The rebirth of a legend: Moleskine.
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RSS for Stuff & JunkDavid Mamet doesn't type. Neither does Pat Conroy. I try to avoid keyboards myself – not because I have anything in common with these guys other than a shared preference for pen and paper. In this hi-tech era, where failing to carry an iPod that holds every song ever recorded is somehow déclassé, this low-tech medium seems to be making a comeback. Once again, people are putting pen to paper ... and what's more, they've become discerning about it.
"I never travel without my notebook. One should always have something sensational to read in the train." –Oscar Wilde
A great notebook – the sort made of bound paper – is an indispensable repository for an active mind. They don't catch viruses or crash, take up a lot less space than their electronic cousins and require no power source other than that provided by your own synapses. For 200 years, European writers, artists and musicians have known what we're just beginning to figure out here in the States: The storied Moleskine is practically perfect. Van Gogh, Picasso and Hemingway all packed the small, oilskin-bound journals. Neil Gaiman has blogged about them. Legendary travel writer Bruce Chatwin was obsessive about them – his journals were practically characters in his work, and Chatwin reportedly went into a deep depression when they disappeared altogether in the mid 1980s. He'd be ecstatic to see what's become of his little black book today.
The new-generation Moleskine, by Italy's Modo & Modo, is fast becoming ubiquitous among students, writers and the like. There's no better place to find them than the University Bookstore where buyer Stuart Bloomfield stocks "all of them ... easily the most popular of the blank books." At last count, "all of them" consists of roughly 30 styles, available in various sizes and formats for just about anything you can imagine.
I'm addicted to the Pocket Reporter's Notebook. It's tough, roomy (192 pages), extremely portable and filled with luxuriant, creamy acid-free paper. Like its siblings, it sports a hidden pocket in the back for business cards, receipts and the like, and it closes snugly tight with an elastic strap. The pocket journal is the bookstore's best seller, and Bloomfield takes pains to keep the store well-stocked with them as "people get kind of crazy about them – (they) buy four or five at a time." OK, that's me, too.
University Bookstore stocks plenty of other blank books, including a massive selection of candy-colored, wire-bound lines by the likes of Clairefontaine and Miquelrius. These renowned French and Spanish firms have each been making paper products for more than 150 years. Both originally specialized in accounting ledgers which demanded a durable, heavier page. "This is the paper we recommend for a fine writing instrument," says sales associate Virginia Marshall.
It's true – the ledger-style paper takes the flow of a fountain pen with less bleed-through, but it's too bad they don't come hard-bound. If you've packed a wire-bound book in your jammed-up Timbuk2 or Tom Bihn bag long enough, you know of what I speak: The only thing "bound" about them is that the wire is bound to bend and crunch and then you might as well cut them up as pricey scrap notes. However, they're fine for desktop duty, and in these kitschy/chic colors and patterns, the chances of you misplacing one are slim.
"My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain. My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course. Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane." – Graham Greene
The Parker Pen Company calls the fountain pen "the original hand-held device." For some of us there is simply no substitute for the sensual fix of a fine pen put to good paper. It is an addictive aesthetic beckoning from the bookstore's display cases. Here refillable fountain pens run the price gamut from an $8.50 plastic Parker to a handcrafted Swiss Caran d'Ache for $500.
A disposable Pilot Varsity goes for less than $3, comes in a spectrum of inks and has a surprisingly smooth action. It's the most inexpensive way for a novice to dabble in the inky medium. I pack them when traveling, because misplacing a plastic disposable is like losing a cartridge, while losing your Duofold is like losing a loved one – an expensive loved one.
Choosing a fine writing instrument is a lot like buying a car: "You need to test drive a lot of them," says Marshall. "Not all pens work for individual writing styles." Since the size, shape and flexibility of the nib determines the flow of ink and impacts the writer's personal style, it's important to find the type which best suits you and your budget. Collectors drop thousands on a single pen. But since we're talking pens for writers, we've capped our choices at $150.
"The writer's pen" seems the perfect place to start. According to Marshall, the Parker Sonnet is pretty much the gold standard at about $125. It's beautifully crafted in a range of finishes and colors with an 18 karat nib and a balance and heft to rival its snooty $400 Duofold cousin.
While Parker's been putting pens in pockets since 1889, the A. T. Cross Company's been around a bit longer (1848), but only recently began to update its conservative image with instruments like the Apogee, our top-priced pick at about $150. The pen is similar to the Sonnet in many ways and, once again, the choice comes down to what feels best to the writer.
One of Europe's oldest pen makers, Waterman markets a wide range of lower-end models. The Charleston, based on a 1939 design, rounds out our trio of higher-end models at a bargain price of around a C-note. This homage to art deco comes in three colors with a screw-on cap, an etched central ring and the coveted 18 karat nib. We like.
All of these pens take cartridges or an ink converter, and the bookstore's selection of ink is nothing short of enormous. A swatch book is available so you can actually choose your ink like you might pick out house paint. Ultrasonic cleaning is also available to complete the care and feeding of your pen.
There are a few honorable mentions. Sensa, known for its big, squishy gel grip, has applied the practice to its new line of carpel tunnel-friendly fountain pens at about $75. Retro 51, sort of the Fossil of pen makers, claims "life's too short to carry an ugly pen." They make several different retro-inspired instruments (about $75) all with an iridium nib nearly as flexible but much less pricey than gold. They look and feel expensive and at half the price of the Cross Apogee, they're worth a try.
And even though the focus here is on the fountain pen, Retro 51's Tornado roller ball is a real kick. It's sleek and hefty, comes in lots of cool metallic colors and writes like a dream. At $17, it's just the thing to fill in on those occasions when the fountain pen might seem a bit impractical. However, at $3.50 a pop for refills, its bargain status is questionable.
If you're still on the fence about plopping down a triple-digit commitment to fine writing, the University Bookstore puts its fine pen inventory on sale twice a year around Christmas and commencement. Get your name on the special mailing list, and then don't be late. It could mean the difference between getting the instrument of your heart's desire and settling for something less. Really, who can put a price on love?
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