'Six small notebooks, yellow with blue lettering "Spirax No. 561": bought in Melbourne 1968 - the Indian and Afghanistan notebooks; one smaller with pink cover, bought in Bombay, now lost; eight shorthand notebooks, caramel covers, London 1970-74; one, used during the first American visit, 1972, lost. Entries here have been taken, with some corrections, mostly from seven "London" books.'From Notebooks , based on recorded stories and conversations, aphorisms and Bail's thoughts on art, literature and landscape.