Customer Reviews

Mead Black Marble Wide-Ruled Composition Book (09910)

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

The "original" old Mead Composition Book is a classic. But recently Mead changed the Composition Book so that it's now worthless. The paper seems like it isn't 100% pure quality tree paper so it's not as smooth to write on, the cover is a messy "plastic-type" cardboard, the black tape comes off in 3 months. I hate these things now.

I bought 50 of these "new type" Mead Composition Books and the 10 new ones that I still have left, have rotted and the black tape has warped and come off. The 40 that I used up with writing, have also rotted and the black tape has come off. It's a real mess if you store them in old bookshelves. Some are made in India or Brazil and none are no longer made in the USA. The USA ones were the absolute best, with real tree paper, not "plastic-wax type" mesh waste paper, and real tree cardboard covers.

If you need fairly adequate paper to write on, get Japanese Stationery (ex: Apica Notebooks), Rhodia, Rediform DaVinci Notebooks, Leuchtturm Notebooks, Black n' Red Notebooks, or Clairefontaine, they're very good and of high quality. The paper is of a high standard.

Also, Moleskine Cahier Large Ruled Notebook (set of 3) and Writersblok Medium Ruled Notebook (set of 3), are good substitutes, of higher quality, for the Mead Black Composition Book if you're a writer like I am. It costs more but if you're a writer who needs decent paper to write on, it's well worth it.

If you're just using the Mead Black Composition Book for school notes, doodling or odd ends, it's at least useable with a good pen.

The "original" old Mead Composition Book didn't need to be changed. Bring it back.

Rhodia Staplebound Black Graph Notebook 3 X 4

Moleskine Ruled Cahier Journal Kraft Large: set of 3 Ruled Journals

Writersblok Medium Notebook, Ruled, Pack of 3, 5.5 x 8.25-Inches (WB801)

This is a good general product for schoolwork, etc. I have used them for years as a personal journal. Recently Mead changed the cover and uses a thinner cardboard so they are not as sturdy as they once were. Otherwise they'd recieve an excellent.

The notebook:

The notebook is 100 sheets and it is wide ruled. I find thease handy for everything from a personal notebook to use for school or work. The covers are realatively sturdy, unlike spiral notebooks. The drawback is that you can't rip out pages, because The notebook is bound together by a sturdy thread.

All in all this notebook comes in handy for any purpose or any person.

Recently, I purchased a few of these composition books since my stash of them has been exhausted. These new composition books use flimsier cardboard and the paper isn't as good. When I compare them to my older books, I realize that these new books are not made in the USA. I don't know if this is the cause of the lower quality or maybe some greater use of recycled papers.

In any case, I've decided to move on to Rhodia notebooks. This is unfortunate because I have been using these products since the early 80s when I started kindergarten. Rhodia notebooks are a little bit more expensive, but for my journaling needs are worth it. I believe that Rhodia also uses some recycled paper to create their books.

Please bring back the quality to these books.

and it comes up a good deal. No, this little guy is not your 1970 prep-school notebook. It isn't specificallly designed as a ledger, an attorney's diary, or a government-meeting minutes book. Just lines and a cheap cover, although in the traditional marbled black. But it's one-third of list, for heaven's sake! It isn't what it used to be, but what is?

You've got 100 pages of white ruled paper, suitable for taking and keeping college notes (wish I had), or for quiet cafe sitting when inspiration strikes -- especially if you have nothing to prove (an artist or writer flaunting a Franklin Covey-type leatherbound diary is probably neither). You can rip out a page with impunity if you want to give someone your phone number. Take it or leave it, but if you want to save part of a tree branch you can get, for about twice as much money, a "New Leaf" composition book, 30% recycled. And there's nothing wrong with that, either.

Now, pass the electrician's tape and let's commit posterity!

Mead Composition notebooks used to have nice, thick, sturdy, durable covers. Not anymore. Upon receiving my order, I was appalled to find that these notebooks now have a much thinner cover, which means that they will not stand up to the abuse of younger grade school students (Pre-K - K).

I have to agree with my iconoclastic friend--as someone who has filled up many notebooks, I still find the Mead the perfect size. Of course, it is also very comforting to have that familiar friend, the Mead composition book, when one is tense or afraid. The Mead composition book is large enough for you to really draw sketches or diagrams, or for you to insert an important document, while also being small enough to be quickly stowed under your jacket. It works for everyone from a school-child working on a daily journal as a writing assignment to the dreamy poet to the fast paced world of covert corporate operations.

One small thing--there is something irresistible about that cover that makes you want to color in the white parts with your blue pen. It looks gorgeous, especially the way the light reflects off the blue. But it is pretty embarrassing to have twelve of your books on display as pieces of evidence (exhibits) in a fairly serious court proceeding and realize that you've colored in the covers! I heard some attorney snigger and I don't think it helped me with the judges.

Still, the cover is part of the brilliance of the whole thing, and shame on some no-name company for copying it and calling their product the "Marble" composition book. That's dirty pool. [5]

The 09910 Mead Composition Notebook is an excellent notebook.

What's odd is the current pricing on Amazon for offerings by third parties. It turns out that while the listed price per notebook is low, say $1.50, the shipping price per notebook is $5.00-$8.00. The kicker is that shipping costs don't go down if you buy in bulk: you still pay $5.00-$8.00 per notebook if you buy 10 notebooks. You'll pay as much or more for "shipping" as you will for the listed price of the notebook. Bottom line: the "listed" price is used to draw you in, but the vendor makes their profit in the "shipping charges".

I've found that the best pricing that includes shipping is around $3.00-$3.50 per notebook with shipping included, if you buy in bulk (e.g. 10 notebooks at once).

Nothing wrong or illegal being done here. But the vendor (and implicitly Amazon) are not necessarily giving you the best value. You still need to shop around.

Why would anyone want to review such a prosaic and commom thing as a composition book that must be used in every classroom in America (you ask)?

Well, as a writer and editor, I must write out most of my scripts in longhand. Call me old school, but that is how a book gets made - do the drafts in notebooks such as these sturdy and dependable composition books by Mead, and then transpose to the computer via a program like MS Word.

I must fill up 6-8 of these every year - for daily journaling; for research notes for an upcoming book; for the actual draft of say, a work of fiction; and for any miscellaneous task that comes along. I wait for Back-to-School sales in August so that the unit cost is sometimes as low as 3 for a buck. Hey, can't beat that value. Even at full retail, these little babies are still a bargain.

Thank you to Mead Corp. for providing the materials for my creative enterprises. I would still be back in the caveman era using a stick in the sand if it wasn't for such a great product.

One of the best values still around in our hyper-inflated era. Give 'em at try!

Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

The pages are really thin; you can see the ink through more than one page. The cover is also kind of thin. If you need a cheap - low quality notebook for nothing important then this is for you.