Leuchtturm1917365489 Notebook Medium (A5), Hardcover, 251 Numbered Pages, Olive, Dotted

This is exactly what I wanted to draft a novel. It has a couple pages for a table of contents in the beginning, it's very light, and with pages suited for use with a fountain pen. They are numbered so you can see exactly how much progress you've made. The pages are also bright white with a nicely spaced grid pattern, and it makes writing with a fountain pen effortless and quite enjoyable for the smoothness of it.I'm not sure I need 2 bookmarks, but what it nice is that they give you labels to put on the cover and/or spine to mark the book, which helps if you have collection of them, which I intend to build. I have tried every single notebook on the market, and none work quite as well for my purposes. It's a combination of being portable and functional because of how slim and light it is, with a no frills design, but with the sense that you have a journal that you would be happy to write your best work in with you best pen.The sheer lack of any branding or silly quotes, even a logo, makes it better in my mind (obviously you need to remove the cardboard flap). There's just a simple, understated Leuchturm1917, on the inside flap, which makes it feel like grandfather's old journal. This should not be something to praise, but so many other companies screw this up.

For all today’s gadgets, there’s a great deal still to be said for pen and paper. It’s cheap, reliable and you don’t need to worry about the battery life. Setting those practicalities aside, I find great pleasure in a beautiful notebook and a fine fountain pen, though my handwriting still leaves much to be desired. I’m not a alone in this pleasure with a resurgence in paper notebooks and the legendary Moleskine has pushed to the fore. Is it the best? Here we have two lined notebooks, one from Leuchtturm1917 and the other from Moleskine – let’s take a look and find out.Both Moleskine and Leuchtturm draw on their heritage. Moleskine’s dates back into the early 20th Century name-checking Picasso, van Gogh and Hemingway. Although originally French, it died out in the 1980s, only to be resurrected in the late 90s by an Italian publisher. On the other hand, Leuchtturm goes back to 1917 (hence Leuchtturm1917) with roots in Hamburg, Germany and a reputation for stamp collecting albums, which continues today. These stories are laid out by both companies in small cream folded inserts that accompany each book. The message is clear; you aren’t buying only a notebook, you are continuing the traditions of culture, history and travel.Physically both notebooks are very similar but there are subtle and useful differences. I’d call them medium or A5-sized notebooks though strictly the Moleskine isn’t wide enough for A5. Both are 21 cm tall with hardcovers but the Moleskine is only 13 cm compared with the the Leuchtturm‘s 14.5 cm. Each has an elastic enclosure band, page marker and an expandable pocket inside the back cover. They also come in wide range of colours and pair well with 7″ tablets, such as the Nexus 7.Opening the notebooks shows that both have lined pages with the same line spacing, but with the Moleskine, that’s about it. Although both have an Owner page at the front, the Leuchtturm goes further with three Contents pages and each page is numbered for easy reference. In addition, there are eight perforated pages towards the back that can be removed, along with some stickers to assist with archiving once the notebook is full. The Leuchtturm1917 is for those who want to be organised! “Datum / Date” is printed at the top of each page too, which may put people off but suits me fine.Both notebooks have lovely paper which is a joy to write on with pencil and ballpoint. However, the Moleskine has a problem with pen ink bleeding from one side to the other, particularly with black ink, which makes the Leuchtturm a better choice for fountain pen writers.Overall, both the Moleskine and the Leuchtturm are stylish notebooks with a great feel both in the hand and under the pen. For me as a fountain pen owner, the Leuchtterm wins out by default, but the contents pages and page numbering make it my choice for those reasons too. Pencil owners and people looking for something a little neater may prefer the Moleskine. Whichever you choose, you’ll never go back.

As someone deeply immersed in the world of journaling and productivity, I've had the pleasure of experiencing various notebooks, but none quite compare to the Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium A5. From its impeccable craftsmanship to its thoughtful design, every detail of this notebook speaks volumes about its quality.First and foremost, the paper quality is exceptional. Whether I'm using fountain pens, gel pens, or markers, the pages of this notebook never fail to provide a smooth, enjoyable writing experience. The dot grid pattern offers just the right balance between structure and freedom, making it ideal for everything from bullet journaling to sketching out ideas.Moreover, the durability of the Leuchtturm1917 Notebook is truly impressive. Despite being carried around daily in my bag, it has held up remarkably well, with no signs of wear and tear. The sturdy hardcover provides protection for the pages inside, ensuring that my thoughts and plans are safeguarded for years to come.One of the standout features of this notebook is its attention to detail in organization. With numbered pages and a built-in index, keeping track of my notes and ideas has never been easier. The included bookmarks are a thoughtful touch, allowing me to quickly access frequently used sections without any hassle.Beyond its practicality, there's something undeniably inspiring about the aesthetic of the Leuchtturm1917 Notebook. Whether it's the array of vibrant colors to choose from or the elegant embossed logo on the cover, using this notebook feels like a creative endeavor in itself.In conclusion, the Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium A5 is more than just a place to jot down thoughts—it's a tool that enhances creativity, boosts productivity, and adds a touch of joy to daily life. If you're in search of a reliable companion for your journey of self-expression and organization, look no further than this remarkable notebook.

It came shrunk wrap in plastic with no protective packaging. I will seek out another seller not on Amazon. It’s a nice damaged notebook

The contents page is very handy for sorting your notes and information. The stickers are a nice touch. I'd appreciate options with more pages but as it is it's a pretty solid choice for a daily notebook. It's pricey but at least you're paying for quality, unlike moleskine

HIGHLIGHTS:-More cost, Much Better Quality, this is a difference in build quality is similar to that between a Mercedes “S” class sedan and a Fiat.-More color choices in cover-Exceeds Moleskine in construction and uses heavyweight paper making it far less likely to “bleed” with UniBall or fountain nibs or any other “wet” pen.-Serialized pages – perfect with those that may need to rely on notes as a “record”-Double ribbon markers-Has the pocket that has defined this style since it popped up in France in the late 19th century. (No – Moleskine didn’t create that…)-FSC Certified as MIXED paper for sustainability purposes.This is probably going to be one of my larger reviews and it’s based on mainly setting the record straight between what’s “marketing” and what’s reality in something that has spawned a lifestyle brand that’s good but has a ton of fluff and a product that is marginally more expensive than Moleskine (lifestyle brand) and LEUCHTTURM1917 which is a long life, well-engineered, archival quality, long term notebook suitable for records and journals with higher ink resilience.I’ve always liked good paper, I’m a fan of Crane & Co, but their offerings have reduced. LEUCHTTURM1917 was a business stationary supplier in Germany for over 100 years and began global marketing of professional notebooks more recently in their history. Their paper is also high quality and well made. Moleskine, whom I don’t hate or even dislike but do feel the quality has slipped, is also good – this is just better.I’ll highlight the differences in the Market, functional differences in brands, when “cheap” may be just fine, why I switched to this brand a few years ago over Moleskine when their build changed, and a few other key points.MODERN PRODUCT HISTORYThe hard or oilskinned (Traditional Moleskine notebook design that Moleskine the maker relies on for it’s marketing) bound notebook with a ribbon, pocket, and elastic closure, goes back to the 19th Century and is attributed first to French makers. Moleskine the company didn’t exist then, and it’s more of a design than a brand going back more than100 years.They are available (and have been over time) as blank, lined, grid, special purpose, and other features such as numbered (serialized) pages. Many have slightly off-white paper, not as pinkish as the Financial Times newspaper but still a bit muted leading to them being easier to focus on in bright light without eye fatigue.MARKET CHOICES:Premium Market: LEUCHTTURM1917 & Moleskine though there are othersBudget Market: Various from Amazon basics to several pages of options on AmazonFUNCTIONAL DIFFERENCE IN BRANDSPREMIUM MARKET PRODUCTS (LEUCHTTURM1917 V. MOLESKINE)LEUCHTTURM1917’s paper is thicker, the books are better made, and they tend to lie flat for life unless you “pocket” it and eventually bend the cover. Moleskine has various cover options from hard to more flexible.Generally, I’ve found their hard cover’s to lay reasonably flat but at times they’ll bow faster than LEUCHTTURM1917’s. Moleskine’s paper is thinner, meaning they are more suited to ballpoint or pencil where LEUCHTTURM1917’s is thicker and suited to a wide variety of pens. (I’ve used a fountain tip on them without issue providing the ink dries before you close it.)Finally, LEUCHTTURM1917 uses a double ribbon marker, has serialized pages, more cover colors, and better build making it easy for me to carry a couple for different uses and easily grab the right notebook, and mark “sections” where key info is.Both use quality paper, though the archival values of LEUCHTTURM1917 may exceed others. (Note – when I’ve packed these into really bad environments, such as weather and more time out than in, I keep them in a Ziploc bag regardless of brand and LEUCHTTURM1917 does produce a water-resistant paper. (Which I’ll skip – that’s a whole different thing)BUDGET MARKET:If you’re a project manager and use ballpoint and likely won’t need to go back to a used book much after a year or two (or project end) then it doesn’t make much difference. The paper is generally thinner, quality a bit lower, but all in all they’ll work. If you are in college and not financially independent, it might be a better option. (Note – some really “budget” ones are so thin that anything except pencil seems to bleed so…)I used to keep separate bound notebooks for key projects (things lasting more than months when working someplace where laptops were unwelcome in conference rooms). Amazon Basics and some other budget options are functional, but with thinner paper. Some so thin the bleed with any pen badly. If it doesn’t really matter for long term retention then I’d not waste money on something I’m keeping under five years.WHEN IS LEUCHTTURM1917 A CLEAR CHOICE?You have a thing for the feel of paper and using it – in this case I’d go with LEUCHTTURM1917 (Note – the name is Lighthouse in German) or Moleskine but check the paper weight with Moleskine – it’s not uniform. The first time I got one of these notebooks I was working in Frankfurt and maxed out my Moleskine – they had these so that’s what I got. Haven’t gone back for my key notebooks.If you like to change pens or use a pen that tends to be a bit “wet” on paper when writing, then LEUCHTTURM1917 is a clear leader above Moleskine and any “budget” book I’ve seen.I keep one or more of these that I need “numbered” pages in. While some have tear outs in the back, the bulk is sewn and clear if a page goes missing. I find this better if I might need to use the notebook for reliance or for noting “key notes” I know I’ll need in the future and where I want the one’s I took contemporaneously as well as my “final notes” usually drafted in Word or OneNote. (It’s the specific reason this purchase was a LEUCHTTURM1917 and not Moleskine or generic. I found generics with numbers but didn’t like them.)LEUCHTTURM1917 also has a wide variety of colors. Some of these are great if you like to add color and accessorize to the max. In my case it lets me look in a bag and tell the difference visually between two notebooks. For my key notebook for important notes, I build out a reference in the back 10-15 pages with key info I need such as key airport codes, message formats, response checklists for cyber events. It enables me to be consistent even when I’m woken out of bed at 2 AM… Black tends to be my most common color – basic works sometimes.MARKETING HISTORY & SILLINESSIn the premium paper market, in the US, many first noticed these in various sizes when Mondo & Mondo did a reintroduction in 1997. They produced bound notebooks in various sizes with covers closer to the classic “Moleskine” cover that was sold by a Parisian firm that went out of business. A British travel writer lamented the loss of that brand in the 1970’s I believe, about 20 years before the reboot.They were a small bound notebook with rounded corners and a oilskin cover that was a bit flexible making them perfect for a writers field coat. The name came from the feel of the cover more than a product name or marketing point. The assertion that it’s the notebook of Picasso or other artists is not dissimilar to saying a Amazon Basics Legal Pad is the legal pad of luminaries such as Marshall and Brandeis.More than likely, historically, artists and writers in late 19th century Europe and elsewhere bought the notebook at the local stationary purveyor as “national” brands of notebooks were likely less common though in some places there where “Chartered” brands such as one’s in the UK like De La Ru that hold the warrant from the Crown until the mid 20th century – now they are chiefly involved in financial paper, banknotes, and high security documents. Point being, if you are buying it because someone told you it’s Picasso’s notebook you may wish to rethink it as any of these of this style would have been contemporary to the period absent differences in manufacturing.At the end of the day if summarizing your notes in paper that feels real, can take virtually any pen you can come up with, looks good and is durable, it’s not the cheapest but best I’ve used.

This is my favorite notebook and I appreciate that I can get them on Amazon now. The hardcover is very hardy, the dotted pages are good and don't bleed through super easily (depending on marker), love the pocket at the back, the two ribbon bookmarks and the elastic closure are very helpful.

I love these notebooks. They are the best for Journaling. Very high quality! The color is exactly as shown.