Commonplace books (or commonplaces) emerged in the 15th century with the availability of cheap paper for writing, mainly in England. They were a way to compile knowledge, usually by writing information into books. They were essentially scrapbooks filled with items of every kind: medical recipes, quotes, letters, poems, tables of weights and measures, proverbs, prayers, legal formulae. Commonplaces were used by readers, writers, students, and humanists as an aid for remembering useful concepts or facts they had learned. Each commonplace book was unique to its creator's particular interests.

From Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonplace_book

My "modern-day commonplace book" aka "my blog" is up and running now, if you want to take a peak at it. It can be found here, "The Commonplace Blog of Lady Avelyn Grene."

© Copyright 2008 Kristen Sullivan