Parker's Pensées Ep. 275 - How Notebooks Changed the Entire World Forever w/Roland Allen
Sep 17, 2025
Roland Allen, a book publisher and notebook historian, dives into the intriguing world of notebooks and their impact on culture. He shares how his own notebook practices evolved while researching for his book, exploring the journey from ancient diptychs to the Renaissance's zibaldone tradition. Discover how notable figures like Leonardo da Vinci influenced record-keeping and education with their unique notebook styles. Roland also highlights the communal aspects of notebooks and invites listeners to explore further resources and communities surrounding this timeless tool.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Notebooks As Invisible Invention
- Notebooks are an overlooked invention that became invisible from overuse and ubiquity.
- Roland Allen began the book to trace their origin and to treat notebooks as a meaningful historical technology.
Use Notebooks For Research Organization
- Use notebooks for research, brainstorming, and organizing thoughts even if you write longform on a word processor.
- Keep one notebook per project and use spider diagrams and lists to uncover and organize strands of research.
Handwriting Forces Clearer Thought
- Typing lets you edit mid-sentence; writing by hand forces you to think the sentence through before you start.
- Handwriting imposes a useful discipline that changes your thinking and composition process.
