Beautiful books

[Louise]

One of the attributes that draws many of us to the NYRB Classics, besides the outstanding content, is the beauty and quality of the books themselves. They look good on our shelves and we bibliophiles get some kind of satisfaction from that.

Besides the NYRB Classics, what other books do you own (or would like to own) that you feel look good on bookshelves?

I love my Folio Society collection but I have moreorless stopped buying them as the prices have become exorbitant, and they do take up a lot of shelf space.

Tell us about your beautiful books.

[Louise]

And speaking of the beauty of the NYRB Classics, I am re-posting the link that Wendy posted in another thread on the LA Times analysis of NYRB covers.

https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-e...

[WndyJW]

I like Europa editions and Everyman’s Library, even thought it says everyman’s.
I also really love the books published by https://www.galleybeggar.co.uk/

and by https://fitzcarraldoeditions.com/shop

[WndyJW]

I have a couple of Folio Society books, but I don’t love them. I can’t say exactly why. I think they almost look like children’s books, they are too big, too colorful, too shiny for me.

[Louise]

WndyJW wrote: "I have a couple of Folio Society books, but I don’t love them. I can’t say exactly why. I think they almost look like children’s books, they are too big, too colorful, too shiny for me."

That is funny that you should say that because my very first Folios were indeed children's books. The Peter Rabbit series and the Fairy Books.

[Kevin]

New Directions may just have the most beautiful covers ever. Archipelago are amazing as well.

[Liz M]

Kevin wrote: "New Directions may just have the most beautiful covers ever. Archipelago are amazing as well."

My contender for beautiful covers are the Coralie Bickford-Smith designed covers for Penguin:

. . . . . . . . .

[Liz M]

The most stunning book I own is this edition of Macbeth:


It has gorgeous illustrations and laser-cut images:
. . . . .

[Louise]

Kevin wrote: "New Directions may just have the most beautiful covers ever. Archipelago are amazing as well."

I had thought about getting a subscription for Archipelago but it's $290 for Canadians (as opposed to $170 in the US). It is cheaper for Canadians to get books from the UK than from the US :-(

[WndyJW]

My Christmas gift from my DH is nyrb subscription, my Winter Solstice gift to myself is a subscription to Two Lines, but I think I might also save my pennies and subscribe to New Directions, they put out some good books, although I can’t think of a cover that is memorable. I’ll have to look.
Charco Press also has the simple, sleek look I like.

That is a beautiful book, Liz. I have a lovely 1940 set of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights with woodcut illustrations that was my mother’s.

[Jeff]

Louise wrote: "It is cheaper for Canadians to get books from the UK than from the US :-("

Sadly, it is often cheaper for those of us in the US to get books from the UK than from the US, as well!

[WndyJW]

Definitely cheaper from Book Depository. New books cheaper with free shipping.