Pitt Minion? Meet Filofax.
In the past, I've written about the relationship between notebooks and Bibles, and also about my hunt for tan notebooks to complement my tan Allan's ESV1. Don't be surprised if it's a topic I return to more in the future, because I find that many of us who are interested in quality Bibles also have a soft spot for companion notebooks. To me, there are two things that make for a good one: a harmonious color combination, and a nice proportion. If the notebook isn't the same size as the Bible, it should at least be close enough that carrying the two together is convenient.
As you can imagine, when it comes time to grab a Bible and head to church, I'm somewhat spoiled for choices. In worship, my preference is for a small, handy edition, something that's there when I need it, but doesn't get in the way when I have hymnals or an order of worship to juggle. I'm unlikely to use cross references or study notes during worship, so I don't care much about that. Size is the thing.
Recently, though, I've been doing a lot of volunteer work at church, which needs organizing, and so I've brought along something I don't ordinarily: my Filofax. If you came of age in the Blackberry era, you might not know what this is, so imagine a PDA made out of paper. Better yet, here's a picture:
Above: A vintage Filofax in tan calfskin and a Cambridge ESV Pitt Minion in brown goatskin.
One of my projects recently has been to determine how much use the brown goatskin Pitt Minion requires before the cover starts to feel really supple. This may sound like licking the lollypop to see how much effort is required to reach the candy core, but it made sense to me when I started, and I've gotten into the habit. One thing I never realized before was that the Pitt Minion and the personal size Filofax are pretty much a perfect fit.
J. Mark Bertrand is a novelist and pastor whose writing on Bible design has helped spark a publishing revolution. Mark is the author of Rethinking Worldview: Learning to Think, Live, and Speak in This World (Crossway, 2007), as well as the novels Back on Murder, Pattern of Wounds, and Nothing to Hide—described as a “series worth getting attached to” (Christianity Today) by “a major crime fiction talent” (Weekly Standard) in the vein of Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin, and Henning Mankell.
Mark has a BA in English Literature from Union University, an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston, and an M.Div. from Heidelberg Theological Seminary. Through his influential Bible Design Blog, Mark has championed a new generation of readable Bibles. He is a founding member of the steering committee of the Society of Bible Craftsmanship, and chairs the Society’s Award Committee. His work was featured in the November 2021 issue of FaithLife’s Bible Study Magazine.
Mark also serves on the board of Worldview Academy, where he has been a member of the faculty of theology since 2003. Since 2017, he has been an ordained teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. He and his wife Laurie life in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.