Lunacy, Field Notes’ Fall 2016 Special Edition, is what you get when you take a simple concept and go a little crazy on the execution.

Its theme pays homage to Earth’s celestial buddy, the moon, and there’s a lot more than usual going on with these little 3.5″ x 5.5″ pocket notebooks. They contain 60# light gray notebook paper with a reticle grid ruling. They are bound together with black staples that blend into a shimmery, black cover stock, giving it an almost leather-like look. And along with the the embossed Field Notes logo on the front, you’ll find a black moon logo embossed on the back cover.

But, of course, the most noteworthy aspect of the Lunacy edition is their die-cut covers, which open like little windows into a glossy inner photo of the moon.  Each book in the set is cut to represent a different phase of the moon: there’s a waning crescent, a third-quarter (half) moon, and a full-moon. Those who are subscribers to Field Notes’ quarterly additions also received a bonus “new moon” book, which just has a fully-intact black cover.

The glossy inner cover-pages aren’t just for show either, they also include a bunch extra info. In typical Field Notes fashion, some of this information is lightly useful, but most of it is just for fun. Need to know how to say “moon” in German? This notebook has got you covered. Want to know how to kill a werewolf? You’ll have that info in your back pocket too.

It’s a cool edition overall, though I’m not a huge fan of the die-cut covers. While they don’t rip or tear like I initially thought they would, I still find them a little annoying. But beyond that, these books remind me a lot of Field Notes’ Night Sky edition from the summer of 2014. That’s an edition I’ve always wanted to own, but they are now sold out (and much too expensive to buy through eBay). Lunacy, as well, is a little more expensive than usual – $12.95 for a 3-pack – but still worth it for any aspiring astronaut.

Additional Notes

• Of the 30 “Practical Applications” listed in the notebooks’ inside-back cover, my favorites are the following: “2. ‘That’s No Moon'”; “20. Dark Side Theories”; and “22. Tidal Changes.”
• Check out  Ed Jelly’s review for lots of good pictures, and Fountain Pen Follies says that these notebooks are very fountain pen friendly.
• Definitely check out the video that Field Notes produced for this edition. It’s almost as if they were trying to fake the moon landing.