I wrote about the Six Books YOU can and Should Write, click through to read about them. Recently I came across a seventh type, the commonplace book.
What is that? Wikipedia explains, “Such books are essentially scrapbooks filled with items of every kind: recipes, quotes, letters, poems, tables of weights and measures, proverbs, prayers, legal formulas.” They were also complied by women, before women were allowed into colleges. That’s one example of what the literary form is.
You might consider this blog a Commonplace gathering of what I find to be interesting. There is so much more to collect.
You should be aware of Ryan Holiday’s introduction to commonplace books, here. I will quote him, from the start, because it’s a compelling thing to read and hang onto, as he did in his commonplace book.
It was about the great Athenian general Themistocles. Before the battle of Salamis, he was locked in a vigorous debate with a Spartan general about potential strategies for defeating the Persians. Themistocles was clearly in the minority with his views (but which ultimately turned out to be right and saved Western Civilization). He continued to interrupt and contradict the other generals. Finally, the Spartan general threatened to strike Themistocles if he didn’t shut up and stop. “Strike!” Themistocles shouted back, “But listen!”
Ryan Holidy, in Though Catalog
Strike! But listen! In the meantime, I’m going to figure out the difference between a commonplace book and a scrap book.