This was very helpful and very pleasing to watch! I'll take any of the softback editions, honestly. Penguin and Oxford are my faves because of the notes. I recently read a black spine Penguin of Hawthorne's The Marble Faun, and it was such an enjoyable experience in part because of the pleasing font and the detailed notes, which are a necessity for that book. 😅
So glad you enjoyed it😀 One can never go wrong with a Penguin. (That's an odd sentence, what?) I do enjoy Oxford classics, though they are not quite as stylish.
It has been my experience that Penguin books are printed on very acidic and the pages yellow, deteriorate, and fall apart rather quickly compared to editions from other publishers. 😢
I have a book buying problem and my obsession recently moved to classics. I decided to go in on Everyman's Library for their sheer beauty and their great intros. They also have an amazing PG Wodehouse collection.
I go for the Penguin black spine classics b/c they’re the ones that my local indie bookstore sells. Once I had a few, I didn’t want my classics in any other edition. 😁
I am the same. I've been collecting the black spine classics for what seems like forever. I actually do not mind when the spines crack. It serves to remind me I've read the book and that brings back wonderful memories.
I have three favorites for my classics: - Paperback -- Oxford World's Classics, particularly the newer format. They are floppy, they usually have good notes, and the paper is quite white, which I quite like. This is the edition that, when I do choose to annotate, I annotate. I'm addicted to these. - Hardback -- Macmillan Collector's Library -- love these little pocket sized books, very white paper, great for always having a classic. I keep one in my work bag and one in my everyday personal computer bag. Ribbon page marker. - Hardback - Everyman's Library. Particularly the larger page count books are a joy to read. No notes, but they are beautifully bound and lay flat. It took me a long time to collect the entire Dickens collection and I am really enjoying reading these. Ribbon page marker. Unlike most people, I love the look of them on the shelf with the jacket on, although I read them without the jacket. I have a few Penguin Classics, mostly for titles that Oxford does not publish. By the way, I hate the newest editions which changed from the orange highlights to white in the cover and spine. And many of them don't quite line up on the shelf. My experience with Wordsworth in the United States (and this may just be the ones I've happened to pick up in the book shop) are very tightly bound, seem to have a stiffer paper, and are rather unpleasant to read.
The everyman editions do look good lined up with their jackets on. As for Macmillan, they are beautiful. My only issue is that many are abridged editions.
I have about 120 of the Macmillans and very few are abridged: The Dumas novels are, one Dostoevsky, Les Mis, and Anna Karenina. However, a few of the re-released editions are coming out unabridged - the newer Anna K is now unabridged.
I'm assuming that you have the Everyman's Library Dickens illustrated cover editions instead of the white covers? I've been collecting them as well...at the least, used in very good or like new condition...and have returned them to the seller when they've been advertised as the illustrated covers but they ship the white covers. Because of that, there's no way that I would remove the covers on the bookshelves, although I also remove the covers while reading them.
Totally agree on the new Penguin black editions! They have ugly (IMHO) black & white drawings (like Tristan's Little Dorrit); I'll take the oil painting covers any day. I'd rather buy a used old black Penguin in good condition than an ugly brand new one.
Yes, on the illustrated covers. I have a few of the non illustrated covers for some of the non Dickens but all of my Dickens have the illustrations. The hardest one for me to get - which took a lot of searching - was The Old Curiosity Shop.
I like books to be floppy and have a decent sized font, they’re the main things I look for so I collect mainly Penguin editions. The vintage red spines, the black Penguins, the modern classics and another that you didn’t mention; the English library. The latter has to be the best for flop! And they also look good on the shelf. I also really like the Oxford World Classics and have quite a lot of them. Just found your channel a few days ago but really enjoying your videos. You have such genuine enthusiasm for the books you talk about which is more than can be said for a lot of other booktubers.
thank you for this! i watch a lot of book content but i rarely see anyone talking about the quality of the books. I find the size, paper quality and typesetting really important, and more people should talk about this :) Floppy paperbacks with a nice readable font are my favorites!
It's so expensive but I think Folio Society is the best in the business and it's something I'm always saving money for. I love their approach is that each classic is like a work of art and so books are given individual thought into how it's put together. A Jane Austen novel should not look like an Agatha Christie novel. I just nerd out whenever there a new Folio Society release and it doesn't matter to me that my classics don't match.
Same here. When I first got my own flat, I joined The Folio Society, about 30 years ago, but life got in the way! Now I had for Everyman first. Both have acid-free paper, which is important to me, as someone who has had to replace a lot of my 1970s paperbacks because they discoloured so badly!
I have several hundred, Folio Society books; Hardy, Trollope, Oxford history, Jane Austen, Dickens etc. the books used to be under £50, but since they started doing limited editions, I stopped. I don't like the prices nor the current books, especially not the overpriced SF books. They are a bargain second hand as many never get read.
Canongate Classics is great for Scottish literature. They have some really rare stuff like John Barbour's The Bruce, and Conan Doyle's Brigadier Gerard, John Buchan's Witch Wood, and a superb collection of the Scottish Short Story. Really solid.
I am a little disappinted that you did not mention Macmillan Collector's Edition. I love these little cloth hardback books, the gorgious book covers of gold and light blue green, gold edging, and blue ribbon. I have quite a large collection, many of them are "trophies' from reading another edition, but I am more inclined to put one of these little gems in my purse (in a zip lock) of short story collections or poetry. The user experience is quite delightful.
This is quite funny, because I (literally just prior to this video!) just watched CarolynMarieReads do a video detailing her MacMillan collection, and discuss it in detail. I don't own any of that collection, but they do look beautiful and seem quite hardy little books 🙂
I have several of the Macmillan Collectors Classics, and I love them. In fact I’m actually on Amazon right now looking for more as I’m watching this video, and wondering why they didn’t make his list.
I absolutely adore them. I’m a little annoyed that they have rewritten a chapter of one “problematic” book (not sure which one) and that some are abridged (Count of Monte Cristo), but they are always my first choice.
I agree. The introduction can offer so much insight into the book. I often go back and read it again after finishing. I had to laugh when the introduction to Vanity Fair said not to read it if you haven’t already read it!
I store my all paperbacks in a small closet, I stack them. I dont have a lot of space for books. My experience with hardback books is that they fall apart, after 20 years, while paperback do it after 10 years I have a few hardback books printed 1920-1960 they look fabulous. If you want classics that last then you should try to find vintage books, instead of new prints
I have all of Jane Austen's books in the Alma edition and love the covers. I think it gives it a fun updated look that I hope encourages new readers to try them. And just as you mentioned, they are super cheap so I was able to buy the whole set! I think I'll always prefer the black Penguin paperbacks, though, for annotating. The pages aren't high quality, but for some reason, I enjoy the grit that catches when I write in them. I love the Reader's Digest hardcovers best of all, but sadly, they're more expensive and I must hunt them down secondhand. It feels like a true storybook and gives the reading an entirely different experience,
another thing I love about the alma classics is that every author has a similar style for all their covers which makes them even more of a joy to look at
I have been in Wales visiting historical sites and book hunting this week. I naturally visited the bookshops. I added quite a few Penguin Classics and a couple of Everyman. If I buy S/H Everyman, I'm prepared to annotate them too.
Just come across your channel. I was starting to collect Penguin blacks, then I discovered Oxford. I agree. They are great. Got a copy of Wuthering Heights and there is so much extra material-including a selection of Emily Bronte’s poetry. Oh dear- am I going to have to start again!
Ah, translations...that's another discussion entirely! If anyone is venturing forth, do your homework on the flavor of each translator (for those authors who have multiple translators). Translation can make or break the reading experience. 😉 Excellent video Tristan thank you. Oh, i love the Penguin Black books.
Translation is something that I'm trying to understand better. Once I do, I'll make a video on it. Perhaps I should try and track down a translator to interview.
This has been a problem for me of late. I don't know why it never occurred to me that there could be different, even multiple, translations for some books, and that not all are equally good. I was all set to read some Dostoevsky for the first time and then learned this fact. Sure enough, the translation I had was one that isn't considered as good as a different one. How was I to know that? Worse, I then learned there are even MORE translations that I'd never even heard of. How are you supposed to know what's an accurate translation or not when you only know the translated language, not the original one? All you can do in that case is trust the opinions of other people who do know both languages. Argh! The only other language I know besides English is Spanish. I don't have much experience reading it, but I can muddle through, depending on the difficulty. I could probably compare a few paragraphs of something (again, depending on the type of book and the difficulty) with the English translation and make a fairly correct determination on how accurate it is and even how well it flows. But that's the only language where I could do that. Can you see how much this is bothering me? If I wasn't already in my mid-50s I'd seriously consider learning Russian just so I could read these classics as they were first written. But I don't know if that would be worth the time commitment/difficulty. Just my luck, I'd get fluent and then drop dead before getting to actually read any of the works. :)
@@Yesica1993I’ve had this issue too and have seen other channels talk about how to choose which translation to go for. Some suggest it’s not always about literal word for word accuracy but often about choosing which style you personally prefer, and pick the one you think you’ll enjoy most. If possible I try and compare a few extracts before deciding or try more than one. Likely anyone reading for study or academic purposes may have to be more careful which translation to read and which to avoid but reading for pleasure I don’t worry too much.
@@Saraneyd Yes, it does seem it requires more research than I first realized. I don't mind doing that. I guess it's just a bit intimidating, first starting out. It caught me by surprise that there could be multiple translations in a single language. I don't know why it never occurred to me. Duh!
great video, man. currently halfway through 'great expectations' (collins classic), an amazing book. mostly collins on the book shelf, look nice and neat
Very helpful indeed! I’m drawn to the Oxfords based on your video, as I like to plop down an author/story within historical context. I shirked reading growing up and realize now how much I missed out on by not reading the classics. I have a lot of catching up to do and am a bit overwhelmed 😅. Your channel is helping immensely!
What a fab video - thank you! My favourite collections are Penguin cloth bound for my comfort reads (lots of Austen and Brontes here), Oxford World Classics, and I do love the Everyman collection. I seem to enjoy reading the Russians in the Everyman - psychologically weightier perhaps?! I will definitely check out Alma though, they look gorgeous on your shelf 😊
I now prefer the Oxford World Classics over the Penguin Editions. Their editions of Shakespeare are brilliant because they're sewn into proper registers and are much more durable than those where the pages are simply glued in.
Oxford is my preferred edition, whether current or the older ones. Not only do they have the best notes and the best flop, the spines rarely crack. Another great edition is The Modern Library Classics (paperback)--good notes, great flop, not too heavy and easy to read font & spacing. (Probably more available in the U.S.) My Modern Library Classics edition of Stevenson's "Kidnapped" has a full glossary of all the Scots words and phrases, in addition to explanatory notes. I would have been lost without it.
I recently collected some Penguin Classics Editions, the black backs. I enjoy reading them. I prefer to read paperbacks over hardcovers, just because they are smaller and lighter. Reading hardcovers makes me feel like I’m working out after a while, as opposed to relaxing and reading.
I have a soft spot for the Barnes and Noble paperback editions. Their designs combine the benefits of the wonderful art of the Oxford Classics with the distinctive colors of something like the Alma Classics.
That was a very enjoyable video! Thank you for presenting these various editions. I'm committed to Penguin Classics (and Modern Classics). I just love them - great covers, love the introductions, very much appreciate the notes and comments, plus wide enough margins to annotate. And I'm quite satisfied with the used look, the dinged corners and edges and spines, when I've read them. Vintage is alright as well though I'm not particular fond of the red spine. It stands out so much! I order my books alphabetically by title so the odd red (or blue or yellow or green) spine among all the white ones (dtv, atb and Diogenes -- German) and black ones (Penguin Classics) is jarring.
Really enjoyed the video, Tristan. Have to admit I was hoping for my favorite collection to be included but hey, maybe next time. My favourite is the Wordsworth collector's edition. I just love how fancy the hardbacks are and each has such a simple and elegant illustration.
This is my kind of video! I have an almost complete set of the black Wordsworth Classics, which did not set me back too much because they were £1.99 each when I was buying them. The only ones missing from my collection are the Shakespeare books (I already own a complete Shakespeare so I didn't want to duplicate), the Sherlock Holmes (ditto, although the complete Sherlock Holmes I have is a Wordsworth edition) and any new ones that have been published in the last couple of years since I completed the set. They do look great in a bookcase on their own, I try to look after the spines as much as I can, and any visitor to the house always comments on them. I'm nearly halfway through reading them. To be honest, I'm undecided whether to keep the Wordsworths or sell them. I have one or two of the Everyman Library which I agree are great (I have Svejk like you) and I really like the look of the Oxford World Classics, although I don't own any yet. However, I'm not sure my wife would be too happy for me to sell my entire Wordsworth collection only to replace it with a new one. I actually don't have any Penguin Classics, but in the last couple of years, I have bought quite a few of the Penguin Modern Classics. I have a couple of the latest mint colour spine edition, but I very much prefer the previous edition with the white spine. I just really like the black, white and grey/silver aesthetic and I don't much care for the mint green at the moment, but to each their own. I go through spurts of reading classics and I've just come across your channel in the last few days. You have inspired me to read a few more of them in 2024. Thanks!
Great video! Classic Tristan! :) The wordsworth classics are certain great for the price, floppiness factor and font. I have quite a few . My only grip is that i don't have a lot of room for notes in the margins . Well, one more small gripe- I am not always the best fan of the translations. Overall though a win. I tend to go for those on classics I've not yet read and not sure If i'll like. I LOVE the Vintage red spines. I only own a few , but no complaints from me. Everyman's library - to be honest, if i could afford it, i'd have a full library of these. I prefer reading from paperback but i love the naked hardbacks of the Everyman's For me, Penguin black spines are a favorite. I adore the cover art they choose, love the feel and the font . I also adore the penguin modern classics, but they can be a bit pricey here in the US .
I love Everyman Library and have many of those editions. I also collect Penguin Classics Deluxe Editions and Library of America. Edited to say, I'm for sure going to check out those Alma Classics. Thanks!
Gosh I hate that the Wordsmith Classics title it "The Karamazov Brothers" instead of "The Brothers Karamazov". It's subtle but it makes all the difference.
My absolute favourites for reading are penguin English library editions They are the floppiest and really easy to read and annotate. But also immensely drool over the Everyman's editions I don't usually read in the I just buy them as a treat to myself.
While they are on the higher price side, I think all penguin classic editions (classics, modern classics, English library) are just amazing with their font size, presentation, and just everything. I read everything from a Christmas carol to Ulysses in these editions and they are just so nice
I have also discovered the Alma Classics and I really like them. But my favorites are without a doubt Oxford World Classics. I'll pick them over most other editions (I'll go Penguin Deluxe if I can, but so few books are in those editions, and they are very expensive). If I can't get Oxford I'll go Penguin. I'm not a big fan of Vintage, though I have a lot of them. When buying classics in Norwegian bookshops it's usually either Vintage or Penguin you'll find, mostly Vintage.
Great comparisons. The smell and the flop! Love it. My first choice is usually Oxford World’s Classics. Love the design and reliability of materials, with spines that still look good after reading and good quality notes. Not familiar with Alma Books so just looked at their website. Some good deals to be had there worth exploring including UK subscriptions.
Gotta love a good flop! I agree with you about Oxford Classics. Very good editions. Alma was a very welcome discovery for me. Each authors books are designed to match. Check out the F Scott Fitgerald collection.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538oh wow the F Scott Fitzgerald look great. I’m only familiar with The Great Gatsby so some exciting reading to look forward to.
I always look for Penguin, but recently I found the Oxford and really like how they look. Thanks for the great video. Your content is just what I’m looking for.
I often choose Penguin over Oxford due to the font. Trollope art on the newer Oxford editions is gorgeous. Knickerbocker Classics is a nice edition with an elastic band closure. Picador, published in the US is a new edition to me. Nice all around font and flop. Thanks for this fun and informative video.
A decent-sized, clear font is really important to me nowdays, with my eyesight. I had to swap out some Collins books because the font was teeny-weeny 😞 So now, I like Penguins - Vintage red spines, black spines, English modern classics in particular. Nice font, floppy, pretty hardy, look lovely on the shelf, cheaper too. Everyman's look gorgeous (& MacMillans) but Everyman's are quite expensive.
My favorites: 1. Everyman's Library. In general, these are my favorite for the combination of great quality and great price (relative to quality). 2. Modern Library. Similar to Everyman's Library in terms of the combination of quality and price. I tend to prefer Everyman's slightly more, but honestly it could be more or less a toss-up between Everyman and Modern Library depending on the particular book in question (e.g. Moby Dick in the Modern Library has Rockwell Kent's absolutely beautiful artwork). 3. MacMillan Collector's Library. These are great little books as long as one doesn't mind the fits-in-the-palm-of-your-hand size. They're super affordable too, at least in the USA. Currently around $15 or less. 4. Library of America. As far as I know, it only has American literature (e.g. Melville, Twain, Faulkner). Also, the paper is a bit thin, with associated issues (e.g. bleed-through), whereas I tend to like heavier gsm which tends to be more opaque like in Everyman and Modern Library. Still, the Library of America produces high quality volumes that are worth owning. 5. Folio Society. This the highest quality, but also the highest price. I'd love to own one of these someday, but I won't be able to afford it any time soon!
I have most of my classics in the Penguin Black covers but i have the whole set of Barchester Chronicles in Oxford world books as i love the images on the front covers. These two editions have been recommended for studying with the OU and they tell us that either of these work well due to the amount of information as well as the story and do stay open when i have to make notes.
I realise that the penguin black spines can look read due to the breakage of the spine but i am very fussy about my books looking pristine so haven't had this problem with my black spines.
The Arcturus Classics are also a good buy and are really easy on the eye font type and size wise. Lovely cover designs too. Some thing very comfortable about them held in the hand. Really recommend !! Enjoyable video 👍
Oxford World's Classics is my choice when I'm looking for notes. If I'm judging the book solely by its cover, then I'm probably picking up an Alma. I don't arrange by publisher, so I don't worry about how the spines match, except for the Everyman spines that seem to be missing foil. Just looked up Alma and I'm seeing titles I don't recognize. That's interesting.... I guess some are short story collections. Might have to pick up some Kindle versions.
I use to have a lot of those mass market sizes, because they were cheap and I didn't have a permanent job until 2017, and I could afford to buy multiples. Now, I prefer a regular size. I have to be selective about my editions, because I don't have the space to have more than one copy of a book. Even with my clothbound, writing in them or the cover fading doesn't bother me as long as they're not falling apart I'm content. I have a lot of the Penguins, and a few of the Oxfords and clothbounds. As well as, a couple random editions.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 Yes, back then they were perfect, but not being a student and being in the workforce I can buy the regular size paperbacks.
Very true. But I imagine that in the styling of the period, the whale image could possibly have just been depicted in black on a poster to make it stand out more. Good spotting that though!
i just bought a bunch of collins classic to start my journey to classic lit, i want to get hold of wordsworth or penguin black but my country has limited accessibility to those! collins are easily everywhere here
I love that you include a lot of paperbacks. I generally hate hardbacks. I think they are just not readable and not annotatable (is this even a word)😅 The occupy more spaces. Not to say that nowadays the quality of many hardbacks is just not there at all. They are glued together and tight as hell. I just recommend any paperbacks when you’re a reader not only a collector. The joy of annotating is unlimited.
For any Americans who liked those Alma classics or just like the more modern look in general, Union Square makes some "signature classics" hardbacks with pop art dust jackets that are gorgeous if thats a style that you like (Which I, personally, do). They are clothbound solid color with gilded embossing underneath the jackets. You can get them at Barnes and Nobel.
I love how you show the flop. The feel of the book in my hands is so important for my reading experience. It’s the one thing I DON’T like about the Everyman books; the paper is a bit too thick and unresponsive. My absolute favourite and first choice is the MacMillan Collector’s library. I also like Penguin English Library (the spines are hard to read on thinner books), Penguin Classics Deluxe editions (more recent editions; the early ones have terrible paper), Penguin Modern Classics (don’t take highlighters well, sadly, and I’m a heavy annotator) and Everyman (for thick books because the paper is much thinner and has better ASMR).
Second this. Macmillan Collectors Library is the best, in terms of size and flop, and aesthetics, and readability. Unfortunately they are a rarity where I live
I have been buying Canterbury hardcover leather bound classics .I like that you get 3 or more books in one edition.They look good on my shelves and they have a great flop
Excellent topic! I regret I only have one Everyman's volume and it's a 3-novel set by Dashiell Hammett. I'd love to have more. But the Penguins rule on my bookcases. I also have many Library of America volumes.
I don’t know about the penguin black spines, there just doesn’t seem to be any consistency. You’ll get one with white pages, the other with yellow clothy paper. One font is decent the next is tiny. And recently I went to the bookstore and the spines were a different font and style
I did not realise how different content could be. If you are getting Machiavelli's The Prince I would recommend the Penguin Classics edition. If you are getting Sun Tzu's Art of War then the Wordsworth Classics edition. Both these are beautifully translated, almost poetic. Other translations seem clunky in comparison. Just my opinion. Best wishes.
I'm collecting the Penguin Clothbound (and Little Clothbound), Macmillan's Collector, Everyman's, Alma, Penguin (Modern) Classics, and I have a handful of Wordsworths and Vintage Classics. Having been born and raised in a family of bibliophiles (to illustrate: my parent's gift to my 40th birthday was a custom designed Ex Libris set), I prefer clothbound hardcovers. If the prose has been written in English, my priority would be one of the large hardback clothbound editions for the books I love and rate the highest, or Macmillan (if not available in the other two). If it's been written in a language I don't speak, my #1 priority is to get the best translation, and I do research this extensively. I prefer adherence to the original over "readability" 11 times out of 10. I'm interested in what the author wrote, if I wanted a reader's digest, I'd buy that. If it's a paperback, I prefer Penguin (great fonts, easy to open the books) or Alma (some of those books have beautiful covers) over any other edition. Of the paperback, I'd rate Wordsworth the lowest, it's clearly discount and when they've cheaped out on proof reading, it destroys the experience to me.
I’ve honestly been waiting for to talk about your Wordsworth classic books. ❤ Also your the first UA-camr I’ve seen that has read “Time Will Darken It”. What is your opinion on it? I enjoy them very much but only have two of this edition.. since black ink chips off easily in the covers, I covered them with plastic book cover or contact paper looks god as new. Greetings from Angola 🇦🇴 ❤
@Tristanandtheclassics, I read "The Woman in White" and now want to read "The Moonstone" but I want the print don't to be better than TWiW..... ..larger and clearer. So, please advise me which one will cause less eye strain,please ? Thank you in advance.
Great comparison of the editions! My favorite is the Everyman's Library which I am slowly building up a collection of. May I please ask if the Oxford World Classics crack their spine?
All I want right now is a decent hardcover of Jane Eyre. I can't believe it's been so hard to find. My beloved paperback got caught in a totally unexpected rainstorm within a few days of buying it. I wanted to cry! Then I ordered what I thought was a hardcover from ebay. I was thrilled with the price. Then I realized when I got it that it was in two volumes. WHO DOES THAT?! Plus, the font was tiny. It's not a long book! I was not happy. I ended up selling it back to a used bookstore for a pittance. I wasn't happy about that either. But I knew I'd never read them so why keep them?
i just received my everyman’s library edition copy of jane eyre today! you might want to consider it-worth the price for a hardcover ⭐️ tho in the end, it still depends on one’s preference 🙇🏻♀️ i’m simply a fan of the art for their dust jackets and the binding quality :D the font seems decent but the saturation of the text itself is not consistent since it tends to get ‘lighter’ making it look dark gray instead of jet black (idk if it’s just my copy)
Sorry for the late response. Stupid UA-cam is hit or miss with notifications. Thanks for the heads up! My birthday is coming up in a few weeks so maybe I will treat myself. It's the only time I don't feel (too) guilty about buying something for myself. And congratulations to you for getting it!@@thedustdevil
One could also collect books according to the illustrator; and get books created by some of the really great illustrators, like Gustave Dore', or N.C.Wyeth.
What camera do you use? I really like it. So many wonderful options! And the UK seems to have all the pretty ones. I understand why you have all of the different options. I like the Millennium Library books. All the others I would annotate in. There are three you didn't show, but that I like the looks of. Flame Tree Publishing. I only have one book by them, but I'd like to invest in more. Chatham River Press, which I've only seen online. And lastly, the blue and gold jacket covers that are in the UK. I can't find the name of the publishing company. Google's search is being ridiculous today. Thank you for sharing. now I want them all. Okay, almost all
I took your advice on the Wordsworth classics. Maybe I live near a bad Amazon distribution center, as every one of the books I've ordered arrived badly damaged.
I hardly ever order from Amazon for books anymore, but I've noticed the same problem with books in the last few years. They arrive damaged. If you order from anywhere else, they clearly take the time to carefully pack and protect the book, just another reason to not use Amazon for book orders.
I was disappointed in my Wordsworth copy of Ben Hur. It was abridged, but nowhere in the listing for it, or on the cover nor very noticeable on the back was it indicated. I didn't realize it was abridged until I left it cover side down and saw the word "abridged" in a tiny font in the bottom corner.
I think I am an obsessive book-buyer and collector, but I do not collect books because they may increase in value or only because they are easy to look at. I collect them to read them, to go to them, to feel and peruse them. I believe you and I see books in a very similar way. Here's my take, Tristan. Penguin Classics: Good, but far too many of them come with no notes at all. I got rid of all my Penguins that lacked notes, except the ones that cover a book unpublished by another house (a rare occurrence). I have about 500 Penguin Classics, black covers. However, I dislike the more modern ones (bold white letters on the cover and terrible art, especially the Dickens ones). Foreign language note: Penguin has a Spanish edition section, but none of their works, either Spanish originals or translations into Spanish, have end notes. Thus, The Count of Montecristo in English has plenty of end notes; Penguin's Spanish version does not. Oxford Classics: Better than Penguin overall, but there are many titles that Oxford does not carry and Penguin does, so I have collected both of them down the years (Plotinus's "Enneads" comes to mind). I may have more Oxfords by now, maybe 600, but my favorite ones are the yellow ones, with a yellow spine; they stopped being printed in 1995, I think. They open very well, the paper quality was better, even on the cover: glossy and easy to clean. Their only problem was that Oxford used to be strange with its fonts, sometimes using some hard-to-read fonts, like that in an Old Western newspaper, forcing me to keep the Penguin for the better font and the Oxford for everything else. Far less Oxfords than Penguins lack end notes. And the Oxford Shakespeare comes in better quality white, non-acid paper, superior to Penguin's Shakespeare editions for about the same price. Still, many Oxfords are found only there, like Theodore Fontane's "Before the Storm," only available in an old Oxford edition prior to the yellow-cover ones, from the early 1980s. Wordsworth: I don't have many, perhaps twelve books in total. I read half of Crime and Punishment in my Wordsworth, then switched to Norton Critical Edition's New translation. As a funny note, I think I have about ten editions of Crime and Punishment because I hunted the introductions and the notes, so now I have my C&M in a dedicated box with photocopies of the introductions and notes belonging to the few editions I could not buy. Everyman's Library: one of my favorites, although many of them tend not to have notes. In my view, all works of literature from about 80 years ago and back need notes, and plenty of modern ones do, too. You are right about Everyman's covers: they can be very beautiful. Many of them, though, are just a picture of the author; and many more can be just a plain off-white cover with the author's name and the book's title. When buying online you may get one of these boring ones instead of the gorgeous-looking one you thought you were buying. Vintage Classics. I really don't care for them. I must own a few, less than five. Very worthy, in my opinion, are the following. I collect all of them, but selectively: Norton Critical Editions: popular in the US and Canada (don't know if in the UK), designed for college students, all of them have footnotes (some a lot -good! Some sparse -not good), criticism down the decades or centuries, backgrounds, maps if necessary, and glossaries. What they all lack is a good introduction, and uniformity of quality and numbers: some Nortons are in their 6th or so edition of a work; other works/authors get one edition if they are lucky. As the cannon changes, so does Norton, but I'd like all their titles to be available. Sadly, both Norton editions of Crime and Punishment, the old one and the recent one, were terrible disappointments for me. Broadview Editions: I believe this one is from Canada. Footnotes, introduction, commentaries after the text. Broadviews are very good, particularly because they focused (and maybe they still do) in lesser known works. Although heavily tilted towards English-language titles, and then mostly English ones, Broadview published gems such as The Ring and the Book, A Youth in Germany, East Lynne (recently also published by Oxford Classics), Mathilda, An imperative Duty, Obi, The Red Laugh and The Abyss, etc. Unlike Norton (and Oxford, and Penguin), Broadview built a strong foundation of neglected, out-of-print, or just forgotten works that are very worth our time. It does publish known classics (Shakespeare, Hardy, Dickens, etc) but, even then, Broadview can give us some obscure work by a renowned author: Harrington, by Maria Edgeworth, for example. Highly recommended. Library of America, hardcovers with black dust jacket, high-quality white, acid-free paper. Some people don't care for the thin paper, but I like it. I try not to get the slipcase editions, but you might like those because they do not have a dj. I like the overall quality of the product, but it's US-centered, only. The notes are mute, so you have to guess where there might be a note and check at the end of the volume, which I hate. I also dislike the criteria for being part of the LOA: all of Philip Roth's works were published by LOA while he lived (great); none of Joyce Carol Oates have, so far. New York Review Books. This one is a walk on the wild/lesser known/unknown side: most of the titles are less than famous (Kaputt, Riders in the Chariot, Going to the Dogs, The Foundation Pit, The Long Ships, The Return of Munchausen [sic], All for Nothing, The Peregrine, The Moon and the Bonfires, The Flanders Road, Pitch Dark, Abigail, The N'Gustro Affair, etc). All are paperbacks that do not remain open easily, with no notes, meagre intro when there is one. The cover art varies from original, to photos, to what-was-that? The spine colors are a rainbow. Some newer editions are rather boring-looking, but I haven't seen many of those, fortunately. I highly recommend this one. As always, for Spanish speakers/readers, I recommend Cátedra and Castalia, but now more Cátedra because they have retained their original look and high quality, acid-free paper, whereas Castalia has gone the cheap way, with pages that look like Penguin's. Still, both offer copious footnotes and, generally, an excellent, long introduction to the authors and their works. Cátedra has two Classics sections: Letras Hispánicas (Spanish language authors from all over the world), and Letras Universales (world literature translated into Spanish). Neither one is cheap for US buyers. Maybe it's better for UK people, since they are closer to Spain, and both publishing houses are from that country. Sorry. My comment was very long. i hope I didn't bore you. Your videos are great and they push me to opine. Until next time.
I have to say I love my penguin clothbound classics version of Dracula; great feeling hardcover, perfect sized reading font, cloth bookmark strip. Along with my complete all in one editions of H.P. Lovecraft and Sherlock Holmes; a huge collection of stories and novels all in a nicely sized all in one package to enjoy for decades. 😊❤📚
Penguin clothbounds are gorgeous. Though the cover for Hound of the Baskervilles is quite unusual. Not what I anticipated. Its butterflies and bees. I get the reference but still, it was unexpected.😀
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 oh this complete all in one edition I have is made by rock point publishing. Chocolate brown with gold font and outlines on the hardcover. Containing all 4 novels and 56 short stories. A long with a cloth bookmark strip. I've seen the penguin version of the holmes book that you mentioned; however, I'd probably add Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the penguin clothbound classics edition. Down the road if they're available. 😊❤📚
After seeing several of your very enjoyable videos, I get the impression that you are not too concerned about the particular translation of some works by foreign authors. Some people make a great to do about it. Am I right? Thank you.
I know I am concerned. I detest Burton Raffel's translation of Don Quijote, whereas I consider Edith Grossman's to be the best, although I read that classic in the original Spanish. I prefer the Oxford Classics translation of Eugene Onegin to any other, not because I can read Russian, but because it flows better. Also, while almost all translations into English of Virgil's Aeneid start with "Arms and the man I sing," which is a literal rendition of "Arma (arms), vir (man), um (of the-genitive), que (and), cano (I sing): Arma virumque cano;" Fitzgerald goes a bit beyond and gives us poetry in English without jettisoning the original, thus: "I sing of warfare and a man at war." Next to this, "Arms and the man I sing" is flat, disjointed, and quite ugly. I prefer Bart Ehrmann's translation of The Apostolic Fathers (Harvard Loeb) to Kirsopp Lake's because Lake's is too old fashioned and Ehrmann's reads better, supported by more modern scholarship. Final example, Oxford World Classics rendition into modern English of The Canterbury Tales by David Wright is far better than the Penguin Classics edition by Nevill Coghill because Wright does not betray the translation in order to please the censors; Coghill adds far too much to circumvent the delicate eyes and ears of his 1960s readers. Translations do matter to me, but I think Tristan was going more for the physical aspect of these editions.
Current (early 2024) MSRP of Wordsworth Karamazov Bothers, U.K. £3.99, US $6.99. Surprisingly, Real cost is 40% more in US (though Amazon discounts the US price $1).
Very useful info, thank you! But how do you open one of those paperbacks that don’t have a good flop (great word for it btw!) without breaking the spine? You said there was a trick to it, but you didn’t say what it was.
If it's the same technique I was shown, it involves opening the book out flat at gradual ten page intervals, but alternating from left to right. It gradually softens and stretches the spine in preparation for when you actually sit down to read the book. I could be wrong and he might have a different method, but this is the only one I'm aware of.
Echoing the many other comments that like the black Penguin books and the Oxford Classics. At least for my English language books. My French shelf looks much different and I like the cohesive given with French editions. PS. I quite like the Dostoevsky crash test dummy covers. But the Don Quixote cover was dreadful! 😂
Have you tested on marker bleeding through the next page? Whats a good edition for highlighting paragraphs? I'm cheap because im a blank slate when it comes to reading, haven't built a big library yet, so i was looking at Wordsworth and collins. Not sure if either of those editions do the job with markers, any idea?
I love Folio but they have become too expensive😢. When they used to have the monthly selection the price was better. I also have a small set of Chiltern classics which are lovely but smaller. And also Penguin Classics (cloth bound) are also nice.
I love Penguin Classics but not sure why they changed some elements. For example instead of orange pengiun symbol, you now have white penguin. The authors’ names are also now in white instead of red…
The only Wordsworth edition I have is Friedrich Nietzsche's Human, All Too Human and Beyond Good and Evil - the edition is combined and contains both books - nearly 700 pages total, and it cost about $8. With Penguin Classics (Penguin blacks, as you call them), the only one I have is Nietzsche's Ecce Homo - a super slim book, only 100 pages - and it cost $12. WTF?
This was very helpful and very pleasing to watch! I'll take any of the softback editions, honestly. Penguin and Oxford are my faves because of the notes. I recently read a black spine Penguin of Hawthorne's The Marble Faun, and it was such an enjoyable experience in part because of the pleasing font and the detailed notes, which are a necessity for that book. 😅
So glad you enjoyed it😀 One can never go wrong with a Penguin. (That's an odd sentence, what?) I do enjoy Oxford classics, though they are not quite as stylish.
@tristanandtheclassics6538 well, not Penguin with a capital P. 😆
@@Dinadoesyoga 😂😂😂
It has been my experience that Penguin books are printed on very acidic and the pages yellow, deteriorate, and fall apart rather quickly compared to editions from other publishers. 😢
I have a book buying problem and my obsession recently moved to classics. I decided to go in on Everyman's Library for their sheer beauty and their great intros. They also have an amazing PG Wodehouse collection.
I go for the Penguin black spine classics b/c they’re the ones that my local indie bookstore sells. Once I had a few, I didn’t want my classics in any other edition. 😁
I am the same. I've been collecting the black spine classics for what seems like forever. I actually do not mind when the spines crack. It serves to remind me I've read the book and that brings back wonderful memories.
The Oxford world classics are my favourite among paperbacks. I love the matte feel of the cover and the white color ❤
I have three favorites for my classics:
- Paperback -- Oxford World's Classics, particularly the newer format. They are floppy, they usually have good notes, and the paper is quite white, which I quite like. This is the edition that, when I do choose to annotate, I annotate. I'm addicted to these.
- Hardback -- Macmillan Collector's Library -- love these little pocket sized books, very white paper, great for always having a classic. I keep one in my work bag and one in my everyday personal computer bag. Ribbon page marker.
- Hardback - Everyman's Library. Particularly the larger page count books are a joy to read. No notes, but they are beautifully bound and lay flat. It took me a long time to collect the entire Dickens collection and I am really enjoying reading these. Ribbon page marker. Unlike most people, I love the look of them on the shelf with the jacket on, although I read them without the jacket.
I have a few Penguin Classics, mostly for titles that Oxford does not publish. By the way, I hate the newest editions which changed from the orange highlights to white in the cover and spine. And many of them don't quite line up on the shelf.
My experience with Wordsworth in the United States (and this may just be the ones I've happened to pick up in the book shop) are very tightly bound, seem to have a stiffer paper, and are rather unpleasant to read.
The everyman editions do look good lined up with their jackets on. As for Macmillan, they are beautiful. My only issue is that many are abridged editions.
I have about 120 of the Macmillans and very few are abridged: The Dumas novels are, one Dostoevsky, Les Mis, and Anna Karenina. However, a few of the re-released editions are coming out unabridged - the newer Anna K is now unabridged.
I'm assuming that you have the Everyman's Library Dickens illustrated cover editions instead of the white covers? I've been collecting them as well...at the least, used in very good or like new condition...and have returned them to the seller when they've been advertised as the illustrated covers but they ship the white covers. Because of that, there's no way that I would remove the covers on the bookshelves, although I also remove the covers while reading them.
Totally agree on the new Penguin black editions! They have ugly (IMHO) black & white drawings (like Tristan's Little Dorrit); I'll take the oil painting covers any day. I'd rather buy a used old black Penguin in good condition than an ugly brand new one.
Yes, on the illustrated covers. I have a few of the non illustrated covers for some of the non Dickens but all of my Dickens have the illustrations. The hardest one for me to get - which took a lot of searching - was The Old Curiosity Shop.
I like books to be floppy and have a decent sized font, they’re the main things I look for so I collect mainly Penguin editions. The vintage red spines, the black Penguins, the modern classics and another that you didn’t mention; the English library. The latter has to be the best for flop! And they also look good on the shelf. I also really like the Oxford World Classics and have quite a lot of them.
Just found your channel a few days ago but really enjoying your videos. You have such genuine enthusiasm for the books you talk about which is more than can be said for a lot of other booktubers.
Not sure why I don't see them as much anymore, but the Modern Library Classics are some of the best and handsomest out there.
thank you for this! i watch a lot of book content but i rarely see anyone talking about the quality of the books. I find the size, paper quality and typesetting really important, and more people should talk about this :) Floppy paperbacks with a nice readable font are my favorites!
It's so expensive but I think Folio Society is the best in the business and it's something I'm always saving money for. I love their approach is that each classic is like a work of art and so books are given individual thought into how it's put together. A Jane Austen novel should not look like an Agatha Christie novel. I just nerd out whenever there a new Folio Society release and it doesn't matter to me that my classics don't match.
I don't even want to look through the website. Coveting is a sin!
Oh yes, Folio Society makes some stunning editions!
Same here. When I first got my own flat, I joined The Folio Society, about 30 years ago, but life got in the way! Now I had for Everyman first. Both have acid-free paper, which is important to me, as someone who has had to replace a lot of my 1970s paperbacks because they discoloured so badly!
I have several hundred, Folio Society books; Hardy, Trollope, Oxford history, Jane Austen, Dickens etc. the books used to be under £50, but since they started doing limited editions, I stopped. I don't like the prices nor the current books, especially not the overpriced SF books. They are a bargain second hand as many never get read.
Canongate Classics is great for Scottish literature. They have some really rare stuff like John Barbour's The Bruce, and Conan Doyle's Brigadier Gerard, John Buchan's Witch Wood, and a superb collection of the Scottish Short Story. Really solid.
I am a little disappinted that you did not mention Macmillan Collector's Edition. I love these little cloth hardback books, the gorgious book covers of gold and light blue green, gold edging, and blue ribbon. I have quite a large collection, many of them are "trophies' from reading another edition, but I am more inclined to put one of these little gems in my purse (in a zip lock) of short story collections or poetry. The user experience is quite delightful.
This is quite funny, because I (literally just prior to this video!) just watched CarolynMarieReads do a video detailing her MacMillan collection, and discuss it in detail. I don't own any of that collection, but they do look beautiful and seem quite hardy little books 🙂
I have several of the Macmillan Collectors Classics, and I love them. In fact I’m actually on Amazon right now looking for more as I’m watching this video, and wondering why they didn’t make his list.
I absolutely adore them. I’m a little annoyed that they have rewritten a chapter of one “problematic” book (not sure which one) and that some are abridged (Count of Monte Cristo), but they are always my first choice.
When it comes to classics, I like a thorough, well-written introduction.
I agree. The introduction can offer so much insight into the book. I often go back and read it again after finishing. I had to laugh when the introduction to Vanity Fair said not to read it if you haven’t already read it!
I store my all paperbacks in a small closet, I stack them. I dont have a lot of space for books.
My experience with hardback books is that they fall apart, after 20 years, while paperback do it after 10 years
I have a few hardback books printed 1920-1960 they look fabulous.
If you want classics that last then you should try to find vintage books, instead of new prints
I have all of Jane Austen's books in the Alma edition and love the covers. I think it gives it a fun updated look that I hope encourages new readers to try them. And just as you mentioned, they are super cheap so I was able to buy the whole set!
I think I'll always prefer the black Penguin paperbacks, though, for annotating. The pages aren't high quality, but for some reason, I enjoy the grit that catches when I write in them. I love the Reader's Digest hardcovers best of all, but sadly, they're more expensive and I must hunt them down secondhand. It feels like a true storybook and gives the reading an entirely different experience,
That's amazing. I'm so pleased to know another booktuber who has found Alma Classics.
another thing I love about the alma classics is that every author has a similar style for all their covers which makes them even more of a joy to look at
I have been in Wales visiting historical sites and book hunting this week. I naturally visited the bookshops. I added quite a few Penguin Classics and a couple of Everyman. If I buy S/H Everyman, I'm prepared to annotate them too.
I annotate all of my books! I love the feeling of engagement it gives me while I’m reading.
Just come across your channel. I was starting to collect Penguin blacks, then I discovered Oxford. I agree. They are great. Got a copy of Wuthering Heights and there is so much extra material-including a selection of Emily Bronte’s poetry. Oh dear- am I going to have to start again!
I enjoyed this review. My two faves are the Oxfords and the Penguin Moderns.
A floppy book that looks well loved when read repeatedly that I can also write in? Perfection. :)
Perfect!
Perfect!
Ah, translations...that's another discussion entirely! If anyone is venturing forth, do your homework on the flavor of each translator (for those authors who have multiple translators). Translation can make or break the reading experience. 😉 Excellent video Tristan thank you. Oh, i love the Penguin Black books.
Translation is something that I'm trying to understand better. Once I do, I'll make a video on it. Perhaps I should try and track down a translator to interview.
This has been a problem for me of late. I don't know why it never occurred to me that there could be different, even multiple, translations for some books, and that not all are equally good. I was all set to read some Dostoevsky for the first time and then learned this fact. Sure enough, the translation I had was one that isn't considered as good as a different one. How was I to know that? Worse, I then learned there are even MORE translations that I'd never even heard of. How are you supposed to know what's an accurate translation or not when you only know the translated language, not the original one? All you can do in that case is trust the opinions of other people who do know both languages. Argh! The only other language I know besides English is Spanish. I don't have much experience reading it, but I can muddle through, depending on the difficulty. I could probably compare a few paragraphs of something (again, depending on the type of book and the difficulty) with the English translation and make a fairly correct determination on how accurate it is and even how well it flows. But that's the only language where I could do that. Can you see how much this is bothering me? If I wasn't already in my mid-50s I'd seriously consider learning Russian just so I could read these classics as they were first written. But I don't know if that would be worth the time commitment/difficulty. Just my luck, I'd get fluent and then drop dead before getting to actually read any of the works. :)
@@Yesica1993I’ve had this issue too and have seen other channels talk about how to choose which translation to go for. Some suggest it’s not always about literal word for word accuracy but often about choosing which style you personally prefer, and pick the one you think you’ll enjoy most. If possible I try and compare a few extracts before deciding or try more than one. Likely anyone reading for study or academic purposes may have to be more careful which translation to read and which to avoid but reading for pleasure I don’t worry too much.
@@Saraneyd Yes, it does seem it requires more research than I first realized. I don't mind doing that. I guess it's just a bit intimidating, first starting out. It caught me by surprise that there could be multiple translations in a single language. I don't know why it never occurred to me. Duh!
Penguins are actually usually the chosen books for required readings at my German Uni
great video, man.
currently halfway through 'great expectations' (collins classic), an amazing book. mostly collins on the book shelf, look nice and neat
Nice review. In the USA we have a very popular Barnes and Noble Classics . Most like the Oxford Classics and very affordable in the US.
Never ever heard of "the flop" before...everydays a school day
😂 I'm not sure if it's the bona fide term for it, but it certainly captures the essence of the thing.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 well there's a name for everything and it's as good as any.😄
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 Oh, it's the term, all right! You should see the Bible reviewers!
The flop definitely helps me decide on buying a book lol
Very helpful indeed! I’m drawn to the Oxfords based on your video, as I like to plop down an author/story within historical context. I shirked reading growing up and realize now how much I missed out on by not reading the classics. I have a lot of catching up to do and am a bit overwhelmed 😅. Your channel is helping immensely!
This is EXACTLY the video I was hoping for.
Oh good! I'm so pleased.
Just want to tell you I really enjoy your videos. Both your content and your presentation are top notch. Thank you.
What a fab video - thank you! My favourite collections are Penguin cloth bound for my comfort reads (lots of Austen and Brontes here), Oxford World Classics, and I do love the Everyman collection. I seem to enjoy reading the Russians in the Everyman - psychologically weightier perhaps?! I will definitely check out Alma though, they look gorgeous on your shelf 😊
I love a good book flop. Draws me right in.
There's nothing quite like it. 😀
Thank you so much for this breakdown! I am very picky about my book feel and print size. This is a very useful guide.
I now prefer the Oxford World Classics over the Penguin Editions. Their editions of Shakespeare are brilliant because they're sewn into proper registers and are much more durable than those where the pages are simply glued in.
Oxford is my preferred edition, whether current or the older ones. Not only do they have the best notes and the best flop, the spines rarely crack. Another great edition is The Modern Library Classics (paperback)--good notes, great flop, not too heavy and easy to read font & spacing. (Probably more available in the U.S.) My Modern Library Classics edition of Stevenson's "Kidnapped" has a full glossary of all the Scots words and phrases, in addition to explanatory notes. I would have been lost without it.
I recently collected some Penguin Classics Editions, the black backs. I enjoy reading them. I prefer to read paperbacks over hardcovers, just because they are smaller and lighter. Reading hardcovers makes me feel like I’m working out after a while, as opposed to relaxing and reading.
I have a soft spot for the Barnes and Noble paperback editions. Their designs combine the benefits of the wonderful art of the Oxford Classics with the distinctive colors of something like the Alma Classics.
I also cultivated my love for classics with those editions taken from my high school library!
That was a very enjoyable video! Thank you for presenting these various editions. I'm committed to Penguin Classics (and Modern Classics). I just love them - great covers, love the introductions, very much appreciate the notes and comments, plus wide enough margins to annotate. And I'm quite satisfied with the used look, the dinged corners and edges and spines, when I've read them. Vintage is alright as well though I'm not particular fond of the red spine. It stands out so much! I order my books alphabetically by title so the odd red (or blue or yellow or green) spine among all the white ones (dtv, atb and Diogenes -- German) and black ones (Penguin Classics) is jarring.
Really enjoyed the video, Tristan. Have to admit I was hoping for my favorite collection to be included but hey, maybe next time. My favourite is the Wordsworth collector's edition. I just love how fancy the hardbacks are and each has such a simple and elegant illustration.
This is my kind of video!
I have an almost complete set of the black Wordsworth Classics, which did not set me back too much because they were £1.99 each when I was buying them. The only ones missing from my collection are the Shakespeare books (I already own a complete Shakespeare so I didn't want to duplicate), the Sherlock Holmes (ditto, although the complete Sherlock Holmes I have is a Wordsworth edition) and any new ones that have been published in the last couple of years since I completed the set. They do look great in a bookcase on their own, I try to look after the spines as much as I can, and any visitor to the house always comments on them. I'm nearly halfway through reading them.
To be honest, I'm undecided whether to keep the Wordsworths or sell them. I have one or two of the Everyman Library which I agree are great (I have Svejk like you) and I really like the look of the Oxford World Classics, although I don't own any yet. However, I'm not sure my wife would be too happy for me to sell my entire Wordsworth collection only to replace it with a new one.
I actually don't have any Penguin Classics, but in the last couple of years, I have bought quite a few of the Penguin Modern Classics. I have a couple of the latest mint colour spine edition, but I very much prefer the previous edition with the white spine. I just really like the black, white and grey/silver aesthetic and I don't much care for the mint green at the moment, but to each their own.
I go through spurts of reading classics and I've just come across your channel in the last few days. You have inspired me to read a few more of them in 2024. Thanks!
Great video! Classic Tristan! :) The wordsworth classics are certain great for the price, floppiness factor and font. I have quite a few . My only grip is that i don't have a lot of room for notes in the margins . Well, one more small gripe- I am not always the best fan of the translations. Overall though a win. I tend to go for those on classics I've not yet read and not sure If i'll like.
I LOVE the Vintage red spines. I only own a few , but no complaints from me.
Everyman's library - to be honest, if i could afford it, i'd have a full library of these. I prefer reading from paperback but i love the naked hardbacks of the Everyman's
For me, Penguin black spines are a favorite. I adore the cover art they choose, love the feel and the font . I also adore the penguin modern classics, but they can be a bit pricey here in the US .
I love Everyman Library and have many of those editions. I also collect Penguin Classics Deluxe Editions and Library of America.
Edited to say, I'm for sure going to check out those Alma Classics. Thanks!
Gosh I hate that the Wordsmith Classics title it "The Karamazov Brothers" instead of "The Brothers Karamazov". It's subtle but it makes all the difference.
Nice summary, I'm an Oxford World Classics enthusiast
I definitely learned something! Thanx.
My absolute favourites for reading are penguin English library editions They are the floppiest and really easy to read and annotate. But also immensely drool over the Everyman's editions I don't usually read in the I just buy them as a treat to myself.
Everyman’s Library Éditions are my favorite……..well worth the money!
While they are on the higher price side, I think all penguin classic editions (classics, modern classics, English library) are just amazing with their font size, presentation, and just everything. I read everything from a Christmas carol to Ulysses in these editions and they are just so nice
This video helped so so much!!! Thank you, looking forward to watching more of your videos
I have also discovered the Alma Classics and I really like them. But my favorites are without a doubt Oxford World Classics. I'll pick them over most other editions (I'll go Penguin Deluxe if I can, but so few books are in those editions, and they are very expensive). If I can't get Oxford I'll go Penguin. I'm not a big fan of Vintage, though I have a lot of them. When buying classics in Norwegian bookshops it's usually either Vintage or Penguin you'll find, mostly Vintage.
Great comparisons. The smell and the flop! Love it. My first choice is usually Oxford World’s Classics. Love the design and reliability of materials, with spines that still look good after reading and good quality notes. Not familiar with Alma Books so just looked at their website. Some good deals to be had there worth exploring including UK subscriptions.
Gotta love a good flop! I agree with you about Oxford Classics. Very good editions. Alma was a very welcome discovery for me. Each authors books are designed to match. Check out the F Scott Fitgerald collection.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538oh wow the F Scott Fitzgerald look great. I’m only familiar with The Great Gatsby so some exciting reading to look forward to.
I always look for Penguin, but recently I found the Oxford and really like how they look.
Thanks for the great video. Your content is just what I’m looking for.
I often choose Penguin over Oxford due to the font. Trollope art on the newer Oxford editions is gorgeous.
Knickerbocker Classics is a nice edition with an elastic band closure.
Picador, published in the US is a new edition to me. Nice all around font and flop.
Thanks for this fun and informative video.
A decent-sized, clear font is really important to me nowdays, with my eyesight. I had to swap out some Collins books because the font was teeny-weeny 😞
So now, I like Penguins - Vintage red spines, black spines, English modern classics in particular. Nice font, floppy, pretty hardy, look lovely on the shelf, cheaper too. Everyman's look gorgeous (& MacMillans) but Everyman's are quite expensive.
I love cheap, crappy editions of books. Makes me feel like I will go to any length to read the work. So long as its not a bad translation or abridged
My favorites:
1. Everyman's Library. In general, these are my favorite for the combination of great quality and great price (relative to quality).
2. Modern Library. Similar to Everyman's Library in terms of the combination of quality and price. I tend to prefer Everyman's slightly more, but honestly it could be more or less a toss-up between Everyman and Modern Library depending on the particular book in question (e.g. Moby Dick in the Modern Library has Rockwell Kent's absolutely beautiful artwork).
3. MacMillan Collector's Library. These are great little books as long as one doesn't mind the fits-in-the-palm-of-your-hand size. They're super affordable too, at least in the USA. Currently around $15 or less.
4. Library of America. As far as I know, it only has American literature (e.g. Melville, Twain, Faulkner). Also, the paper is a bit thin, with associated issues (e.g. bleed-through), whereas I tend to like heavier gsm which tends to be more opaque like in Everyman and Modern Library. Still, the Library of America produces high quality volumes that are worth owning.
5. Folio Society. This the highest quality, but also the highest price. I'd love to own one of these someday, but I won't be able to afford it any time soon!
I have most of my classics in the Penguin Black covers but i have the whole set of Barchester Chronicles in Oxford world books as i love the images on the front covers. These two editions have been recommended for studying with the OU and they tell us that either of these work well due to the amount of information as well as the story and do stay open when i have to make notes.
I realise that the penguin black spines can look read due to the breakage of the spine but i am very fussy about my books looking pristine so haven't had this problem with my black spines.
The Arcturus Classics are also a good buy and are really easy on the eye font type and size wise. Lovely cover designs too. Some thing very comfortable about them held in the hand. Really recommend !! Enjoyable video 👍
Oxford World's Classics is my choice when I'm looking for notes. If I'm judging the book solely by its cover, then I'm probably picking up an Alma. I don't arrange by publisher, so I don't worry about how the spines match, except for the Everyman spines that seem to be missing foil. Just looked up Alma and I'm seeing titles I don't recognize. That's interesting.... I guess some are short story collections. Might have to pick up some Kindle versions.
Well, ended up getting Four Alma Classics. 📖
I am interested to know which editions have the best translations. Love your videos by the way!
Yes excellent suggestion
I use to have a lot of those mass market sizes, because they were cheap and I didn't have a permanent job until 2017, and I could afford to buy multiples. Now, I prefer a regular size. I have to be selective about my editions, because I don't have the space to have more than one copy of a book. Even with my clothbound, writing in them or the cover fading doesn't bother me as long as they're not falling apart I'm content. I have a lot of the Penguins, and a few of the Oxfords and clothbounds. As well as, a couple random editions.
The mass market editions are a godsend. Imagine how expensive book reading would get otherwise! Love that you prioritise annotation over clean pages
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 Yes, back then they were perfect, but not being a student and being in the workforce I can buy the regular size paperbacks.
Penguin Classics make me happy. ❤
Scandalous that the Alma classics has Moby Dick's tail showing in black, when we all know that he was a white wale!
Very true. But I imagine that in the styling of the period, the whale image could possibly have just been depicted in black on a poster to make it stand out more. Good spotting that though!
Those Alma editions are lovely covers.
i just bought a bunch of collins classic to start my journey to classic lit, i want to get hold of wordsworth or penguin black but my country has limited accessibility to those! collins are easily everywhere here
I love that you include a lot of paperbacks. I generally hate hardbacks. I think they are just not readable and not annotatable (is this even a word)😅 The occupy more spaces. Not to say that nowadays the quality of many hardbacks is just not there at all. They are glued together and tight as hell. I just recommend any paperbacks when you’re a reader not only a collector. The joy of annotating is unlimited.
Modern Library Editions and Oxford World Classic Editions are my favorite in paperback’s
The Wordsworth Don Quixote cover is hilarious! 🤣
Do you have a shelf of first editions?
For any Americans who liked those Alma classics or just like the more modern look in general, Union Square makes some "signature classics" hardbacks with pop art dust jackets that are gorgeous if thats a style that you like (Which I, personally, do). They are clothbound solid color with gilded embossing underneath the jackets. You can get them at Barnes and Nobel.
Font size is becoming a very big deal at 69 years old. Very helpful video.
I love how you show the flop. The feel of the book in my hands is so important for my reading experience. It’s the one thing I DON’T like about the Everyman books; the paper is a bit too thick and unresponsive.
My absolute favourite and first choice is the MacMillan Collector’s library.
I also like Penguin English Library (the spines are hard to read on thinner books), Penguin Classics Deluxe editions (more recent editions; the early ones have terrible paper), Penguin Modern Classics (don’t take highlighters well, sadly, and I’m a heavy annotator) and Everyman (for thick books because the paper is much thinner and has better ASMR).
Second this. Macmillan Collectors Library is the best, in terms of size and flop, and aesthetics, and readability. Unfortunately they are a rarity where I live
I have been buying Canterbury hardcover leather bound classics .I like that you get 3 or more books in one edition.They look good on my shelves and they have a great flop
Excellent topic! I regret I only have one Everyman's volume and it's a 3-novel set by Dashiell Hammett. I'd love to have more. But the Penguins rule on my bookcases. I also have many Library of America volumes.
I don’t know about the penguin black spines, there just doesn’t seem to be any consistency. You’ll get one with white pages, the other with yellow clothy paper. One font is decent the next is tiny. And recently I went to the bookstore and the spines were a different font and style
I did not realise how different content could be. If you are getting Machiavelli's The Prince I would recommend the Penguin Classics edition. If you are getting Sun Tzu's Art of War then the Wordsworth Classics edition. Both these are beautifully translated, almost poetic. Other translations seem clunky in comparison. Just my opinion. Best wishes.
I'm collecting the Penguin Clothbound (and Little Clothbound), Macmillan's Collector, Everyman's, Alma, Penguin (Modern) Classics, and I have a handful of Wordsworths and Vintage Classics.
Having been born and raised in a family of bibliophiles (to illustrate: my parent's gift to my 40th birthday was a custom designed Ex Libris set), I prefer clothbound hardcovers.
If the prose has been written in English, my priority would be one of the large hardback clothbound editions for the books I love and rate the highest, or Macmillan (if not available in the other two).
If it's been written in a language I don't speak, my #1 priority is to get the best translation, and I do research this extensively. I prefer adherence to the original over "readability" 11 times out of 10. I'm interested in what the author wrote, if I wanted a reader's digest, I'd buy that.
If it's a paperback, I prefer Penguin (great fonts, easy to open the books) or Alma (some of those books have beautiful covers) over any other edition. Of the paperback, I'd rate Wordsworth the lowest, it's clearly discount and when they've cheaped out on proof reading, it destroys the experience to me.
I’ve honestly been waiting for to talk about your Wordsworth classic books. ❤
Also your the first UA-camr I’ve seen that has read “Time Will Darken It”. What is your opinion on it?
I enjoy them very much but only have two of this edition.. since black ink chips off easily in the covers, I covered them with plastic book cover or contact paper looks god as new. Greetings from Angola 🇦🇴 ❤
@Tristanandtheclassics,
I read "The Woman in White" and now want to read "The Moonstone" but I want the print don't to be better than TWiW..... ..larger and clearer.
So, please advise me which one will cause less eye strain,please ?
Thank you in advance.
Very well done. Thank You.
Great comparison of the editions! My favorite is the Everyman's Library which I am slowly building up a collection of. May I please ask if the Oxford World Classics crack their spine?
All I want right now is a decent hardcover of Jane Eyre. I can't believe it's been so hard to find. My beloved paperback got caught in a totally unexpected rainstorm within a few days of buying it. I wanted to cry! Then I ordered what I thought was a hardcover from ebay. I was thrilled with the price. Then I realized when I got it that it was in two volumes. WHO DOES THAT?! Plus, the font was tiny. It's not a long book! I was not happy. I ended up selling it back to a used bookstore for a pittance. I wasn't happy about that either. But I knew I'd never read them so why keep them?
i just received my everyman’s library edition copy of jane eyre today! you might want to consider it-worth the price for a hardcover ⭐️ tho in the end, it still depends on one’s preference 🙇🏻♀️ i’m simply a fan of the art for their dust jackets and the binding quality :D the font seems decent but the saturation of the text itself is not consistent since it tends to get ‘lighter’ making it look dark gray instead of jet black (idk if it’s just my copy)
Sorry for the late response. Stupid UA-cam is hit or miss with notifications. Thanks for the heads up! My birthday is coming up in a few weeks so maybe I will treat myself. It's the only time I don't feel (too) guilty about buying something for myself. And congratulations to you for getting it!@@thedustdevil
One could also collect books according to the illustrator; and get books created by some of the really great illustrators, like Gustave Dore', or N.C.Wyeth.
What camera do you use? I really like it. So many wonderful options! And the UK seems to have all the pretty ones. I understand why you have all of the different options. I like the Millennium Library books. All the others I would annotate in. There are three you didn't show, but that I like the looks of. Flame Tree Publishing. I only have one book by them, but I'd like to invest in more. Chatham River Press, which I've only seen online. And lastly, the blue and gold jacket covers that are in the UK. I can't find the name of the publishing company. Google's search is being ridiculous today. Thank you for sharing. now I want them all. Okay, almost all
I took your advice on the Wordsworth classics. Maybe I live near a bad Amazon distribution center, as every one of the books I've ordered arrived badly damaged.
I hardly ever order from Amazon for books anymore, but I've noticed the same problem with books in the last few years. They arrive damaged. If you order from anywhere else, they clearly take the time to carefully pack and protect the book, just another reason to not use Amazon for book orders.
They don’t match up as a set so well but for flip and notes, Norton critical editions are quite good.
I was disappointed in my Wordsworth copy of Ben Hur. It was abridged, but nowhere in the listing for it, or on the cover nor very noticeable on the back was it indicated. I didn't realize it was abridged until I left it cover side down and saw the word "abridged" in a tiny font in the bottom corner.
I think I am an obsessive book-buyer and collector, but I do not collect books because they may increase in value or only because they are easy to look at. I collect them to read them, to go to them, to feel and peruse them. I believe you and I see books in a very similar way. Here's my take, Tristan.
Penguin Classics: Good, but far too many of them come with no notes at all. I got rid of all my Penguins that lacked notes, except the ones that cover a book unpublished by another house (a rare occurrence). I have about 500 Penguin Classics, black covers. However, I dislike the more modern ones (bold white letters on the cover and terrible art, especially the Dickens ones). Foreign language note: Penguin has a Spanish edition section, but none of their works, either Spanish originals or translations into Spanish, have end notes. Thus, The Count of Montecristo in English has plenty of end notes; Penguin's Spanish version does not.
Oxford Classics: Better than Penguin overall, but there are many titles that Oxford does not carry and Penguin does, so I have collected both of them down the years (Plotinus's "Enneads" comes to mind). I may have more Oxfords by now, maybe 600, but my favorite ones are the yellow ones, with a yellow spine; they stopped being printed in 1995, I think. They open very well, the paper quality was better, even on the cover: glossy and easy to clean. Their only problem was that Oxford used to be strange with its fonts, sometimes using some hard-to-read fonts, like that in an Old Western newspaper, forcing me to keep the Penguin for the better font and the Oxford for everything else. Far less Oxfords than Penguins lack end notes. And the Oxford Shakespeare comes in better quality white, non-acid paper, superior to Penguin's Shakespeare editions for about the same price. Still, many Oxfords are found only there, like Theodore Fontane's "Before the Storm," only available in an old Oxford edition prior to the yellow-cover ones, from the early 1980s.
Wordsworth: I don't have many, perhaps twelve books in total. I read half of Crime and Punishment in my Wordsworth, then switched to Norton Critical Edition's New translation. As a funny note, I think I have about ten editions of Crime and Punishment because I hunted the introductions and the notes, so now I have my C&M in a dedicated box with photocopies of the introductions and notes belonging to the few editions I could not buy.
Everyman's Library: one of my favorites, although many of them tend not to have notes. In my view, all works of literature from about 80 years ago and back need notes, and plenty of modern ones do, too. You are right about Everyman's covers: they can be very beautiful. Many of them, though, are just a picture of the author; and many more can be just a plain off-white cover with the author's name and the book's title. When buying online you may get one of these boring ones instead of the gorgeous-looking one you thought you were buying.
Vintage Classics. I really don't care for them. I must own a few, less than five.
Very worthy, in my opinion, are the following. I collect all of them, but selectively:
Norton Critical Editions: popular in the US and Canada (don't know if in the UK), designed for college students, all of them have footnotes (some a lot -good! Some sparse -not good), criticism down the decades or centuries, backgrounds, maps if necessary, and glossaries. What they all lack is a good introduction, and uniformity of quality and numbers: some Nortons are in their 6th or so edition of a work; other works/authors get one edition if they are lucky. As the cannon changes, so does Norton, but I'd like all their titles to be available. Sadly, both Norton editions of Crime and Punishment, the old one and the recent one, were terrible disappointments for me.
Broadview Editions: I believe this one is from Canada. Footnotes, introduction, commentaries after the text. Broadviews are very good, particularly because they focused (and maybe they still do) in lesser known works. Although heavily tilted towards English-language titles, and then mostly English ones, Broadview published gems such as The Ring and the Book, A Youth in Germany, East Lynne (recently also published by Oxford Classics), Mathilda, An imperative Duty, Obi, The Red Laugh and The Abyss, etc. Unlike Norton (and Oxford, and Penguin), Broadview built a strong foundation of neglected, out-of-print, or just forgotten works that are very worth our time. It does publish known classics (Shakespeare, Hardy, Dickens, etc) but, even then, Broadview can give us some obscure work by a renowned author: Harrington, by Maria Edgeworth, for example. Highly recommended.
Library of America, hardcovers with black dust jacket, high-quality white, acid-free paper. Some people don't care for the thin paper, but I like it. I try not to get the slipcase editions, but you might like those because they do not have a dj. I like the overall quality of the product, but it's US-centered, only. The notes are mute, so you have to guess where there might be a note and check at the end of the volume, which I hate. I also dislike the criteria for being part of the LOA: all of Philip Roth's works were published by LOA while he lived (great); none of Joyce Carol Oates have, so far.
New York Review Books. This one is a walk on the wild/lesser known/unknown side: most of the titles are less than famous (Kaputt, Riders in the Chariot, Going to the Dogs, The Foundation Pit, The Long Ships, The Return of Munchausen [sic], All for Nothing, The Peregrine, The Moon and the Bonfires, The Flanders Road, Pitch Dark, Abigail, The N'Gustro Affair, etc). All are paperbacks that do not remain open easily, with no notes, meagre intro when there is one. The cover art varies from original, to photos, to what-was-that? The spine colors are a rainbow. Some newer editions are rather boring-looking, but I haven't seen many of those, fortunately. I highly recommend this one.
As always, for Spanish speakers/readers, I recommend Cátedra and Castalia, but now more Cátedra because they have retained their original look and high quality, acid-free paper, whereas Castalia has gone the cheap way, with pages that look like Penguin's. Still, both offer copious footnotes and, generally, an excellent, long introduction to the authors and their works. Cátedra has two Classics sections: Letras Hispánicas (Spanish language authors from all over the world), and Letras Universales (world literature translated into Spanish). Neither one is cheap for US buyers. Maybe it's better for UK people, since they are closer to Spain, and both publishing houses are from that country.
Sorry. My comment was very long. i hope I didn't bore you. Your videos are great and they push me to opine. Until next time.
I have to say I love my penguin clothbound classics version of Dracula; great feeling hardcover, perfect sized reading font, cloth bookmark strip. Along with my complete all in one editions of H.P. Lovecraft and Sherlock Holmes; a huge collection of stories and novels all in a nicely sized all in one package to enjoy for decades. 😊❤📚
Penguin clothbounds are gorgeous. Though the cover for Hound of the Baskervilles is quite unusual. Not what I anticipated. Its butterflies and bees. I get the reference but still, it was unexpected.😀
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 oh this complete all in one edition I have is made by rock point publishing. Chocolate brown with gold font and outlines on the hardcover. Containing all 4 novels and 56 short stories. A long with a cloth bookmark strip. I've seen the penguin version of the holmes book that you mentioned; however, I'd probably add Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the penguin clothbound classics edition. Down the road if they're available. 😊❤📚
After seeing several of your very enjoyable videos, I get the impression that you are not too concerned about the particular translation of some works by foreign authors. Some people make a great to do about it. Am I right? Thank you.
I know I am concerned. I detest Burton Raffel's translation of Don Quijote, whereas I consider Edith Grossman's to be the best, although I read that classic in the original Spanish. I prefer the Oxford Classics translation of Eugene Onegin to any other, not because I can read Russian, but because it flows better. Also, while almost all translations into English of Virgil's Aeneid start with "Arms and the man I sing," which is a literal rendition of "Arma (arms), vir (man), um (of the-genitive), que (and), cano (I sing): Arma virumque cano;" Fitzgerald goes a bit beyond and gives us poetry in English without jettisoning the original, thus: "I sing of warfare and a man at war." Next to this, "Arms and the man I sing" is flat, disjointed, and quite ugly. I prefer Bart Ehrmann's translation of The Apostolic Fathers (Harvard Loeb) to Kirsopp Lake's because Lake's is too old fashioned and Ehrmann's reads better, supported by more modern scholarship. Final example, Oxford World Classics rendition into modern English of The Canterbury Tales by David Wright is far better than the Penguin Classics edition by Nevill Coghill because Wright does not betray the translation in order to please the censors; Coghill adds far too much to circumvent the delicate eyes and ears of his 1960s readers.
Translations do matter to me, but I think Tristan was going more for the physical aspect of these editions.
Hey what about the Loeb Classical Library?! It even has ‘classic’ in its name!
Great video! Where does one get redback vintage in the US? I often buy books online but I don't think I know how to summon those books.
Current (early 2024) MSRP of Wordsworth Karamazov Bothers, U.K. £3.99, US $6.99. Surprisingly, Real cost is 40% more in US (though Amazon discounts the US price $1).
Very useful info, thank you! But how do you open one of those paperbacks that don’t have a good flop (great word for it btw!) without breaking the spine? You said there was a trick to it, but you didn’t say what it was.
If it's the same technique I was shown, it involves opening the book out flat at gradual ten page intervals, but alternating from left to right. It gradually softens and stretches the spine in preparation for when you actually sit down to read the book.
I could be wrong and he might have a different method, but this is the only one I'm aware of.
The covers at the beginning on the doevetsky books.. what’s that word you used to describe the art?
Echoing the many other comments that like the black Penguin books and the Oxford Classics. At least for my English language books. My French shelf looks much different and I like the cohesive given with French editions. PS. I quite like the Dostoevsky crash test dummy covers. But the Don Quixote cover was dreadful! 😂
Have you tested on marker bleeding through the next page? Whats a good edition for highlighting paragraphs? I'm cheap because im a blank slate when it comes to reading, haven't built a big library yet, so i was looking at Wordsworth and collins. Not sure if either of those editions do the job with markers, any idea?
I love Folio but they have become too expensive😢. When they used to have the monthly selection the price was better. I also have a small set of Chiltern classics which are lovely but smaller. And also Penguin Classics (cloth bound) are also nice.
I love Penguin Classics but not sure why they changed some elements. For example instead of orange pengiun symbol, you now have white penguin. The authors’ names are also now in white instead of red…
The only Wordsworth edition I have is Friedrich Nietzsche's Human, All Too Human and Beyond Good and Evil - the edition is combined and contains both books - nearly 700 pages total, and it cost about $8. With Penguin Classics (Penguin blacks, as you call them), the only one I have is Nietzsche's Ecce Homo - a super slim book, only 100 pages - and it cost $12. WTF?
Great!
Please d you enjoyed it ☺️
Neville Shute!!
I Love the Alma classics, they are beautiful but I live in Canada and they are not that easy to get here and they are not that cheap.