Amazon Basics Classic Lined Writing Notebook for Note Taking and Journaling, Hardcover with Elastic Closure, 240 Pages, 5" x 8.25", Black

I've typically shied away from using a bound book to take notes in. My notes seem so fleeting and temporary; putting them down in a book seemed entirely more permanent than anything I'd need. That being said, after years of switching between various pads of paper, digital notes (which have their place, don't misunderstand), index cards, post-it notes, dry-erase boards, etc., I think I've finally come around on the idea of taking notes in a book -- particularly one that manages to so deftly balance quality with affordability. There's nothing special about this book. It does not have a pen holder, or pockets for loose papers, or a calendar, or pre-printed page numbers, or anything else extraneous. There isn't even a "This Book Belongs To" title page of any sort. It's just a very well crafted book for writing. I prefer graphing paper for note-taking: it keeps my writing from wandering vertically and allows me to line up indents for headers or topic changes. If I need to sketch out an idea, it provides scale. When I need to scan through my previous notes, the cleanliness of my indentations afforded by the graphing paper make finding the needed information simple and frustration-free. The pages have a slight sepia coloration to them, which I very much enjoy - it is neither glaringly bright nor ickily cream. The graph lines are clearly distinguished but do not distract from your writing. The first graphing page of the book does seem to be somewhat married to the thicker stocked separator page, but skipping the first page also allows for a clean entrance into the book each time it's opened from the front cover (as opposed to using the bookmark to jump directly into one's current position). Otherwise, the pages can fold over flat when writing in the book without separating from the binding. The built-in bookmark keeps your place in the book, as you'd expect. The elastic band keeps the book closed when storing and transporting it. The corners of the non-binding side of the book are rounded just enough so that they won't catch on anything or cut into one's hand while resting it on the edges to write. I use the Sakura Pigma 50221 Micron pens to write in the book; they don't bleed through the pages or smear on my hand (or onto opposite pages when the book is closed). As I have not tried any other sort of pen, I cannot attribute the lack of bleed-through to the quality of the paper, or the quality of the pens; in any case, they go well together and I would recommend the user of one to consider the other. Other than the very small, discrete "AmazonBasics" imprint on the lower back cover, there's no labels or badges on the book at all. It's a very elegant design that does exactly what you're purchasing it to do. If, for archival purposes, the need arises for an external label, it is up to the owner to devise their own solution -- and I'm fine with that. The size of the book itself is perfect: large enough to record a reasonable amount of information on a page, but not uncomfortable or unwieldy to use in a moment's notice or on an unexpected surface. Its small footprint makes it easy to leave out on a desk without feeling as though valuable real estate is being consumed, which also ensures that it's quickly available for your writing needs. Overall, I strongly recommend this book.

Good basic graphing notebook. Clear even grid with visible lines and sturdy paper. Plenty of pages with a cover strap and page keeper. Also has folder in back for storing receipts or records.

I had a little black book about 5x thicker than this and maybe another half larger than this one, which was hard back but had a nice soft leather like finish. Sadly it was 6 years old and my cat decided it no longer belonged on the table. I found the binding completely busted, separating at the seems and it was no longer of any use to me now. That also included pages that tore loose during the fall messing up information I had. Very very important information that I prefer to note down because I cant always remember everything all the time with a hectic and busy schedule. So i decided to search for a replacement and the Amazon Basics Classic Lined Notebook, 240 Pages, Hardcover was the one I finally decided on. It feels sturdy and the quality is nice but I didnt rate if it holds up or is super sturdy. Im not looking to test it out but my guess with it still being new, it can take quiet a few tumbles off of the table top by the cat for a few years without me worrying about it. --Update-- My cat and new puppy decided they would test out how durable this thing was. I know my cat likes to knock things off the table some times, and well our new 1yr mastiff puppy thought he would join in. I woke up to all fours ends of my notebook chewed on, but luckily none of my information in the book got ruined. The stretch band was still on it and not even damaged. Im still able to see all of whats in it, though the pages are damaged to the point I have to carefully pull them apart cause they sort of stick together. I bought two more of these cause im going to transfer the information from the damaged on to a new one and of course store it somewhere safe. I wanted a 3rd for backup or maybe for something else entirely. Maybe for recipes. I really love the quality of these books and even after the dog tried his best to shred through it, it held up enough to keep what was inside of it still legible

This is a good deal. I use it with fountain pens and there's very little ghosting, no bleed. The paper takes watercolor and, like fountain pen ink, there's some ghosting but no bleed through. It's obviously not watercolor paper so there's a limit, but for basic journaling / sketching, it's fine. With watercolor the pages get crackly as you'd expect when using watercolor on thin paper. Some may view this as a feature. I've only tried one so I can't speak to quality consistency, can't comment on how well it'll hold up. The notebook seems perfectly well made, it's got a little sleeve in the back as is common for these types of notebooks. I recommend this as a low-cost alternative to higher end fountain-pen friendly products. It compares well to the Lechturm1917. The Lechturm does have a higher-end feel but is also significantly more money.

Exactly what it says. Nice grid paper. Good size for carrying.

Love it. Cheap and very sturdy paper. Only if they made this in softcover, i'll buy in dozens!!!

Great notebook, very thick paper. Well made, good looking. I especially like the ribbon bookmark to keep my place. I've ordered these several times.

You could pay $20 for a moleskin, or you could pay $8 for one of these. I buy these 5 at a time and use them for different aspects of my life (i.e. meeting notes, reading notes, journal, woodworking plans, etc.) I have one that I've been using for several years. It shows normal wear and tear, but is holding up fine. It is a simple design. I use Pilot Precise V5 and have never had any issues with bleed-through on the pages. Again, buy the Amazon Basic, and you can treat yourself to a $12 latte...or whatever your guilty pleasure is.