, pretendedly used by artists and

writers such as Van Gogh, Cline, Picasso, Hemingway

and Chatwin. Its original design was created by a small

stationer in France, who discontinued production in the

1980s. Chatwins desperate words Le vrai Moleskine

nest plus became famous after the passing away of the

last French producer.

Nonetheless, what on earth explains Moleskines

popularity in situations where paper is allegedly beyond

its prime? The laptop, PDA and smart-phone with their

multi-functionality and their virtually infinite storage

capacity are gradually becoming portable offices which

can be used anyplace, anytime. Their users have no time

left to be wasted and becoming bored for them seems to

belong to another era. Hence, what is fascinating about an

old-fashioned notebook, held together with an elastic

band and with a folded paper pocket inside the back cover

as its only luxury?

Of course, part of the explanation is in its

practicalities: a Moleskine notebook is small, mobile and

easy to handle, making full use of papers extreme

versatility as a recording technology. Contrary to

electronic devices2, it allows for free format entries and

for the application of a multitude of writing or

sketching/sticking instruments. In addition, there is

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There is nothing wrong with old technology. On the contrary, arguesguest editorrik maes

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emotional value attached to the use of paper, pens and

Moleskines themselves; all have their aficionados,

contributing to the image of Moleskine as a precious

companion along the path of life and a symbol of

contemporary nomadism: Moleskine is not my obsession

its an attitude (website of a Moleskine addict). As a

consequence, the very act of using a Moleskine (and

writing, in general) in public is encoded in such a way that

anyone at least, any fellow devotee can directly

interpret it as an act of originality and even an attest of

artistry. Thanks to the manufacturers advertisements,

the sensation of participating in a legendary stream of

early 20th century creativity is evoked. The symbolic

value of drawing on a Moleskine increasingly transcends

its practical usefulness.

And yet, there is more to say about the use of a

notebook... It goes back to a centuries-old praxis,

including notorious notebook adepts such as Francis

Bacon and John Locke, where noteworthy phenomena are

recorded for the benefit of science, or simply of ones own

curiosity. Etymological investigation3 makes clear that to

note not only means to write down (from the Latin

notare), but equally well to get to know, to recognise

(from the Latin gnoscere).

Apart from the concrete act of writing, noting also

refers to taking notice of, ie becoming aware of and

paying attention to4. Etymologically, the formation of a

person through attentive observation and writing go hand

in hand!

This etymological detour brings us back to the very

essence of the use of a notebook: a discipline to sharpen

our observation, to show undivided attention for and to

nourish inspiring memories of events, subjects, ideas and

emotions of enduring personal and general interest. A

notebook is not a passive collecting point, yet is an active

invitation to live consciously. Nothing looks odd in a

notebook.

Fast-forwarding this situation to the Internet Age,

isnt the weblog (or blog) a modern version of the

handwritten notebook? It can undoubtedly be seen as a

reaction to the standardised, reductionistic and

impersonal way of dealing with information in present-

day organisational information systems. However, blogs,

in the first place being tools of communication, on

average suffer from a double drawback: (1) most of them

are restricted to broadcasting without any noticeable

audience, or for a small handful of like-minded friends

only; and (2) the very act of instant publishing on the Web

instead of deliberate writing contributes to the production

of particularly uninteresting musings, if not pipe-dreams.

Therefore, a quite common feature of extraordinary blogs

is that they are prepared using (you bet!) written

notebooks, viz Moleskines.

I dont believe Moleskine means just a short revival of

an old medium doomed to die, or a fad only brought into

being through a cunning ad campaign. Neither do I believe

that Moleskine is in itself an instrument of understanding,

not to mention wisdom. I do, however, believe that

Moleskine underscores the eternal need for personal

reflection and contemplation in a world full of data, but

poor in inspiration. It arouses notice beyond curiosity.

Isnt that enough for such a small notebook?

References:

1. For a history of a this legendary notebook, see www.moleskine.it or

www.moleskine.co.uk . Numerous blogs (egwww.moleskinerie.com) and websites (eg

www.moleskineart.com) are dedicated to the notes and sketches jotted down in and

legends and myths associated with this small, oilcloth-covered notebook.

2. These PDA-like devices are more and more encountering resistance and even dislike

witness the advent of alternatives like Hipster PDAs (in essence, just a stack of

coloured cards) and others.

3. Online Etymology Dictionary (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php): note (v): c 1225,

observe, mark carefully, from O Fr noter, from Lnotare, fromnota letter, note,

originally a mark, sign, possibly an alteration of Old L *gnata, infl bygnoscere to

recognise, meaning to set in writing, from c 1400. The noun is first attested c 1300, in

the musical sense, meaning brief writing, from 1548. Notebook is first attested 1579;

noteworthy is from 1552.

4. Ironically, the Dutch, not specifically known for their generosity, offer (schenken)

attention, as opposed to the English, who have to pay for it. In Spanish, for example,

people loan (prestar) attention.

The symbolic value of drawing on or

writing in a Moleskine increasinglytranscends its practical usefulness

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