Moleskines etc.

Moleskines are very expensive in Malaysia. Not many can justify spending over RM50 for a small notebook. Now that the exchange rate is much lower, how come Moleskines still cost over RM50?

I use my Moleskine mainly as a journal, but recently several other interesting notebooks are popping up in bookstores. One in particular that I especially like are notebooks from Grandluxe. I found them at MPH and also at Borders. They're much cheaper than Moleskines at around RM12-RM14, depending on which type you buy.


These are 2 products from Grandluxe that I like. The top one looks exactly like a Moleskine, but the cover looks rubbery. This is called the monologue Ruled Notebook. I haven't used this yet. But I did use the bottom one. It's a sketch book variety, and it's called the monologue Soft Sketch Book. I used this during my trip to New Zealand, and it was really useful. I liked the band that stretches across the middle of the notebook. It helps keep everything inside and not fall off. I like it so much that I bought another one as a backup.

I'm glad Grandluxe realise people want something more in a notebook. Sure there are cheaper notebooks out there, but how else can you explain sites dedicated to notebooks like Moleskinerie, Notebookism and Black Cover? (disclaimer: I added the link to Black Cover because there's a contest going on there, with a chance to win a Rhodia notebook.)


I probably won't buy another Moleskine... unless their prices drop. monologue notebooks suit me just fine. They're cheap (relatively) and good, and that's a rare combination.