diff --git a/controller/Notebooks.py b/controller/Notebooks.py
index 1a709df..a87591f 100644
--- a/controller/Notebooks.py
+++ b/controller/Notebooks.py
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ class Notebooks( object ):
     if revision:
       result[ "note_read_write" ] = False
 
+    notebook = self.__database.load( Notebook, notebook_id )
+    if not notebook:
+      raise Access_error()
+    result[ "recent_notes" ] = self.__database.select_many( Note, notebook.sql_load_recent_notes( start = 0, count = 10 ) )
+
     # if the user doesn't have any storage bytes yet, they're a new user, so see what type of
     # conversion this is (demo or signup)
     if result[ "user" ].storage_bytes == 0:
diff --git a/static/css/style.css b/static/css/style.css
index b2e15de..097c1eb 100644
--- a/static/css/style.css
+++ b/static/css/style.css
@@ -270,6 +270,11 @@ img {
   font-size: 90%;
 }
 
+#recent_notes_table {
+  margin-bottom: 1em;
+  font-size: 90%;
+}
+
 .note_tree_table {
   border-collapse: collapse;
 }
@@ -299,6 +304,11 @@ img {
   padding-left: 19px;
 }
 
+.recent_note_link {
+  background: url(/static/images/note_icon.png) left center no-repeat;
+  padding-left: 19px;
+}
+
 .note_tree_loading {
   background: url(/static/images/loading.gif) left center no-repeat;
   padding-left: 20px;
@@ -582,6 +592,10 @@ img {
   padding: 0.25em 0.25em 0.25em 0;
 }
 
+.recent_note_item {
+  padding: 0.25em 0.25em 0.25em 0;
+}
+
 .tree_expander {
   float: left;
   width: 11px;
diff --git a/static/js/Wiki.js b/static/js/Wiki.js
index b8b1e10..69f4b7e 100644
--- a/static/js/Wiki.js
+++ b/static/js/Wiki.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ function Wiki( invoker ) {
   this.signup_plan = getElement( "signup_plan" ).value;
   this.font_size = null;
   this.note_tree = new Note_tree( this, this.notebook_id, this.invoker );
+  this.recent_notes = new Recent_notes( this, this.notebook_id );
 
   var total_notes_count_node = getElement( "total_notes_count" );
   if ( total_notes_count_node )
@@ -2578,7 +2579,7 @@ function Note_tree( wiki, notebook_id, invoker ) {
 
   var self = this;
   function connect_expander( note_id ) {
-    connect( "note_tree_expander_" + note_id, "onclick", function ( event ) { self.expand_link( event, note_id ); } );
+    connect( "note_tree_expander_" + note_id, "onclick", function ( event ) { self.expand_collapse_link( event, note_id ); } );
   }
 
   for ( var i in links ) {
@@ -2643,7 +2644,7 @@ Note_tree.prototype.add_root_link = function ( editor ) {
   ) );
 
   var self = this;
-  connect( expander, "onclick", function ( event ) { self.expand_link( event, editor.id ); } );
+  connect( expander, "onclick", function ( event ) { self.expand_collapse_link( event, editor.id ); } );
   connect( link, "onclick", function ( event ) { self.link_clicked( event ); } );
 
   var instructions = getElement( "note_tree_instructions" );
@@ -2667,11 +2668,8 @@ Note_tree.prototype.remove_link = function ( note_id ) {
 
 Note_tree.prototype.rename_link = function ( editor, new_title ) {
   var link = getElement( "note_tree_link_" + editor.id );
-
-  if ( !link )
-    return;
-
-  replaceChildNodes( link, new_title || "untitled note" );
+  if ( link )
+    replaceChildNodes( link, new_title || "untitled note" );
 }
 
 Note_tree.prototype.update_link = function ( editor ) {
@@ -2711,7 +2709,7 @@ Note_tree.prototype.update_link = function ( editor ) {
   }
 }
 
-Note_tree.prototype.expand_link = function ( event, note_id ) {
+Note_tree.prototype.expand_collapse_link = function ( event, note_id ) {
   var expander = event.target();
 
   if ( !expander || hasElementClass( expander, "tree_expander_empty" ) )
@@ -2765,14 +2763,11 @@ Note_tree.prototype.expand_link = function ( event, note_id ) {
   }
 }
 
-Note_tree.prototype.collapse_link = function ( event, note_id ) {
-}
-
 Note_tree.prototype.display_child_links = function ( result, link, children_area ) {
   var self = this;
 
   function connect_expander( expander, note_id ) {
-    connect( expander, "onclick", function ( event ) { self.expand_link( event, note_id ); } );
+    connect( expander, "onclick", function ( event ) { self.expand_collapse_link( event, note_id ); } );
   }
 
   var span = createDOM( "span" );
@@ -2827,3 +2822,99 @@ Note_tree.prototype.display_child_links = function ( result, link, children_area
   var note_id = parse_query( link )[ "note_id" ];
   connect_expander( expander, note_id );
 }
+
+function Recent_notes( wiki, notebook_id ) {
+  this.wiki = wiki;
+  this.notebook_id = notebook_id;
+
+  // if there's no recent notes table, there's nothing to do with recent notes!
+  if ( !getElement( "recent_notes_table" ) )
+    return;
+
+  // add onclick handlers to the recent note links as well
+  var self = this;
+  var recent_links = getElementsByTagAndClassName( "a", "recent_note_link", "note_tree_area" );
+
+  for ( var i in recent_links ) {
+    var link = recent_links[ i ];
+    var query = parse_query( link );
+    var note_id = query[ "note_id" ];
+
+    connect( link, "onclick", function ( event ) { self.link_clicked( event ); } );
+  }
+
+  // connect to the wiki note events
+  connect( wiki, "note_added", function ( editor ) { self.add_link( editor ); } );
+  connect( wiki, "note_removed", function ( id ) { self.remove_link( id ); } );
+  connect( wiki, "note_saved", function ( editor ) { self.update_link( editor ); } );
+}
+
+Recent_notes.prototype.link_clicked = function ( event ) {
+  var link = event.target();
+  var query = parse_query( link );
+  var note_id = query[ "note_id" ];
+  var title = query[ "title" ];
+
+  if ( !note_id )
+    return;
+
+  this.wiki.load_editor( title, note_id );
+  event.stop();
+}
+
+Recent_notes.prototype.add_link = function ( editor ) {
+  // if the link is already present in the recent notes list, bail
+  var item = getElement( "recent_note_item_" + editor.id )
+  if ( item ) return;
+
+  MAX_RECENT_NOTES_COUNT = 10;
+
+  // if there will be too many recent notes listed once another is added, then remove the last one
+  var recent_items = getElementsByTagAndClassName( "tr", "recent_note_item", "recent_notes_table" );
+  if ( recent_items && recent_items.length >= MAX_RECENT_NOTES_COUNT ) {
+    var last_item = recent_items[ recent_items.length - 1 ];
+    removeElement( last_item );
+  }
+
+  // add a new recent note link at the top of the list
+  var expander = createDOM( "td", { "class": "tree_expander_empty", "id": "recent_note_expander_" + editor.id } );
+
+  var link = createDOM( "a", {
+   "href": "/notebooks/" + this.notebook_id + "?note_id=" + editor.id,
+   "id": "recent_note_link_" + editor.id,
+   "class": "recent_note_link"
+  }, editor.title || "untitled note" );
+
+  insertSiblingNodesAfter( "recent_notes_top", createDOM(
+    "tr",
+    { "id": "recent_note_item_" + editor.id, "class": "recent_note_item" },
+    expander,
+    createDOM( "td", {}, link )
+  ) );
+
+  var self = this;
+  connect( link, "onclick", function ( event ) { self.link_clicked( event ); } );
+}
+
+Recent_notes.prototype.remove_link = function ( note_id ) {
+  var item = getElement( "recent_note_item_" + note_id );
+  if ( !item ) return;
+
+  removeElement( item );
+}
+
+Recent_notes.prototype.update_link = function ( editor ) {
+  var item = getElement( "recent_note_item_" + editor.id );
+  var link = getElement( "recent_note_link_" + editor.id );
+
+  // the link isn't in the recent notes list, so add it
+  if ( !item || !link ) {
+    this.add_link( editor );
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // the link is already in the recent notes list, so just move it to the top of the list
+  removeElement( item );
+  replaceChildNodes( link, editor.title );
+  insertSiblingNodesAfter( "recent_notes_top", item );
+}
diff --git a/view/Main_page.py b/view/Main_page.py
index efc17f2..e30cc2c 100644
--- a/view/Main_page.py
+++ b/view/Main_page.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class Main_page( Page ):
     invite_id = None,
     after_login = None,
     signup_plan = None,
+    recent_notes = None,
   ):
     startup_note_ids = [ startup_note.object_id for startup_note in startup_notes ]
 
@@ -141,6 +142,7 @@ class Main_page( Page ):
             ),
             notebook,
             startup_notes + ( notes and notes or [] ),
+            recent_notes,
             total_notes_count,
           ),
           id = u"left_area",
diff --git a/view/Note_tree_area.py b/view/Note_tree_area.py
index 69432d1..03ddde0 100644
--- a/view/Note_tree_area.py
+++ b/view/Note_tree_area.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from Tags import Div, Span, H4, A, Table, Tr, Td
 class Note_tree_area( Div ):
   LINK_PATTERN = re.compile( u'<a\s+(?:[^>]+\s)?href="[^"]+"[^>]*>', re.IGNORECASE )
 
-  def __init__( self, toolbar, notebook, root_notes, total_notes_count ):
+  def __init__( self, toolbar, notebook, root_notes, recent_notes, total_notes_count ):
     Div.__init__(
       self,
       toolbar,
@@ -32,20 +32,24 @@ class Note_tree_area( Div ):
           ) or None,
           tree_id = "note_tree_root_table",
         ),
-        ( notebook.name != u"trash" ) and Span(
+        ( recent_notes and notebook.name != u"trash" ) and Span(
           H4( u"recent notes",
             id = u"recent_notes_area_title",
           ),
+          self.make_tree(
+            Tr( id = "recent_notes_top" ),
+            [ self.make_item(
+              title = note.title,
+              link_attributes = u'href="/notebooks/%s?note_id=%s"' % ( notebook.object_id, note.object_id ),
+              link_class = u"recent_note_link",
+              has_children = False,
+              root_note_id = note.object_id,
+              base_name = u"recent_note",
+            ) for note in recent_notes ],
+            tree_id = "recent_notes_table",
+          ),
         ) or None,
-        self.make_tree(
-          [ self.make_item(
-            title = note.title,
-            link_attributes = u'href="/notebooks/%s?note_id=%s"' % ( notebook.object_id, note.object_id ),
-            link_class = u"note_tree_link",
-            has_children = False,
-          ) for note in []],#recent_notes ],
-        ),
-        id = u"recent_notes_area_holder",
+        id = u"note_tree_area_holder",
       ),
       Span( id = "tree_arrow_hover_preload" ),
       Span( id = "tree_arrow_down_preload" ),
@@ -54,22 +58,25 @@ class Note_tree_area( Div ):
     )
 
   @staticmethod
-  def make_item( title, link_attributes, link_class, has_children = False, root_note_id = None, target = None ):
+  def make_item( title, link_attributes, link_class, has_children = False, root_note_id = None, target = None, base_name = None ):
+    if base_name is None:
+      base_name = u"note_tree"
+
     return Tr(
       has_children and \
-        Td( id = root_note_id and u"note_tree_expander_" + root_note_id or None, class_ = u"tree_expander" ) or
-        Td( id = root_note_id and u"note_tree_expander_" + root_note_id or None, class_ = u"tree_expander_empty" ),
+        Td( id = root_note_id and u"%s_expander_%s" % ( base_name, root_note_id ) or None, class_ = u"tree_expander" ) or
+        Td( id = root_note_id and u"%s_expander_%s" % ( base_name, root_note_id ) or None, class_ = u"tree_expander_empty" ),
       Td(
         u"<a %s%s%s class=%s>%s</a>" % (
             link_attributes,
-            root_note_id and u' id="note_tree_link_%s"' % root_note_id or "",
+            root_note_id and u' id="%s_link_%s"' % ( base_name, root_note_id ) or "",
             target and u' target="%s"' % target or "",
             link_class,
             title or u"untitled note",
         ),
       ),
-      id = root_note_id and u"note_tree_item_" + root_note_id or None,
-      class_ = u"note_tree_item",
+      id = root_note_id and u"%s_item_%s" % ( base_name, root_note_id ) or None,
+      class_ = u"%s_item" % base_name,
     )
 
   @staticmethod