I am completely side-stepping Dr. Paulings's sometimes controversial science and politics. This seemed to be an interesting look at one man's journaling habits over the long term.
From:
http://osulibrary.orst.edu/specialcollections/rnb/
As with many scientists, Linus Pauling utilized bound notebooks to keep track of the details of his research as it unfolded. A testament to the remarkable length and diversity of Dr. Pauling's career, the Pauling Papers holdings include forty-six research notebooks spanning the years of 1922 to 1994 and covering any number of the scientific fields in which Dr. Pauling involved himself. In this regard, the notebooks contain many of Pauling's laboratory calculations and experimental data, as well as scientific conclusions, ideas for further research and numerous autobiographical musings.