Take Note

Notes from between 1606 and 1607, the beauty of alternate takes, using notebooks to refine ideas, and why the pencil is a Zen object. 

Caravaggio essay, NYRB

Wilco, A Ghost is Born box set

Kafka’s Diaries

zen

DDC x FN Turquoise Tribute

At the Existensialist Cafe by Sarah Bakewell

Inside the Fight Against a Los Angeles Inferno

Jokermen

Turkey and the Wolf

Casamento's

Midori Grain Memo Pad

The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper 

Ryan joins us as we prep for the big game with our talk of oyster restaurants, middle school recitals, and Adam’s approach to a “logbook” to track movies watched, stories read, etc.

Oysters in the New York Times

Bakewell’s book on existentialism

MJ Lenderman

You Must Remember This podcast

Patreon page (thanks for your support!)

In this episode we share notes from a Texas snowstorm, journals from the olden days spark creative, a dream journaling update, a new segment, and discuss the new work from John McPhee in the New Yorker. We also announce the new book we’ll read together and discuss. Please enjoy!

Stationerdy notebook from Dapper Notes

Ohto sharp pencil

Tabula Rasa Volume Five by John McPhee

Take Note book club, The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper

The Theme

Northwestern University Media Library

Today's Number Is…

Peggy Guggenheim Museum Shop

Easy Everything Internet Cafe

Rushmore

A Complete Unknown

Joan Baez Tax Debt

It’s 2025, we look at some year-starting notebooks, discuss how one might use the Notes app with paper notebooks, and share our slate of waddya gots. Ted’s audio changes a few minutes in, sorry about that!

On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle

Octavia Books, New Orleans

Flights by olga tokarczuk

Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James

Rose Matafeo

Lamy Hardcover notebook with Lamy ruling

Doane paper

Standard Memorandum 2025 by Word. and designed by Jon Contino

Take Note Patreon

In the last episode of 2024, we haphazardly bring the heat, rambling from one topic to the next. We range across used bookstores, endurance in art, a notebook of the week, and a exegesis on Sirius radio.

Becker’s Books

John K King Books, Detroit

Larry McMurtry: A Life by Tracy Daugherty

BookedUP AC, originally Booked Up, Larry McMurtry’s bookstore in Archer City, Texas

White Lines notebooks

The Work of Art by Adam Moss

Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour

Take Note Patreon

Enter the Wizard

B&N Villain NYT 2022

B&N Back NYT 2023

B&N Back NYT Also 2023

Mainstreet Books Davidson

Vectors by James Richardson 

Glorious Exploits

Field Notes Vintage Edition

Boston General Store 

Take Note Patreon

We spend some time discussing writer Oliver Burkeman’s thoughts on time and tasks, but not before covering wood chipping wisdom, baked waiters, salsa spiciness, and fast food divorce.

Oliver Burkeman

Solemn Oath Field Notes

Papier Tigre

The Unfinished Notebook podcast

Staedtler Lumograph Pencils

Beer recommendations

Pentel Calme

General’s Color-Tex Pencil

Tombow ABT Pens

Tombow Unions Hat