writing down our life together

July 14, 2011 9:25 AM

What is the best paper notebook? I want something in which to make a single entry per year, for many years.

Mr. Kestrel and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary in August. It's been a crazy year, but a good year.

Since the "traditional" first anniversary gift is paper, my gift to us will be a notebook, and a new tradition. Every year on our anniversary, we will sit down with a drink and write an entry -- even just a list -- of what happened the previous year. Milestones, moves, vacations, major illnesses, children (knock wood), things like that. And (knock wood again) we will have this notebook for 40 or 50 years.

What brands do you recommend? All I know about is Moleskine.

posted by kestrel251 to Shopping (10 answers total)

It's hard to go wrong with a Moleskine. I used one for years as my more-or-less daily notebook, and apart from some water damage, it still looks good.

But you might want something more special for this purpose. I've got a friend who has a business making handmade journals, and for this purpose I might go with something like that (linking to her website seems perilously close to self-linking, but drop me a line and I'll hook you up).
posted by adamrice at 9:31 AM on July 14, 2011

Best answer: I've been lusting after getting a high-end journal from here for years. Particularly this one.
posted by jbickers at 9:39 AM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

This "family history" journal is an interesting idea, even if it's not exactly what you were asking for.
posted by jrichards at 9:50 AM on July 14, 2011

My immediate reaction is Moleskine, but I am seriously hooked on them.

Adamrice's suggestion of going custom/handmade is probably more fitting.

That said, if you do go the Moleskine route I would suggest one of their newer "Folio Professional" Models as they come in A4 and A3 size and the heft is very nice for something of this magnitude.

Love the idea!
posted by OctopusHat Jack at 10:24 AM on July 14, 2011

If you want to go the Moleskine route, there's a similar brand called Hand Book Journal Co. that I love. They don't have as wide a selection as Moleskine (you're pretty much stuck with buff sketch paper) but they're high-quality, and the cover and elastic are really sturdy.
posted by Metroid Baby at 10:39 AM on July 14, 2011

I don't keep a handwritten journal any more, but when I did, my favorite notebook - if you can call it that - was the Everyman's Journal from Lee Valley. It's 400 pages, beautifully bound, and the paper is acid-free. And it's only $20, SAIT.
posted by rtha at 10:40 AM on July 14, 2011

Best answer: Make sure it is 100% rag paper, acid-free, neutral pH. This could be in your family for hundreds of years; you want paper that will last forever. This outfit has a nice range of options with leather covers, all hand-made. Look around the site — they have some one-of-a-kind items; and will do custom work, for example if you want more pages, a larger size, or cover graphics (including your own designs).
posted by beagle at 10:48 AM on July 14, 2011 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks! Thus far, I'm particularly into the site that jbickers links to, especially this or this.

And beagle is right that I need archival quality paper. Is the Amalfi paper in the above links good enough? I don't know how "handmade & lovely" correlates with "will last forever".
posted by kestrel251 at 11:08 AM on July 14, 2011 [1 favorite]

It also says:
fresh cream colored heavyweight 36lb acid-free & archival writing stock with heavy texturing

I think you're safe. I'm trying to figure out how to justify stealing your idea for my 3rd anniversary (it's Leather. That's safe, right?)
posted by DigDoug at 11:46 AM on July 14, 2011

Response by poster: It also says:
fresh cream colored heavyweight 36lb acid-free & archival writing stock with heavy texturing

Doh.
posted by kestrel251 at 11:54 AM on July 14, 2011