Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Ruled, Black, Hard Cover (5 x 8.25)

Great notebook with lots of pages! Exactly as described and what you expect

I've been journaling ever since I was a pimply-faced teenager, and now I'm 31. In that time, I've used all varieties of notebooks, and filled them all. I came across the Moleskine brand a few years ago, and now I won't use anything else. The large ruled notebook is sturdy, of excellent construction, holds I think 265 pages, and the pages will not fall out. This notebook is best for writers and diarists.I wouldn't use this book for school because, first of all, it is expensive. Second of all, it's a bit of overkill. I doubt you'll take a class in which you'll have time to fill up this notebook. You'll be more organized in a class if you buy a simple lab book or composition book to take notes in for each class.I know a lot of people who try to write in jounals. They buy them with the best intentions, write a couple of pages, and then seem to forget about them and eventually buy ANOTHER journal, in which they will write a few pages and forget about. The key is just to keep the SAME journal, to keep in it in the same safe place, and to write in it whenever you feel like it, even if months go by without you touching it. If someone buys you another journal, fill up the first one first, and then move on to the new one. You can learn from my experience and start with the best, which is Moleskine. Otherwise . . . do whatever you want. The main thing is just to have something to write in.I've also used all variety of pens. My choice is the Pilot Precise V5. Every now and then you'll get a bum one, that you've just got to throw away because it's not writing smoothly or properly. But, for the most part, these are the best choice for journaling and writing. They are fine point. They last longer than gel ink. They require no pressure whatsoever to be placed on the tip, as ball-point pens do, and they don't smear.

I've long been an avid fan of notebooks, and more generally, quality stationary. I own quite a number of notebooks, both self-bought and those that were gifted to me. However in each case, the notebook somehow fell short and I would find myself disheartened to write in them a few pages in. They were either spiral-bounded, poorly bounded, lines were ruled too wide, had poor paper quality, etc.Yes, I'm absolutely anal-retentive over the quality of my notebooks and how I write in them.I've always thought about Moleskines as a teenager, and I finally took the plunge recently. Never again will I ever consider purchasing a different brand of notebook.The binding, cover, and paper quality of this notebook are top-notch. The ruled lines are a perfect width. The elastic band keeps the notebook closed and prevents damage to pages should I just happen to haphazardly throw my Moleskine into my bag. The additional pocket at the back of the notebook is also great for keeping little tidbits of information, such as business cards from restaurants I want to write a short little review for.I originally started to write in my Moleskine using a Tombo Playcolor 2 black pen (available in Japan), and the ink dried nicely. However, I recently adopted this: Sharpie Pen Fine Point Pen, 2 Black Pens (1742659). These Sharpie pens are perfect for writing in your Moleskin for three main reasons:1. The ink dries near-instantly (even faster than my Tombo pen), leading to minimal ink-transfer and smearing.2. Minimal pressure needed to apply ink, so your pages lie flat after writing on them instead of being wrinkled from a ballpoint pen.3. Bold ink colors lend to great aesthetic.I'll never use Moleskine for taking class notes in (except perhaps the thinner paperback notebooks that come in sets of 3), since the number of pages is overkill for most classes. I'll use Five Star notebooks for that.But for everything else - rants, thoughts, and introspection - this Moleskin is perfect.

This is the larger (5" X 8.25") companion to the legendary pocket-size (3.5" X 5.5") Moleskine that was a favorite of writers and artists for 200 years. It was the inspiration for the Grail Diary used by Indy's father (Sean Connery) in the movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989) Production of them had stopped in 1986, depriving intellectuals of this treasured notebook of choice. In 1997, a small Milan publisher in Italy (Modo & Modo) began producing them again. The notebook has durable thread-bound binding, allowing the notebook to lay flat when you write. The black hard-back oil-cloth cover features a vinyl-treated water-proof fabric, and has rounded corners. There are 2 card stock end-pages and 120 sheets (240 pages) in between with 1/4" rule lined pages. The pages are smooth, acid-free paper of pretty much standard weight. There is an adequate grey woven ribbon marker. The entire inside back cover has a large expandable pocket which enables you to securely place items in, as the opening runs along the spine. There is also a heavy-duty elastic enclosure strap that wraps around both covers to keep it tightly shut. This is a durable, well-made notebook which is unique, and represents a piece of history. It's something that you would carry around with you day-after-day to record thoughts, ideas and musings; and would also stand the test of time if you were using it as a keepsake journal. There are a couple knock-offs in the market, but they are not as well-made. I've used the Moleskine for years, you can't beat it- I highly recommend it.