The Commonplace Book

Have you ever heard of a Commonplace Book?

A Commonplace Book is a journal kept for the purpose of compiling knowledge and wisdom.  Great philosophers and thinkers have been keeping Commonplace Books from antiquity – they were particularly popular during the Renaissance and in the nineteenth century. These notebooks were compendiums for their deeper thoughts, receptacles for interesting quotes, observations, sketches, or moments of inspiration.

Many well known people have used Commonplace Books throughout history. Marcus Aurelius, John Locke, Erasmus, Petrarch, Napolean, Thomas Jefferson, EM Forster, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Gates are just a few. If the great thinkers were in the habit of commonplacing, perhaps it’s a habit worth adopting!

Why keep a Commonplace Book?

Keeping your musings and experiences organized by writing them down is a helpful practice to maintain in life. It can be argued that the best way to remember your ideas is to write them down right away. Commonplacing is an effective way to catalog for future reference the quotes, observations, ideas, anecdotes, and any other useful information you come across during your lifetime pursuits. The ultimate purpose of a Commonplace Book is to record and organize these valuable tidbits for later use.

About my Commonplace Books

These hardcover journals are 150 pages. They are alternating lined and dot grid pages, allowing for plenty of flexibility in recording your daily musings. The Commonplace Book can be used for lists, quotes, diagrams, prose, poetry, sketches, and any other recording you choose to do. The possibilities are endless.

These journals are slightly smaller than my Illustrated Books – they measure 5.5×8.5 (digest size). Designed in the same style, they make beautiful collector’s items – collect them all!