The Notebook

A History of Thinking on Paper

De: Roland Allen

Narrado por: Mark Elstob

A Kirkus Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2024

We see notebooks everywhere we go. But where did these indispensable implements come from? How did they revolutionize our lives? And how can using a notebook help change the way you think? In this wide-ranging history, Roland Allen reveals how the notebook became our most dependable and versatile tool for creative thinking. He tells the notebook stories of Leonardo and Frida Kahlo, Isaac Newton and Marie Curie, and writers from Chaucer to Henry James; shows how Darwin developed his theory of evolution in tiny pocket books and Agatha Christie plotted a hundred murders in scrappy exercise books; and introduces a host of cooks, kings, sailors, fishermen, musicians, engineers, politicians, adventurers, and mathematicians, all of whom used their notebooks as a space to think—and in doing so, shaped the modern world.

In an age of AI and digital overload, the humble notebook is more relevant than ever. Allen shows how bullet points can combat ADHD, journals can ease PTSD, and patient diaries soften the trauma of reawakening from coma. The everyday act of moving a pen across paper, he finds, can have profound consequences, changing the way we think and feel: making us more creative, more productive—and maybe even happier.

©2023 Roland Allen (P)2024 Profile Books, Limited

Sooo insightful!

Definitely enjoyed this book. It had some laggy moments for me when I almost gave up but I’m so glad that I didn’t. This is one of those books for me that I listened to and will also purchase the kindle or hardcopy to take notes on later…in my notebook 😂

Captivating Journaling Journey

It was fun to learn how so many people have found keeping a journal or diary has impacted, not only their own lives, but the lives of so many. While the way we journal in modern times has changed over the years, the premise behind it remains unchanged. This was an excellent listen for anyone interested in the history of note taking and keeping personal accounts of ones own thoughts.

surprisingly fascinating

I couldn't have been more impressed with the brilliant level of detail, variety and historical integrity that The Notebook audible book brought to my ears

Understanding thinking

This books was great in explaining the history of the history of notebooks and paper. I enjoyed the ideas of how to improve your notes and different ways the notebook has been used.

Notebooks Made Interesting

It takes a special author to make the history of notebooks interesting and entertaining. I found myself fascinated through each chapter. The reader added to the interest through his appropriate inflections and seeming great interest in the subject.