Folio limited edition publishing programme - Survey

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Folio limited edition publishing programme - Survey

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1LesMiserables
Apr 8, 2017, 5:16 am

As I am an exceedingly important member customer of the Folio Society I received an email today asking me to consider future LE publications.

I think they might me grooming me for the Editorial Board.

Here you go...

Help us to determine our limited edition publishing programme. Below you will find 22 titles which we may possibly consider for the future and I would be very grateful for any insights you could provide at this purely tentative stage. Each edition would be strictly limited in number, no more than 1,000 for any book and often far fewer than that, and will feature superb production values tailored to each title.
Using the tick boxes please indicate below if you would be likely to buy these titles in a Folio limited edition.
The survey ends Sunday 16 April (midnight UK time).

* 1 The Yangtze Valley and Beyond (1899)
Isabella Bird

In 1896 Isabella Bird undertook one of her last great journeys, from the mouth of the Yangtze River near Shanghai upstream by houseboat to Somo and back, in the course of which she fought off natives, survived freezing temperatures and gained an unprecedented insight into the lives and customs of the people she encountered. Illustrated with over 100 photographs of the journey taken by Isabella Bird herself.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 2 The Kama Sutra
Translated by Richard Burton (1883)
Illustrated by Victo Ngai

Among the most notorious and controversial works ever published, this 1,800-year-old Hindu text is as much about the philosophy of desire as it is about sex itself. Although not legally published in Britain and America until 1962, Richard Burton’s translation soon became one of the most pirated books in the English language following its release in 1883. In order to get around the censors, Burton established ‘The Kama Shastra Society of London and Benares’ and released a limited edition of 1,000 copies for subscribers only. Our edition would be fully illustrated throughout by Victo Ngai.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 3 Of Plymouth Plantation (1651)
William Bradford

2020 marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival in November 1620 of the Pilgrim Fathers at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, aboard the Mayflower. Written between 1630 and 1651 by William Bradford, leader of the Plymouth Colony, this is the vivid, authoritative account of the Pilgrims from 1608, when they settled in the Dutch Republic on the European mainland, through the Mayflower voyage to the New World, concluding with a list of the passengers and their fates.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 4 The Ptolemaic Atlas (1486)

One of the treasures of the Royal Geographical Society in London, this Ptolemeic atlas was published by J. Reger in Ulm at the end of the fifteenth-century and was later owned by William Morris. Featuring incredible maps of the known world, Ptolemeic atlases are fundamental pieces of history, through which we can trace the development of how we see the Earth, and our place within it. Featuring 150 pages, 32 leaves of plates, and accompanied by a commentary volume.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 5 The Insect Book – Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (1788), The Shell Book – Gifts from the Ebb Tide (1789), The Bird Book – Myriad Birds (1790)

Gems of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, these three small picture books (ehon) feature illustrations by Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamaro to accompany playful verse poems (kyōka) on natural themes. Three volumes presented with accompanying commentary volumes and translations. Masterpieces of design and printing, each volume is between 25 and 50 pages.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 6 Through the Brazilian Wilderness (1914)
Theodore Roosevelt

First published in 1914, this is the account of a scientific expedition to map the Brazilian River of Doubt, in part led by Theodore Roosevelt. Although ultimately a success, the expedition was beset by troubles, including disease, near-starvation and a murder. The Folio edition would feature black and white photography by Roosevelt’s son, Kermit, who accompanied the mission and saved the life of his father.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 7 Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey Through Yugoslavia (1941)
Rebecca West

West visited Yugoslavia three times during the late 1930s and recorded her experiences, observations and prescient predictions of future disaster. Written during a time of political turmoil in Europe and originally intended as a piece of travel writing, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon evolved into a work of history, sociology and geography that reflects West’s love and admiration of a country on the brink of war. Like the first edition, this would be presented in two volumes.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 8 Queen Elizabeth II, Photographic Portraits by Cecil Beaton

Still a young princess when she first sat for Beaton in 1942, over the next three decades the Queen would invite the photographer to cover many significant occasions, including her Coronation Day in 1953. Beaton’s photographs of the Queen and the royal family are among the most widely published portraits of the twentieth century and are intrinsic to the shaping of the Queen’s public image. This new collection for The Folio Society would combine the splendour of the historic royal portrait with the intimacy of photography.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 9 L’Assommoir (1877)
Emile Zola

A searing study of poverty and alcoholism in the nineteenth-century working-class suburbs of Paris, L’Assommoir is counted amongst Zola’s masterpieces. A huge commercial success upon publication, the novel, written in a Paris street argot, cemented Zola’s literary reputation. Illustrated using the 62 images commissioned for the 1878 edition, including pictures by André Gill, Frédéric Régamey and Auguste Renoir. Zola was personally involved in selecting the artists for this edition, including his friend Renoir.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 10 The Book of Ebenezer Le Page (1981)
Gerald Basil Edwards

Undeniably cantankerous but utterly engaging, Ebenezer Le Page narrates this fictionalised biography in his beguiling Guernsey English. Set entirely on his native island, which Ebenezer leaves only once in his life, this beautifully crafted tale offers profound insight into life on Guernsey and chronicles the rapid changes in its society and culture throughout the twentieth century – changes of which Ebenezer thoroughly disapproves.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 11 The Complete Gargantua and Pantagruel (1532–64)
François Rabelais

Satirical, allegorical and hugely subversive, Rabelais’ five-volume work chronicles the lives and deeds of two giants, Gargantua and his son Pantagruel. Scatological, crude and violent, Rabelais’ books are also carnivalesque and riotously funny. Renaissance masterpieces, they nonetheless resulted in their creator being placed on a list of banned authors by the Council of Trent, as well as becoming a household name throughout Europe.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 12 Kalila and Dimna, or the Fables of Bidpai
Translated by Dr Reverend Wyndham Knatchbull (1819)

Originally a collection of Sanskrit Indian animal fables, these stories were translated first into Persian and then into Arabic, and have since come to be considered the first masterpiece of Arabic literary prose. Two jackals, Kalila and Dimna, form the basis of these fables of wisdom and morals. Featuring a cast of animal protagonists and human characters, they tell of the war between the owls and the crows, and the friendship of the lion and the bull. Our edition would be illustrated either with researched images or commissioned artwork.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 13 The Canterbury Tales (1387–1400)
Geoffrey Chaucer

Following on from our groundbreaking Letterpress Shakespeare series, this title brings arguably the only writer in English to rival the Bard, Geoffrey Chaucer, to Folio Letterpress. Presenting the original Middle English using hot-metal-set type printed on mould-made paper, the edition would include discreet text glosses on the page to allow for an exceptionally clean reading experience and a beautiful presentation of one of the great works of world literature. The complete tales would be published in six volumes, possibly accompanied by newly commissioned woodcuts. Translations and commentary may be provided in separate volumes.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 14 The Book of the New Sun (1980–3)
Gene Wolfe
Illustrated by Sam Weber

A four part ‘science fantasy’ series set one million years in the future. The first book, initially published in 1980, won the 1981 World Fantasy Award, and the series as a whole has been named as a huge source of inspiration by Neil Gaiman and Ursula K. Le Guin, among others. Wolfe is one of the most feted science fiction writers working today. At roughly 1,000 pages, the series would likely be split into separate volumes. Sam Weber, celebrated illustrator of the Folio Society edition of Dune, has cited this as the work he would most like to illustrate.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 15 Faust (1808)
Goethe
Illustrated by Harry Clarke

Based on the Dingwall Rock edition illustrated by Harry Clarke in 1925, this edition features coloured endplates and vellum-backed grey boards, as well as eight colour plates and more than 70 halftone and duotone images. Often considered to be the greatest work of German literature, Faust has, since its original publication, continued to be a major influence on literature, theatre, music and art. Harry Clarke’s 1925 illustrations beautifully complement the fantastical and sinister elements of the story.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 16 Journey to the West (sixteenth century)
Wu Ch’Êng-Ên

Perhaps the most enduring of the great works of Chinese literature, this novel was first published in the late sixteenth century, but the story dates back to the semi-historical travels of the Tang dynasty Buddhist monk Xuanzang in the seventh century. Serving as both a social and religious allegory which delves in detail into Chinese thought and culture, Journey to the West is one of the four Great Chinese Novels, best known in the English-speaking world for containing the story of Sun Wukong, or Monkey.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 17 Italian Folk Tales (1956)
Italo Calvino

Calvino sourced his celebrated anthology of two hundred Italian tales from folklorists to produce this popular collection for the general reader. Luring us into a world of kings and queens, ogres and fairies, these stories are set against the traditional backdrop of regional customs and national history. Calvino’s inclusion of extensive notes to explain the reasoning behind his selections and alterations set his work apart as the first comprehensive collection of Italian folk tales. Bawdy and earthy, playful and sinister, these stories are often compared to those of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen for their importance to world literature.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 18 Atlas Shrugged (1957)
Ayn Rand

Named by the Library of Congress as the most influential book in the US after the Bible, Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand’s controversial magnum opus. It is the key text of unrestrained capitalism, devotion to self-interest and the social selection of the few – a philosophy Rand termed ‘Objectivism’. Arguably one of the great American novels, it deals with themes of the American pioneering spirit, twentieth-century industrialisation and political economy, and contains a unique and deeply relevant philosophy. We would likely publish in three volumes.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 19 Cinderella (1919) and Sleeping Beauty (1920)
Retold by C. S. Evans
Illustrated by Arthur Rackham

These essential children’s classics are beautifully illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Each volume consists of the tale, as retold by C. S. Evans, alongside fantastic silhouette images by Rackham, including double-page spreads with colour, and a colour frontispiece – superb illustrations by a master of the art form at the height of his powers.


Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 20 Lanark: A Life in Four Books (1981)
Alasdair Gray

Written over thirty years, Lanark is at once a starkly realistic portrait of twentieth-century Glasgow and a haunting, fantastical dystopia set in the crumbling city of Unthank. Interweaving the stories of Lanark, a young man with no memory who chooses his name from a photograph on the wall of a train carriage, and Duncan Thaw, a suicidal art student in pre-War Glasgow, this is the work of an enormous imagination. Widely regarded as a modern classic, and Gray’s magnum opus, it describes a world where people suffer from dragon-hide, and where authorities at the Institute will either cure the patients, or eat them.


Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 21 The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (1759–67)
Laurence Sterne

Sterne’s great comic novel, originally printed in nine volumes, is the fictional autobiography of the eponymous hero, from his conception onwards. But Tristram’s narration of his life’s events is somewhat hindered by the fact that he cannot explain anything clearly – he doesn’t even reach his birth until Volume 3. Introducing the reader to an eccentric, farcical and endearing group of characters, Tristram Shandy is vibrant, bizarre and utterly unforgettable.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)


* 22 The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. (1819)
Washington Irving

Consisting of 33 essays and short stories, including two of Irving’s best-known tales, ‘Rip Van Winkle’ and ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’, this was one of the first widely read works of American literature in Britain in the early nineteenth century. An instant best-seller on both sides of the Atlantic upon publication, the Sketch Book was instrumental in promoting the reputation of American writers with an international audience. The Folio edition would use the author’s revised text of 1848, which reordered the contents and included two new essays.

Definitely would buy

Probably would buy

Probably would not buy

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify)

2LesMiserables
Apr 8, 2017, 5:20 am

I can tell you that the survey results so far are overwhelmingly in favour of Chaucer. I'm glad about that, but I'd also like to see the Lanark book by Gray.

There is a section for any other comments at the end where I reminded them again that in 4 years the 250th birthday anniversary of Sir Walter Scott will be upon us and it is time now to start planning that LE Complete Works bound in Nigerian Goatskin. (Buckram would do nicely too)

3bookaroo
Apr 8, 2017, 5:27 am

Here are my choices:

The Kama Sutra

Faust

Atlas Shrugged

Italian Folk Tales

4folio_books
Apr 8, 2017, 5:33 am

>1 LesMiserables: As I am an exceedingly important member customer of the Folio Society I received an email today asking me to consider future LE publications.

Thanks for forwarding this. I shall peruse it in detail if and when my opinion is sought, at which point I'll add some balance to the opinions on Chaucer.

It's a strange thing, email. Apparently it flies from London to the Antipodes considerably faster than to the north-east of England. But it's more likely I'm just not a very important member. Or even customer ...

5folio_books
Apr 8, 2017, 5:37 am

>3 bookaroo: Atlas Shrugged

Hmm. I'm sort of conflicted. For years it was on my "please publish" list on the Folio website, but that was on the assumption it would be a standard edition. I'm far from convinced it deserves the status of an LE. (shrug)

6LesMiserables
Apr 8, 2017, 5:39 am

>5 folio_books:

It kind of makes sense when you think about it...

7adriano77
Apr 8, 2017, 5:47 am

I'd actually love to see what they could do with Journey to the West.

Atlas Shrugged wouldn't be bad either!

8Forthwith
Apr 8, 2017, 5:50 am

Well, hello. I must have been elevated since I received this e-mail but no notice of the "private sale."

However in my e-mail notice, received here in the US, it added the following: "at a cost of between $350 and $1,500."

9LesMiserables
Apr 8, 2017, 5:59 am

>8 Forthwith:

Yes my email ran as so...

Dear Mr X

Whenever we plan future Folio publications we need to think long and hard about the titles we choose, and, in doing so, we value the views of you, the reader, more highly than any other.

Attached to this email is a survey listing 22 titles which we may possibly consider for the future and I would be very grateful for any insights you could provide at this purely tentative stage. Each edition would be strictly limited in number, no more than 1,000 for any book and often far fewer than that, and will feature superb production values tailored to each title, at a cost of between $350 and $1,500. Some of these titles will not make it into the Folio family, but I very much hope that many will appeal to you in our fantastic Limited Editions range.

There is a choice of boxes to tick for each of them, plus a section for written comments and suggestions at the end. Please note that our survey closes on Sunday 16 April, (midnight UK time).

Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to respond.

10cronshaw
Apr 8, 2017, 6:57 am

>1 LesMiserables: Thanks for posting this list. I'm actually surprised by most of the candidate titles which I would have thought more suited to standard or 'fine', rather than limited, editions.

11NLNils
Apr 8, 2017, 7:10 am

>1 LesMiserables: There are quite a few interesting books in the list, specifically numbers: 2,3,6,9,16,18. But why are they only considered as LE's? Make them Fine or even Standard editions and I will buy them all!

12boldface
Apr 8, 2017, 7:29 am

>1 LesMiserables:

An interesting list that I would have to give some thought to. The Chaucer letterpress sounds good but I've got too many Chaucers as it is. As a Sterne buff, I would definitely go for Tristram Shandy and the Zola looks good, too. I'd also jump like a shot for number 2, but only if they add the option "Definitely would buy (for a friend)".

13gmacaree
Apr 8, 2017, 9:16 am

I'd probably add all of the following to my wishlist

Yangtze Valley
Ptolemaic Atlas
L'Assommoir
Kalila and Dimna
Faust
Journey to the West

The Chaucer would be on there but I already have an LE Canterbury Tales and I don't think I need another.

14venkysuniverse
Apr 8, 2017, 9:29 am

My 'definite/probable buys':

- The Kama Sutra
- The Complete Gargantua and Pantagruel
- Kalila and Dimna, or the Fables of Bidpai
- The Canterbury Tales
- The Book of the New Sun
- Faust
- Atlas Shrugged
- The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

15Jayked
Apr 8, 2017, 9:34 am

I was once a medievalist, so Chaucer is usually a must, but yet another LE? Two rounds of Kelmscott, two Gill exemplars still hanging around, plus two past regular issues. The market must be close to saturated.
Rabelais is overdue in any form -- I hope not illustrated by one of those cartoonists regularly assigned to "comic" titles.
I'd have bought Lanark long ago as a regular choice, being proficient in the Scots dialect, but I don't see the need for LE status.
Zola sounds good.
Haven't thought of the Kama Sutra since Barry McKenzie made his error with the mixed spices.
Haven't been surveyed in years. Perhaps there's a threshold of LE purchases at which they assume you're a lead-pipe cinch.

16dlphcoracl
Edited: Apr 8, 2017, 11:13 am

My thoughts on this list echo >10 cronshaw:.

Many interesting titles, but most are not worthy of being published as a FS Limited Edition. For me, the three standout choices are:

1. The Yangtze Valley and Beyond by Isabella Bird (1899). The inclusion of over 100 of Isabella Bird's original photographs makes this historically valuable. In view of China's continued ascendance politically and economically in the 21st century, it would be timely as well - a fascinating look into China before it began its modern transformation with the Revolution in the 1930's.

15. Faust by J.W. von Goethe illustrated by Harry Clarke. I have a copy of the numbered and signed LE original published by Dingwall Rock and it is one of the greatest illustrated private press books of the 20th century. Harry Clarke's gothic color illustrations and Beardsley-esque B&W illustrations are spot-on. The story itself is timeless. This fits nicely with the FS LE facsimile program.

21. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne. One of the greatest novels in English literature and one of the most daring (stylistically) and experimental. There are two private press editions of this work and they are at the extremes of the book collector's spectrum:

1. Limited Editions Club (1935): a quaint, small (octavo size) set that is one of the earlier LE titles. It is modest, unassuming and charming but certainly not special.

2. Arion Press (1988): also one of the earliest publications of this private press, it is one of their finest books and one of the most sought after. A deluxe edition in every aspect with an excellent separate commentary volume by Melvyn New and a highly original and controversial set of photo-collage illustrations by conceptual artist John Baldessari in an accordion foldout booklet (note: they are not controversial for me - I think Baldessari's wayward, tongue-in-cheek collages are perfect for this book!). Unfortunately, this book is often found in poor (non-collectible) condition and when it is found in NF or fine condition it is prohibitively expensive - typically about $3,000 to $3,500.

A well designed and crafted new FS LE of Tristram Shandy would fill a distinct void amongst fine & private press editions and fill in the gap between the two extremes described above.

One final comment: I agree with >12 boldface:, >13 gmacaree: and >15 Jayked: regarding Chaucer. There are already a number of private press editions in a wide price range and all of them are excellent. The FS does not need to reinvent the wheel with yet another private press edition of the Canterbury Tales.

17coynedj
Apr 8, 2017, 11:06 am

Some I would definitely buy as standard or fine editions, but I'm trying to maintain the discipline of not buying LE's. I fear that I would have to postpone retirement if I started buying them, and I so look forward to retirement!

I quite liked Isabella Bird's A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains, so her journey down the Yangtze would be high on my list. Black Lamb and Grey Falcon has been on my list for some time, along with Lanark. I have begged for an edition of Ebenezer LePage for some time, but please not as an LE! A Journey to the West looks interesting.

18overthemoon
Apr 8, 2017, 11:09 am

I also received the questionnaire and have just returned it, indicating that there are several I would definitely buy if they were standard editions (such as Isabella Bird and Ebenezer Le Page), but definitely not as LEs.

19Raenas
Apr 8, 2017, 1:42 pm

I did not receive the survey, despite my atrocious spending last year. Too bad, I would have loved to express my demand.

20drasvola
Apr 8, 2017, 2:27 pm

I did not receive the survey. My choice: Tristram Shandy.

21gmacaree
Apr 8, 2017, 2:33 pm

Oh, I should add Tristram Shandy to my list too. My LEC copy could do with an upgrade.

22folio_books
Apr 8, 2017, 4:12 pm

Mine duly arrived, eventually, this pm. I think it likely that, if you're a customer, you may expect to receive one shortly.

My submission amounted to two definites and five probables. I also added the observation I'd be definitely interested in several others as standard editions but equally definitely not as LEs.

From the collated results so far I cannot conclude that any titles are wildly popular, but "Canterbury Tales" and "Faust" seem somewhat less unpopular than the rest. I should point out that (presumably) due to an oversight the last half-dozen or so titles did not appear in the results displayed.

23Willoyd
Edited: Apr 8, 2017, 4:47 pm

Like quite a few here, I'd buy quite a few as standard editions, which is remarkable given how little has interested me in the past year or so. Most would not interest me as LEs, but would definitely consider L'Assommoir* and Tristram Shandy. Possibly Gargantua and Pantagruel. I already have their LE of Canterbury Tales (which I love), and one of the three (I think) standard editions. Yet another version? Oh, yawn. Getting almost as bad as Jane Austen (and I love Jane Austen!).

But, there again, after 25-odd years of being a member/customer, and around 350-400 books purchased, including several LEs, I'm obviously not important enough to survey. Must be the fact that I've not bought much lately, mainly because they don't seem to be interested any more in publishing "editions of the world’s great literature, in a format worthy of the contents, at a price within the reach of everyman".

*Zola is ridiculously underrepresented on the FS list, as is Balzac.

24kdweber
Apr 8, 2017, 4:39 pm

With only 54 Folio Society LEs, I'm guessing I wasn't discerning enough to merit this survey. Or they correctly predicted that I would pass on most of the choices. Strangely, not interested in a ninth copy of The Canterbury Tales (including three editions from the Folio Society).

25wcarter
Apr 8, 2017, 4:49 pm

* 4 The Ptolemaic Atlas (1486) would be an absolute must for me.
As for Chaucer, I agree with most above that he has been overdone already in multiple fine editions.

26boldface
Apr 8, 2017, 5:06 pm

I'm glad a number of people have put in a positive word for Tristram Shandy. With its typographic exuberance it is surely crying out for the FS LE treatment. Letterpress would be rather nice, but maybe that's a wish too far. There's a long history of illustration too to draw on, or even better they could add to it.

27Santas_Slave
Edited: Apr 9, 2017, 3:47 am

This message has been deleted by its author.

28astropi
Apr 8, 2017, 11:38 pm

I'm actually heartened that they would consider Gene Wolfe's masterpiece, "The Book of the New Sun". Problem is, Centipede Press already published this in the greatest form ever. In fact, The Centipede Press edition may just be the most beautiful science fiction set EVER published. I don't think I'm exaggerating. CP published all 6 books in an oversized edition. Complete with slipcases. Each book was signed by Gene Wolfe, and limited to 100 copies. Beautiful original illustrations by Alexander Preuss. Some people have been searching for this set for years (literally). I'm attaching some pics I found on the web (not mine) for your viewing pleasures. So, the FS published a beautiful LE of Mort not long ago, why not more Terry Pratchett? How about the first three books in the Discworld series rather than you know, just the fourth?


image url upload




pic upload




image hosting free

29TabbyTom
Apr 9, 2017, 8:27 am

>1 LesMiserables: .Thank you for copying your e-mail to us. I haven't had anything similar from the Society, maybe because I haven't bought any Folios (let alone limited editions) for the past year or so.

Like several devotees, I'm a bit surprised that some of the selections are thought appropriate for LE treatment. Much as I admire “L'Assommoir” and “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon”, I'm not sure that I'd shell out for limited editions of them, even if they were priced at the lower end of the tentative price range at $350 or so (admittedly, the 19th-century illustrations might tip the scale for “L'Assommoir”). I heard quite a bit about William Bradford's “Of Plymouth Plantation” in a recent television broadcast, and it sounded very interesting, but again I'm not sure I'd want a limited edition of it.

“Faust” looks a bit tempting. But having looked at Harry Clarke's illustrations on the web, I'm not sure whether they would retain their interest over the years.

That leaves “Tristram Shandy”, “Gargantua and Pantagruel” and “Kama Sutra” as probables. In every case I'd need the see the illustrations and the price before I made up my mind.

30cronshaw
Apr 9, 2017, 10:09 am

I just completed this survey which had been languishing in my junk mail in-box. The most popular choice so far is the Letterpress Chaucer (over 100 'definite buys' and over 300 'probably buys' from 897 respondents), very closely followed by the Harry Clarke-illustrated Faust.

31EclecticIndulgence
Apr 9, 2017, 2:33 pm

This message has been deleted by its author.

32elladan0891
Apr 10, 2017, 12:19 am

Received the email today. Perhaps in the good old British fashion they're sending out emails individually one by one )

* 18 Atlas Shrugged



Well, I guess Eclectic was right all along - the end is nigh! So Ayn Rand is the first horseman, soon to be followed by The Alchemist, then Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, then some teenagy vampire pulp that was a fad a decade ago, and finally 50 Shades.

I thought there was a thread specifically devoted to praising Joe's impeccable literary taste? )

33N11284
Apr 10, 2017, 4:47 am

I completed this survey yesterday and indicated a number I would definitely buy , but only in standard form. I will be surprised if very many of these actually make it as LE's.

34cronshaw
Edited: Apr 10, 2017, 5:46 am

>32 elladan0891: Very apt. It would be an outstandingly effective single-dose cure for FAD, bad enough as a standard edition. I wonder if some Folio joker inserted it into the list of potential LE candidates on the morning of the first day of the month and forgot to remove it.

35Jayked
Apr 10, 2017, 8:26 am

>32 elladan0891:
The wedge has been firmly in place for some time. When FS was in its infancy commuters on the train used to hide their paperback copies of Bond, and those interminable ww2 prison escapes, behind their newspaper. And you saved the serialization in John Bull of The Darling Buds of May for your toilet break.

36susanne-27
Apr 10, 2017, 6:14 pm

Why is it that Atlas Shrugged ALWAYS receives so much hate from middle class academics? On the other side of the extreme people praise her like she is Shakespeare incarnate. I don't like her style, but it certainly is an important book, written by a female immigrant to the US, isn't that something we are told to praise in all other instances?

To me, it seems like people let their opinion of her political ideals influence their assessments.

37Jayked
Apr 10, 2017, 8:18 pm

>36 susanne-27:
Is your attitude to the politics of greed dictated by class or occupation? Surely it's more basic than that. If you don't like her style or her substance there ain't a lot left to admire. And I think she herself would give short shrift to being "told to praise" anything.

38susanne-27
Apr 10, 2017, 9:39 pm

>37 Jayked: I'll keep this thread clean and post on your wall.
Keep up the Ayn Rand bashing, I'll keep to myself from now on. In my personal experience Objectivists are mostly very nice and helpful people, but I'm sure they kick beggars when I'm not looking.

39Lady19thC
Edited: Apr 10, 2017, 10:00 pm

Would love The Sketchbook in standard form. I've been begging them for it, for over a decade! I already have two lovely copies of it by Easton Press. If they decided to print in LE it would have to be less that 350 to interest me. I love their books, but my pocket does not! I would also be interested in a standard version of Bradford's work. But definitely not LE.

40Constantinopolitan
Apr 10, 2017, 11:48 pm

There are so many great travel books that could be republished that selecting any one title looks quite idiosyncratic; however Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey Through Yugoslavia by Rebecca West is an excellent choice. Eland Books keep in print quite a number of classic travel books, for instance Norman Lewis' brilliant accounts, like Naples '44 and Sybille Bedford's A Visit to Don Otavio. They are in paperback though.

41LesMiserables
Apr 11, 2017, 1:29 am

>38 susanne-27:

Hey Susanne, post away, on here.

42astropi
Apr 11, 2017, 3:42 am

36: you raise some excellent points. You shouldn't expect everyone on here to be logical and thoughtful. My experience is that when prodded, some around here believe "all opinions are equal, but some are more equal than others". I honestly am not a fan of Rand, but as you pointed out it's an important work. As noted above, please keep posting here.

43LesMiserables
Apr 11, 2017, 3:47 am

>42 astropi:

I managed to get through it during a time when I was reading a lot of stuff on Libertarianism. (I read lots on Marxism, Conservatism, Capitalism, Liberalism too :-))
I recall the basic story line but the philosophy not so much other than to acknowledge that Rand was using Dagny as a voice against cronyism, waste, welfare and socialism.
Correct me if I'm astray here. I might fancy another read of this actually, come to think of it.

44OOP
Apr 11, 2017, 3:53 am

I would love to see them publish all of Ayn Rand's books, so I was excited to see Atlas Shrugged on the survey. I agree with several others though when I say that my reaction to seeing it on there was equal parts excitement that it might be published at all and skepticism that it is appropriate (or necessary) to receive the LE treatment. In my ever so humble opinion, Rand's books would be perfectly suited to a publishing level similar to what Folio has recently done for Finnegan's Wake and Ulysses. Those are lovely editions, and I would buy any Rand they published at that level in a heartbeat.

45scratchpad
Apr 11, 2017, 7:26 am

I don't know much about Rand but anyone who writes a book about the virtue of selfishness has got to be interesting. I would buy but not as an LE.

46ironjaw
Apr 11, 2017, 7:33 am

I haven't received an email. I think after I moved from Denmark to the UK they forgot all about me. I guess they have reset my account. I'm also waiting for the Edward Thomas LE promotional material which has yet to arrive.

I guess that Decline and Fall has fallen out?

47elladan0891
Edited: Apr 11, 2017, 7:47 am

>36 susanne-27: "a female immigrant to the US, isn't that something we are told to praise in all other instances?"
So if you got a pair of boobs and immigrate into USA you should be praised for your work no matter how crappy it is. Got it.
Keep the revelations coming.

48susanne-27
Edited: Apr 11, 2017, 10:40 am

>47 elladan0891: I think you are trying to deliberately misinterpret what I was saying. My point was that, especially over the last 20 years or so, there was a push to praise women in literature, business, and many other fields, not just in the academic world, but also in the mainstream. I had to take some literature courses in university and the professors were always contrasting how women were portrayed now compared to, say, the 1950s.
Yet, I never heard a word about Rand, even though her story is fascinating, even if you disagree with her.
The point was not that I want people to praise someone because of their gender. I was trying to point out the double standard.

As noted above, I think people let their political views influence their opinions regarding Rand's works. Objectivists treat her like some literary genius, which I don't see at all. On the other side of the spectrum, there are people like you, who call her work "crappy".

I think Rand identified something very important: People view the market as immoral, and therefore pointing out the benefits of free trade in purely economic and mathematical ways is not enough. One way to approach this is to speak of voluntarism or voluntary exchange instead of throwing the term "free market" around. Talking about the freedom of individuals rather than abstract markets is much more effective.
I also think that she made an error in trying to re-define the word selfishness to mean something completely different than what the common understanding of the word implies. Adam Smith's invisible hand" is easier to grasp.

Especially deeply held beliefs are not easy to change, and dismissing contrary opinions outright makes it easy to retain a coherent worldview and view of oneself. Emotionally charged personal attacks are exactly what I expect when defending Rand, and that is also one of the reasons why higher education has become such an echo-chamber, but that's another story. I'm glad that I spent most of my time in the math-department...

2 years ago I had a chance to attend a lecture from Yaron Brook, the president and executive director of the Ayn Rand institute. Through luck I was able to join a private dinner afterwards (I stuck around for a signature and they invited me). Maybe there was a selection bias, but everyone there was a charming, family oriented person. Most of them were also active in charitable work of some kind. Oh, and we also had the self-declared president of Liberland Vít Jedlička with us.

49dlphcoracl
Apr 11, 2017, 11:50 am

>48 susanne-27:

Ayn Rand was a shameless hypocrite.

After decades of self-promoting her Cult of Selfishness, which is quite different from economics and the Invisible Hand of the free market, she thought nothing of lining up like a little pig at the trough and helping herself to her share of Social Security and Medicare benefits as she was dying of lung cancer, despite having a then-formidable estate (nearly a million dollars in 1982). There is little about this woman or her philosophy that is admirable.

50susanne-27
Apr 11, 2017, 11:59 am

>49 dlphcoracl: Quite aside from the fact that many despicable people wrote brilliant books, I have to disagree with what you said. Rand herself argued long before that only one who "regards it as restitution and opposes all forms of welfare statism” is morally able to collect benefits. This is the same reason why I don't have a problem with taking government money, even though I morally oppose the state. I would not extend this without limit, of course. Considering that she had to pay huge amounts of taxes during her life, which she morally opposed, how can taking a little bit back be called immoral?

It is also quite interesting that I hear this accusation all the time. It is such a "gotcha" moment when critics who don't have to deal with her arguments search for an ad-hominem to dismiss her.

51St._Troy
Apr 11, 2017, 1:00 pm

>36 susanne-27: "Why is it that Atlas Shrugged ALWAYS receives so much hate from middle class academics?"

A question that answers itself, really - I expect that, having read the book, you weren't actually surprised that this was the case.

Aside from Atlas Shrugged specifically, the question of what deserves FS publication (and LE treatment) is an interesting one. Is it enough to remain in the public consciousness 60 years later? Is it enough to have earned appreciation among the reading public - or is that negated if it earns a similar amount of scorn? A related question, for those who concern themselves with FS's output: should any bibliophile oppose the production of a special edition of a notable work that has stood the test of time merely for having failed to satisfy one's own taste or supported one's worldview?

52dlphcoracl
Apr 11, 2017, 1:03 pm

>50 susanne-27:

Charlatans such as Ayn Rand always find convoluted ways of justifying their contradictory actions.

53coynedj
Apr 11, 2017, 1:07 pm

Can we PLEASE not argue about Ayn Rand's politics here?

Atlas Shrugged is loved by many, and hated by many. It might well sell quite successfully, to the first group. The second group will not buy it, even if it were a spectacular production priced liked a paperback. This is much like some of the science fiction titles the FS has published recently, being aimed at a market segment rather than a general market. I'm fine with that.

54St._Troy
Apr 11, 2017, 1:21 pm

What would this proposed edition of Canterbury Tales offer that the recent edition (which looks plenty impressive) lacked? Certainly nothing against Chaucer; it just seems a bit of overkill.

The Ptolemaic Atlas would seem to cry out for this treatment.

Things like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Atlas Shrugged (despite their significant stature) seem to shrink a bit in the face of the grandeur of these other works (although Rackham is always appreciated).

I would dearly love an ordinary (and it pains me to use this word in connection with FS) FS edition of Atlas Shrugged; I would scoop that up in a heartbeat.

55terebinth
Apr 11, 2017, 1:22 pm

>51 St._Troy:

Opposing the publication of a special edition of a notable work would be one thing: reluctance to see it published by the FS in particular is another. "Founded in London in 1947, The Folio Society publishes carefully crafted editions of the world’s finest literature. We believe that great books deserve to be presented in a form worthy of their contents", says the current "About Us" page. I for one wouldn't oppose the publication of a leather-bound, all edges gilt letterpress edition of President Trump's collected tweets, I would, or will, just chuckle ruefully and leave the event to those who welcome it, but the Folio Society would make an ass of itself by producing such a volume. Whether it's already made a nonsense of its stated intention with various books lately, or at least of the Stephen Fry quote on the same page, "A Folio Society edition is, I reckon, as excellent an accolade as any author can achieve these days", is a matter of opinion, but it seems the sense of quite a few of us here that Atlas Shrugged at best wouldn't help.

56HuxleyTheCat
Apr 11, 2017, 1:35 pm

>55 terebinth: As I commented in my response on the survey, "Charles Ede will be turning in his grave at the mere contemplation of the FS publishing this". It's not merely any old book which divides opinion, it's one which tears apart what remains of the values of the once great Folio Society.

57dlphcoracl
Edited: Apr 11, 2017, 1:44 pm


"I been Norman Mailered, Maxwell Taylored.
I been John O'Hara'd, Mcnamara'd.
I been Rolling Stoned and Beatled till I'm blind.
I been Ayn Randed, nearly branded
Communist, 'cause I'm left-handed.
That's the hand I use, well, never mind! "

-Another Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara'd into Submission) - (1966)
Simon & Garfunkle

58boldface
Edited: Apr 11, 2017, 1:58 pm

>55 terebinth: "I for one wouldn't oppose the publication of a leather-bound, all edges gilt letterpress edition of President Trump's collected tweets . . . ."

Wonderful idea and one to shelve next to the 723-volume Letterpress Cartland, bound in pink chiffon raked over virginal bawds. But be careful what you wish for! Even the unimaginable is possible, these days.

59susanne-27
Edited: Apr 11, 2017, 2:04 pm

>52 dlphcoracl: How is this convoluted? She says taxation is theft, therefore she is allowed to take some money back from the state, as long as it does not exceed the amount of taxes she paid (or you can see it as monetary compensation for other problems the state causes for her). Considering that she was very ill at the time, it is not even clear if she even knew about it, but even if she did, it is perfectly rational and in accordance with her principles, which she formulated and expressed LONG before it became relevant for her.
This is certainly far less convoluted than any justification for taxation. "Well, you see, there is this thing called social contract, it's not really a contract, and you never signed it, in fact, no one ever did, but your consent is implicit, and therefore everything we do is fine as long as you can vote." Or the classic circular argument of "love it or leave it"

Unless you can show that she was plotting to receive some small benefits shortly before dying, and that she based her entire life's work on it, she may be wrong, but not a hypocrite.

I repeat myself, but I guess I have to: Your emotional reaction is not an argument.
You could argue that she is wrong, but being wrong does not make one a hypocrite. I also happen to agree with her point about taxation. Since this means you also accuse me of being a charlatan, you have managed two personal attacks for the price of one, that is quite a bargain.

>53 coynedj: I was specifically asked to keep posting in this thread, but I can stop if it really bothers you.

60N11284
Apr 11, 2017, 2:05 pm

It seems to me that some people here are pretty worked up over Atlas Shrugged and whether or not FS were to publish this work. I have no knowledge or opinions on the authors views.

But surely we cannot all expect that every single thing they publish will appeal to us? We can choose to buy a title or choose not to. Let them publish what they will and let each decide what to buy or what not to buy, and please keep the vitriol away from this forum.

61Pellias
Apr 11, 2017, 2:17 pm

Definitely would buy: Ayn Rand (i like it)

Probably would buy: Ayn Rand (maybe, but not as a LE)

Probably would not buy: Ayn Rand (Ayn Rand, hate that ****)

Definitely would not buy
Other (please specify): Make Ayn Rand a folio fine edition in the likes of the Joyce`s

Survey complete!

Next ..

For myself, what about? `The Yangtze Valley and Beyond`

.. and Kama Sutra is outdated (talking about the philosopy, not the positions) it has to be, but a classic ..

The book of the new sun, put me in the curious category ..

62JuliusC
Apr 11, 2017, 2:24 pm

I have not received any emails from Folio since maybe 2 years ago. I sure would like to participate in these surveys. There's a few that I'm certainly interested but that also depends on how much they'll charge for the volume. What ever happened to the Folio Readers Council, has that been discontinued?

63Pellias
Apr 11, 2017, 2:24 pm

* The Ptolemaic Atlas: Probably interested (like Queen Mary`s atlas?)

* The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent: Interested

* Faust, i allready have a nice edition of this, do i want one more?

Sittin on the fence for them others ..

- Finished -

64St._Troy
Apr 11, 2017, 2:28 pm

>55 terebinth: "Opposing the publication of a special edition of a notable work would be one thing: reluctance to see it published by the FS in particular is another."

Unless you believed that by "oppose" I meant taking physical or legal action against FS, this is a bit of a dodge via wordplay. Very well.

Does this "reluctance" result from:

1) the work's literary merit (whether it meets the standard of "world's finest literature," as stated by FS), or
2) the validity (or lack thereof) of the work's political and social points, or
3) the author's real-world life, views, statements, and actions?

If 1: while literary merit is without question a valid and definitive criteria, it is often subjective; I would hope that those who'd read enough FS to have developed protective feelings toward the enterprise should have likewise attained an understanding that "world's finest literature" must be, from the viewpoint of any individual reader, a somewhat flexible and indistinct standard, despite being high.

If 2: this is a valid criteria for recommending or reviewing a work (either action amounts to observing the work's success to an individual), but not relevant to whether a work is meaningful, significant, or to be considered "literature" (which amounts to observing the work's historic success with an established audience).

If 3: irrelevant (and we should all know better).

"...it seems the sense of quite a few of us here that Atlas Shrugged at best wouldn't help."

You don't like it - again, very well. The point is, what of the sense of your "quite a few"? What of it, compared with the sense of others who do appreciate (and have appreciated) this work, or any other that you and your "quite a few" don't enjoy? It this "sense" the sun around which the FS editorial board should orbit? I'm sure your taste is as valid and valued as any others, but the answer to this question must be, of course, "no."

Understand - I defend neither Atlas Shrugged (I enjoyed it and think it makes valid and (perhaps more importantly) rarely stated points) nor Ayn Rand (I am not a follower, devotee etc., although I do think she was a brilliant woman with interesting things to say which were worth considering) as I don't believe authors or works generally require any defense at all - the individual reacts to them positively, negatively, or not at all - and all very well. I simply observe the weakness of the notion that the publication of an LE of an inarguably significant and notable work that has remained relevant 60 years on is somehow a questionable thing.

>56 HuxleyTheCat: "It's not merely any old book which divides opinion, it's one which tears apart what remains of the values of the once great Folio Society."

I'm genuinely curious - to what values do you refer? Does the FS (a business enterprise, mind you, not a human being) have political and/or social stances of its own? If so, should they constrain its publishing? If so, we would all be the poorer for it.

65HuxleyTheCat
Apr 11, 2017, 2:44 pm

>64 St._Troy: If you are "genuinely curious" then it is a simple enough matter to do some research into Charles Ede and the early years of the FS. There was a time when business meant something beyond squeezing every penny of profit, but those days have very sadly gone and a great many people are literally poorer for it.

66terebinth
Apr 11, 2017, 3:25 pm

>64 St._Troy:

No dodge intended, I was attempting to draw a distinction between reluctance to see the book published in such a form by the FS and reluctance to see it published in such a form by whatever publishing house might care to undertake it.

I more or less agree with you on 2), and wholeheartedly agree with you on 3). Which leaves 1), and, while questions of literary merit certainly involve subjective judgment, and de gustibus non est disputandum, the particular work in question seems singularly lacking in advocates among those not won over by its perspectives. Does that matter? Well, the Folio Society will decide, which is fine. Some sort of "sense" as to what is or is not appropriate to appear in its lists must exist there, or its agents would already have been seeking out celebrity memoirs or negotiating for the rights to Fifty Shades of Grey.

I'd better not say much more, as no circumstance seems likely to arise that would induce me to read more of this book than I have, which isn't very much at all. It didn't seem to me answerable to human life.

67susanne-27
Apr 11, 2017, 4:00 pm

>60 N11284: Well, the point was not that some people here did not like it, the reactions were just over the top. Like posting GIFs of people vomiting, calling an Atlas Shrugged LE the end of FS and so on.
If you just say you don't like it and that it should be not be an LE I would never consider writing a reply

68elladan0891
Edited: Apr 11, 2017, 10:39 pm

>48 susanne-27:
Oh, so it's me who thinks that a pair of boobs and an immigrant status should be praised no matter what because I'm a damn liberal middle class academic, which I am because I say Rand's novels suck??? Lovely stuff, Susanne, just lovely. Well, I'm sorry to foil your chain of thought at the very first link, but I'm not a middle class academic. Sorry. I can go down the chain too, but I don't think it's necessary.

"On the other side of the spectrum, there are people like you, who call her work "crappy"
All right, got it. There is only one right opinion of Rand's novels - that they're not great, but not bad either; which just happens to be yours. No other opinion is allowed. Especially on the bad side of the spectrum. Ok.

One thing I agree with is that "people let their political views influence their opinions regarding Rand's works." One can talk crap about practically any book (as I did about a few in my post), but the only disagreement you'll get back, if any, is normally along the lines of "well, personally I enjoyed the ...."; but say something about Atlas Shrugged, even in a humorous manner - and lo and behold, you're guaranteed that someone dead serious is going to come out and bash you on political grounds, often pigeon-holing like you did.

I DON'T want to talk about politics, and I never brought it up. Sure, I don't rate Rand's political views and philosophy very highly, but that's irrelevant. I never brought them up, unlike you. You see, the problem with Atlas is that it's a propaganda pamphlet that's about a thousand pages too long. She chose to write a novel instead of an article, so don't be surprised when people judge it as a novel from literary perspective.
I talked about Atlas and other 4 books in exactly the same vein - as popular books of no literary value. For example, from my post it follows that I value The Alchemist just as low, but you didn't come to defend it or even asked why I value it low (a very simple fable of no literary value that is a hundred pages too long, if you care).

P.S. Also don't be surprised or irritated when people judge a political work from political perspective and have very different opinions from yours - that's nature of politics. Political works are not 100-dollar bills to be liked universally. They naturally have both fans and haters. That's normal.

69EclecticIndulgence
Apr 11, 2017, 11:59 pm

This message has been deleted by its author.

70wcarter
Apr 12, 2017, 12:28 am

>69 EclecticIndulgence:
I second the motion.

71folio_books
Apr 12, 2017, 4:45 am

>63 Pellias: Faust, i allready have a nice edition of this, do i want one more?

You know, Øyvind, I had completely forgotten about the earlier Folio edition. And I have it. Too many Folio books is my problem. In my doddery old forgetful way I rated the proposed new LE as one of my two definites. If the Mole is listening you can downgrade that to a very faint "maybe", depending on looks and, of course, the price.

72N11284
Apr 12, 2017, 6:46 am

The earlier edition of Faust is a beautiful work and it's a pity they don't make them like that any more. One of my favourite Folios.

73LesMiserables
Apr 12, 2017, 7:19 am

>69 EclecticIndulgence:

I agree.
But just the rants.

74Willoyd
Edited: Apr 12, 2017, 7:40 am

> 29
Much as I admire “L'Assommoir” and “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon”, I'm not sure that I'd shell out for limited editions of them, even if they were priced at the lower end of the tentative price range at $350 or so (admittedly, the 19th-century illustrations might tip the scale for “L'Assommoir”).

Much as I'm pleased to see books like L'Assommoir, Gargantua and Pantagruel, and Tristram Shandy, being considered for LEs, it's really only because the publication of non-standard classics by FS seems to have dried up. I'd definitely prefer to see them as standard editions - and for there to be more (for instance) Zola being published in general. Whilst I have no objection to other genres being published, even if I'm not fan of them, I find it rather sad that the FS list of the past thirty years includes, for instance, more Josephine Tey than some of the greats of literature both sides of the Atlantic.

75susanne-27
Apr 12, 2017, 10:04 am

As I tried to do earlier, I'll stop here. I'll write one reply to >68 elladan0891: in private.

I did not want to derail this thread, but I should have known better and apologise for starting this debate. Grading papers and opinion threads do not mix well!

76folio_books
Apr 12, 2017, 10:16 am

>74 Willoyd: rather sad that the FS list of the past thirty years includes, for instance, more Josephine Tey than some of the greats of literature both sides of the Atlantic.

Poor old Josephine. You really have it in for her, Will. My theory is you were traumatised as a child when one of her books fell on your head.

77Pellias
Apr 12, 2017, 11:07 am

>71 folio_books: Yes. The edition mentioned by >72 N11284: John. Will do more than nice enough, though i like Harry Clarke`s illustrations also .. I have not done to much research in these other volumes presented, but a rather quick glance (maybe i will, in short, none are in the category`i really have to have that one - i truly am shaking` but time may come when i see it presented on the site when done)

I will also dig deep, and find a work i really want to see presented, that truly make me shake and note that

I am to use a much stricter filter for future purchases, as i want what i believe is quality (not what others think, but myself, i am it`s reader), not just because it has a fine wrapping. Time will come when books will eventually fall down and kill me (death by books) - The strange case of Pellias

My dog, Atlas, did not take any of the comments in this thread very hard, he did shrug it off

Happy easter!

78drasvola
Apr 12, 2017, 11:38 am

>77 Pellias:

Woof, woof!

79Willoyd
Edited: Apr 12, 2017, 12:37 pm

>76 folio_books:
Yes, I suppose I have quoted her more than once, and am probably rather picking on her. She's just such an easy example. At the risk of bringing all sorts of reprobation down on my head, there's a whole fistful of books of recent years which have left me rather mystified as to why anybody could think they're worth FS treatment. Most of them are just odd books by an author, but for some reason we're into the fifth volume of Tey novels, amazing when some greats have barely had the surface of their work scratched. I could certainly understand Daughter of Time, and sort of understand The Franchise Affair (although I have to admit I thought it a rather ordinary, and somewhat dated read), but beyond that? I suppose I must be in a minority, otherwise the FS wouldn't have continued to persist with them all, but my heart sinks every time I see yet another so-called 'Golden Age' novel in the FS lists.

80St._Troy
Apr 12, 2017, 1:40 pm

>65 HuxleyTheCat: "If you are "genuinely curious" then it is a simple enough matter to do some research into Charles Ede and the early years of the FS."

I could, but I wouldn't assume that Charles would explain your point for you (I'd left that for you).

81N11284
Apr 12, 2017, 2:05 pm

>77 Pellias: bow wow wow.:-)

82folio_books
Apr 12, 2017, 3:38 pm

>79 Willoyd: but my heart sinks every time I see yet another so-called 'Golden Age' novel in the FS lists.

Then it's simply a matter of differing tastes. I love Golden Age or, rather, good Golden Age mysteries, though I'm not what I would call a fan of Tey's. I thought The Singing Sands was enjoyable. My favourite of hers is A Shilling for Candles. But talking of differing tastes, the one I like least is Daughter of Time, followed closely by The Franchise Affair. Hey ho.

>79 Willoyd: there's a whole fistful of books of recent years which have left me rather mystified as to why anybody could think they're worth FS treatment.

Me too! I'm guessing our lists might be different, though :)

83Willoyd
Edited: Apr 12, 2017, 4:55 pm

>82 folio_books:
Go on then, you've got a rough idea of some of mine - what of yours?

Incidentally, it may well be about differing tastes, but I don't think it's taste in terms of books we like or dislike. There are quite a few books FS have done that I don't particularly like or want to read, but recognise are still deserving of FS treatment. Equally, there's plenty I enjoy, but wouldn't think for one moment are potential FS material.

My main disappointment is how much FS and I have parted company in terms of what we think the FS should be tackling - which is partly why I've bought so little from them in the past 18 months (along with their price hikes).

84susanne-27
Edited: Apr 12, 2017, 6:53 pm

FS should try to offer more best-selling books. They desperately need to entice new and younger customers: I suspect the average FS customer is rather old, which is great, since older folks usually have more money to spend, but it is not a sustainable business model.
The Discworld series was a great start, but that alone is not enough. Once they "tasted" fine books, many will stay and branch out. Maybe The Catcher in the Rye?

85dlphcoracl
Apr 12, 2017, 7:46 pm

>84 susanne-27:

The Catcher in the Rye would seem to be an obvious choice but I believe there are copyright issues. I believe J.D. Salinger's estate will not permit his works to be published by anyone other than the original publisher and they are very protective and combative in this regard. The situation is analagous to that of James Joyce's works. It is only until 75 years elapse after the author's death (in this case, the year 2085) and the literary works become "fair game", i.e., enter the public domain, that other publishers can issue these works.

86Jayked
Apr 12, 2017, 8:26 pm

Catcher in the Rye might even appeal to some of the old geezers. Anyone who read it in 1951 at age 14 would be 80 this year.

87drasvola
Apr 13, 2017, 1:30 am

>86 Jayked:

I painfully object to the qualification of "old geezers!"

88folio_books
Apr 13, 2017, 6:58 am

>83 Willoyd: Go on then, you've got a rough idea of some of mine - what of yours?

That's a perfectly reasonable question but which has caught me somewhat off-guard. It's not as easy as I thought because I'm a "I know what I like" kind of person and my preferences aren't easily classified. Nevertheless I promise to give it some thought over the next day or so and will get back to you when I have a reasonably clear and concise answer.

>83 Willoyd: There are quite a few books FS have done that I don't particularly like or want to read, but recognise are still deserving of FS treatment. Equally, there's plenty I enjoy, but wouldn't think for one moment are potential FS material.

I feel pretty much the same way. But then, deciding what is "deserving" is a difficult area and, I imagine, will vary for just about every individual. Most, I think, will agree on Fifty Shades not being deserving. I think we could agree on much recent fiction. But after that? Difficult, as I say.

89elladan0891
Apr 13, 2017, 10:44 am

>88 folio_books: "Most, I think, will agree on Fifty Shades not being deserving"
And the amusing thing is I bet none of us, Fifty Shades bashers, ever read the book. Maybe we're missing on something really good? )

90LolaWalser
Apr 13, 2017, 11:03 am

>48 susanne-27:

My point was that, especially over the last 20 years or so, there was a push to praise women in literature, business, and many other fields, not just in the academic world, but also in the mainstream.

No, there wasn't. What there was--and is-- is a "push" to discover and teach about figures ignored in dominant cultural narratives, to recognise their contributions and achievements.

But if that's your outlook, if you seriously believe anyone praises women just because they are women, one must wonder why you'd want such idiotic attention conferred on your fave in the first place.

Rand isn't taken seriously in the academia because she's a shitty writer and thinker, two aspects that are very much connected. Her output seems less like that of a human being who ever lived among human beings than of a low grade extraterrestrial robot put together by a teenager in a galaxy far away, working on rumours about Earthlings.

There's a market for Ayn Rand's books printed on toilet paper rolls, but at half the price of regular toilet paper...

91folio_books
Apr 13, 2017, 11:04 am

>89 elladan0891: I bet none of us, Fifty Shades bashers, ever read the book. Maybe we're missing on something really good? )

I did try, disbelieving the claims of how bad it was. Alas, it was even worse. I gave up less than quarter of the way through.

92elladan0891
Edited: Apr 13, 2017, 12:35 pm

>91 folio_books:
My hat off to you for taking one for the team!
Perhaps I should try reading at least a couple of pages one day. But for now I'll remain a philistine and resort to what the campaign of hounding Pasternak and his Doctor Zhivago became informally known as in the Soviet Union - I'd translate it as something like "haven't read it but condemn it" )

93podaniel
Apr 13, 2017, 11:41 am

>90 LolaWalser:

It's too bad we cannot hand out prizes for best simile. Good thing I was not drinking anything when I read that bon mot.

94MobyRichard
Apr 13, 2017, 1:10 pm

>90 LolaWalser:

Eh, I know better than to touch on Ayn Rand's ideas. Pass.

On her writing style and supposed ignorance of the human condition:

You realize that Ayn Rand was an immigrant from a country that murdered millions of people? Unlike
pampered American academics, she experienced all the horrors of collectivism first-hand. I'd
say its a safe bet that she learned something about human beings. Likely more than you'll ever know or want to know.

On her style, I'd say two things. I don't like Rand's style -- at all.
But this "shitty" writer did write several best-selling novels in her SECOND language.
Please share your Russian-language masterpiece with the forum, if you think you can do better.

95cronshaw
Edited: Apr 13, 2017, 1:35 pm

>94 MobyRichard: Be careful with your assumptions. I believe LolaWalser is fluent in Russian and could perhaps do far better.

96EclecticIndulgence
Apr 13, 2017, 1:36 pm

This message has been deleted by its author.

97Willoyd
Edited: Apr 13, 2017, 1:46 pm

>91 folio_books:

Well, you did better than me! My book group decided to go for it, as we were all intrigued at the hype/kerfuffle/call-it-what-you-will. I barely managed 50 pages. In fact, of the dozen of us, only one managed to finish, and that's because it was her turn to lead the discussion, and she felt obliged to. She wasn't overly impressed to discover she was the only one, but as she said "I do understand!" It hasn't quite achieved the worst book we've ever read, but it's close (that was, BTW, Dysfunctional Romance by Derick Hudson).

>84 susanne-27: , >85 dlphcoracl:
I often wonder why Catcher in the Rye is so often cited as appealing to younger readers. Both as a teacher and parent, I've found most teenagers I know who have tried it have thoroughly disliked it. (Purely anecdotally, I find the most popular seems to be To Kill A Mockingbird)

98folio_books
Apr 13, 2017, 1:44 pm

>97 Willoyd: In fact, of the dozen of us, only one managed to finish, and that's because it was her turn to lead the discussion, and she felt obliged to.

My commiserations to the lady. Following your sage advice, I've made a note to avoid Dysfunctional Romance. Well, the book, anyway.

99susanne-27
Apr 13, 2017, 3:19 pm

>97 Willoyd: I just used it as an example because I liked when I first read it in my teens. I'm sure there are experts out there who know how to target certain demographics. We were bombarded with Goethe and Schiller, not exactly what a bunch of 14 year olds want to read. I don't teach German or English classes, but I can ask around. My school has more than 1200 students, so I can get a nice sample.

Maybe you should try Anthem. I think "It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see." is one of the most powerful openings to any story, especially when we consider where she came from and how close to the real world it came.
As I've said above I'm not an Atlas Shrugged fan, but Anthem is one of my favourites. It's also very short and, even if you don't like it, you don't have to spend several long evenings on it.

100kcshankd
Apr 13, 2017, 5:37 pm

>99 susanne-27:

Having read all of Rand in my mid-20s and survived, I second the recommendation of Anthem and would add We the Living for the Rand-curious. Both are stronger arguments then the bloated behemoths she came to favor.

101LolaWalser
Apr 13, 2017, 7:07 pm

>94 MobyRichard:

But this "shitty" writer did write several best-selling novels in her SECOND language.

Best-selling novels by shitty writers are by no means rare--one might even say shittiness and bestsellerdom go hand in hand more often than not.

Susanne, since you complained that my post was nothing but "emotion", I think I may as well answer briefly here, as I don't see what the point would be of involving myself in a lengthy private conversation--I don't consider Rand's opinions worthy of any discussion at all, and least so with people who think we exist in a "left wing mainstream". She's an oddity rightly ignored in most of the world, and her popularity in the US only testifies further to the sad intellectual and moral level of that polity. Donald Trump is the POTUS, for pity's sake.

If what I said about Rand are only my opinions, so are yours. Where I see trash, you see "truth" and "substance". Perhaps you'll want to point out some specific achievement of that abject philosophy if you want specific criticisms. (In which case we might as well make use of the gesture in >96 EclecticIndulgence:.)

Finally, no, I didn't miss the point of your statement about the push to "praise women". :) I wanted to draw attention to the fact that contrary to the right-wing received wisdom about progressives pushing feminist, gay etc. "agendas" indiscriminately, regardless of anything but gender etc., just "being a woman", or gay, etc. isn't enough to guarantee your work respect.

102susanne-27
Apr 13, 2017, 7:17 pm



>100 kcshankd: I don't understand why these works are rarely promoted by Objectivists today, they almost exclusively focus on Atlas Shrugged. Anthem is much better, and the chance that someone might actually read it is much higher.

103LolaWalser
Apr 13, 2017, 7:33 pm

To get this back on topic, I'll note two things: I have no objection to Folio publishing Rand as an LE--and I hope they price it out of this world, as befits someone who'd out-robber the whole lot of Gilded Age robber barons--and two, Huxley is absolutely right that this choice is antithetical to Ede's original motivation and vision for FS. This despite the reasonable argument that could be made already about the very existence of "fine" and "limited" editions, because Rand's sociopathic ideology adds an extra layer of irony.

But, if, as has already been discussed here a lot, the FS is of choice and/or necessity turning more into an EP-like outfit, then there's no real objection anymore to their publishing whatever they choose.

104LesMiserables
Apr 13, 2017, 9:11 pm

>101 LolaWalser:

I don't consider Rand's opinions worthy of any discussion at all, and least so with people who think we exist in a "left wing mainstream". She's an oddity rightly ignored in most of the world, and her popularity in the US only testifies further to the sad intellectual and moral level of that polity. Donald Trump is the POTUS, for pity's sake.

Your opinion.

105adriano77
Apr 13, 2017, 9:46 pm

This thread certainly took an obnoxious turn.

106folio_books
Apr 14, 2017, 4:29 am

>96 EclecticIndulgence: You can now put your Ayn Rand thoughts in the following thread (https://www.librarything.com/topic/254969), so we can continue here with the LE discussion. Thank you.

Excellent idea. Shame it didn't work. That's the trouble with entrenched extreme opinions,

This is my one and only contribution to this toxicity.

107folio_books
Apr 14, 2017, 4:12 pm

>97 Willoyd: Susanne-24 dlphcoracl
I often wonder why Catcher in the Rye is so often cited as appealing to younger readers. Both as a teacher and parent, I've found most teenagers I know who have tried it have thoroughly disliked it. (Purely anecdotally, I find the most popular seems to be To Kill A Mockingbird)

That's my view, too. I read it in my twenties and couldn't begin to understand the adulation. Awful book, in my opinion (and recognising I'm in a very small minority). But "Mockingbird" was (and is) an entirely different matter. Loved the book, loved the movie. Almost guaranteed, I would think, to appeal to the younger/teenage reader.

108folio_books
Apr 14, 2017, 4:20 pm

>83 Willoyd: Willoyd: Go on then, you've got a rough idea of some of mine - what of yours?

After some consideration -

This has been a most difficult but ultimately instructive exercise.

Okay, let’s start with the kinds of Folios I like. Two main categories – history and literature. I prefer contemporary history in the sense of “eyewitness to historical events”. Alternatively (or in addition to) I’m quite happy to read objective accounts by specialists in their field whether decades, centuries or millennia after the events. Macaulay is a favourite of mine. My preference is for British history but I’m comfortable with the occasional foray elsewhere if the subject is interesting enough. What I don’t like is history written by people who do not specialize in the specific period or category of history (military, social, etc). I like to have confidence in the facts on which I base my opinion.

Moving quickly onto literature. How to define what makes good literature? Ultimately we leave that to the good taste of the Folio Society and across seventy years it seems to me they have mostly got it right . In terms of balance I would not be looking for a greater proportion of literature emanating from beyond the British Isles than is currently the case, although one of the issues they face is the diminishing pile of quality literature left for them to look at. I venture the opinion that fewer publications per year would help. 70/80/90 is unsustainable, which is why they have tried to branch out in directions they have not previously considered seriously. Golden Age mystery and science fiction may be seen as examples though SF is not without precedent in Folio prospectuses. If I had to pick on something I believe to be definitely non-Folio I’d say the proliferation of gardening and cookery books not so very long ago had me wondering seriously where Folio thought it was going. It’s been all quiet on the wisteria front lately. Perhaps they’ve learned there are fewer gardeners than they imagined.

More recently I take issue with the James Bond Collection (as I assume it is meant to be). I read all of the Fleming originals in paperback in my teens and liked them very much, but as Folio books? They don’t match my understanding of what the Folio Society is about. I do, of course, understand why they’ve done it but it saddens me beyond words to see Folio chasing the money. Perhaps they should consider launching a subsidiary to concentrate on publishing books not quite up to standard.

All very subjective of course, and not intended to insult anyone’s book-reading preferences.

109EclecticIndulgence
Apr 15, 2017, 2:00 pm

This message has been deleted by its author.

110Willoyd
Edited: Apr 15, 2017, 4:58 pm

>108 folio_books:
Interesting thoughts, and I don't fundamentally disagree with anything you say. I'm neutral on the Bond books: I tried and neither enjoyed nor rated them but, a bit like the Pratchett books, they appear to have something of a niche in modern writing. But then, I suppose the same could be claimed of Golden Age mysteries. As I said previously, I have far less of an argument with SF (as long as they stick to the classics of the genre!). I suppose it comes down to one's opinion of the long term quality of the writing, and that is to a great degree subjective (at least it is when it's my opinion!).

I find your comments on the history books thought provoking, not least because I have wondered on occasions as to how the FS decides on its non-fiction books - they do seem to publish some pretty ordinary (if interesting) books. I do agree about Macaulay though!

111folio_books
Apr 15, 2017, 2:43 pm

>110 Willoyd: I find your comments on the history books thought provoking,

I appreciate your kind comments all the more because I was still very dissatisfied with the final draft of that post and was getting frustrated at not being able to crystallise my thoughts. Difficult to believe, I know, but I spent several hours drafting and redrafting. The final version was still nowhere near what I had in my mind's eye but my earlier drafts were reading more like self-centred rants than anything else. I think I underestimated the complexity of the task and in the end had to admit defeat. Nevertheless, it was a worthwhile exercise.

As you rightly say, it comes down to the long-term quality of the writing. I wish Folio good luck in their continuing quest to unearth great treasures. I heard what you said about your consumption of Folio books declining in recent years and I absolutely understand why, and mostly agree with you. The gems are not so easy to find, apparently.

112folio_books
Apr 15, 2017, 2:50 pm

>109 EclecticIndulgence: Catcher in the Rye is my favourite book of all-time.

I know many admirers of the book and am occasionally urged to give it another go. Who knows, one day, when I'm delirious ...

Seriously, Chris, I do appreciate I'm in a very small minority. I'd heard so much about it and I think I was just disappointed that it failed to meet any of my expectations. It wasn't the first time and there have been many since. But for every book that leaves me cold there comes along one which sets off a spark. Such is the sublime pleasure of exploring books.

113Forthwith
Apr 16, 2017, 10:44 am

I recall The Catcher In the Rye as having a sort of musicality. Prose that can stay within proper structures and yet have that sense of music or a painting capture my admiration. The Grapes of Wrath is another example of that quality.

I do not envy the task of the FS in bringing older works back in an expensive edition of some exclusive form that is unique but of interest enough to a sufficient number of buyers. We seem to be quite a group of specialized tastes.

114LesMiserables
Apr 16, 2017, 7:06 pm

>109 EclecticIndulgence: >112 folio_books: >113 Forthwith:

I've only read Catcher in the Rye once and found it quite dark. Quite funny too of course, but sad with troubled undertones.

Would I recommend it? Yes, without reservation. It resonates with the adolescent psyche like few books do, although I understand Salinger penned it for adults(?). Most other books try to do this by being overtly sensual and anti-family.

Furthermore the interior monologue is just brilliantly written. It just seems as natural as the new day. Having read Ulysses, I would say that Joyce doesn't do as half a good job as Salinger on this count, though I recognise that their monologues aren't structural equivalents. But Joyce just pushes too hard: rather than create a new convention, he shows us how to destroy one.

115astropi
Apr 16, 2017, 10:58 pm

I'm not interested in reading through all the mess and hyperbole-filled personal opinions above. However, I will say that anyone who believes "Rand isn't taken seriously in Academia because she's a shitty writer and thinker" should probably think twice before making such laughable claims. Rand is taught at institutions from Harvard to community colleges. Perhaps she's not as "important" in Europe, but in the States she is an important literary figure. Can't say I'm a fan of her ideas or works, but I'm also not a fan of asinine personal opinions that pretend they are facts.

116kdweber
Apr 17, 2017, 12:55 am

>115 astropi: I have responded in the OT Rand thread where your comment belongs.

117LolaWalser
Apr 19, 2017, 6:25 pm

Speaking of asinine, in case anyone else is inspired to jump on the "your opinion!" bandwagon, please do first read the posts you come to bray about. In >101 LolaWalser: I wrote:

If what I said about Rand are only my opinions, so are yours.

I should also point out, as reading comprehension doesn't seem to be the forte of everyone here, that the context is important, in this case Susanne's post and the points I addressed in mine. I believe Susanne was talking about positive acceptance, valorisation of Rand in the academia, not mere reference. I don't doubt Rand gets mentioned in the institutions of higher learning; so does Mein Kampf. But what it means to say that "she is taught" is something that would need a case-by-case investigation.

A quick google, certainly imperfect, doesn't come up with any courses focussed on Rand's teachings at Harvard. Or, Harvard proper. But something like this:

The Culture of Capitalism is a Harvard Extension School and Harvard Summer School course. It asks how literature, theater and film have captured the spirit of capitalism--fuelling its fantasies, contemplating its effects, and chornicling its crises. More than just an economic system, capitalism created new habits of life and mind as well as new values, forged and distilled by new forms of art. Core readings by Franklin, Smith, Marx, Weber, and Schumpeter as well as O'Neill, Miller, Mamet and Ayn Rand.

...is to be commonly expected.

And of course there is a "Harvard Objectivist Club", organising get-togethers with, one presumes, worshipful services to the lady.

>116 kdweber:

I'm sorry this post of mine went against your perfectly sensible suggestion, but I'll explain: 1) there was a direct personal insult against me out of the blue from a person I didn't communicate with before (and hope never will in the future), inappropriate for ferrying to another thread 2) I red-exed that thread after Susanne preferred to take the discussion with me to private comments, despite my suggestion in >101 LolaWalser: to post there. I never look at threads I ignore.

Sorry about this digression.

Top tip to my gang o' haters: insulting me is the one way NOT to get me to shut up. It's also a great way to get yourself insulted in turn, flagged, and eventually suspended. Suit yourself.

118LesMiserables
Apr 19, 2017, 7:44 pm

>117 LolaWalser:

I think this is going off piste.

I think you are a perfectly genuine contributor whose opinions differ from others around here. You're not alone in this. We all have unique perspectives.

But nobody hates you. I think you are wrong to say that.

119Santas_Slave
Apr 20, 2017, 4:37 am

>117 LolaWalser:
I admit I hate you Lola; hate you with every fibre of my being. There was a time when the nucleus of every cell in my body were united in disgust and revulsion at your continued existence. I found it laughable that you could take up such valuable co-ordinates in space-time, when the depths of the void - a black hole - would be preferable.

But this loathing turned into obsession, the more I whiled away my time, bent double in burning red execration - the more you bled into every neuron in my mind. Like a virus, I couldn't remove you from my body, and my very DNA was changed irrevocably; after each repetition of tRNA synthesis more of you consumed my molecular structure. My hatred towards you changed me in a way I could not have foreseen.

I should have been wiser as we know all extreme emotions are simple variations of the same passion, but I was simple-minded, young and naive. I just wanted to say:

I love you Lola! and think your contributions to the forums are 5*****stars I always enjoy reading your posts, keep up the good work!

John 2:3

120scratchpad
Apr 20, 2017, 7:21 am

>119 Santas_Slave: Regardless of how others may construe your post, I have never laughed so much in a long time. Ten out of ten for brilliance and nerve!

121Pellias
Apr 20, 2017, 1:51 pm

>117 LolaWalser:

Well. I love you to for what that matters, i have always did just that, therefore i send you a kiss over the big pond. There are more to life than opinions, we all have them, more or less, openly or not. At least, now you know - i love you Lola! :)

I love you to Les Mis, but in another kind of way, i have a print of Lady Agnew because of you on my wall.

.. and if you can`t love me back Lola, i think i have plenty for the both of us. It can take days, years, decades, but when you think back to this moment - you can reflect and know that you were indeed loved.

.. as simple as that!

So, shut up and .. feel the love ;)

122Chawton
Apr 20, 2017, 2:44 pm

I bought some seven Limited Editions in the past year (including the Edward Lear and Alice) and I was not asked, but this may have been because my one priority LE would be Sir Charles Grandison.

123The_Toad_Revolt_of84
May 5, 2019, 8:37 pm

So 1,2,11,14,17,18,19 are printed or printing, not necessarily as LEs... I feel like Plymouth Plantation could make it next year. I really would like a Sketchbook, LE or not. They could even match Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty with a similar Rip Van Winkle and Sleepy Hollow Rackham set.