New to the Folio Society What FS books are must buys?

Hi,
I saw the Folio society's version of Dune and simply had to buy it. The art by Sam Weber looks incredible. Unfortunately I'm now hooked and have ordered 4 more books in almost as many days. Have you guys got suggestions for some must buy folio books - or simply the most beautiful folio books that I should consider splashing out on?

Lord of the Flies especially if it's on sale.

Hmm yes I was looking at that one, it's Sam Weber too. I'm getting Fahrenheit 451 so if I go for LOTF too I'll have all three of his FS books :)

The illustrations are awesome but the way the book was bound for me is what a book should feel like. The pages turn oh so nicely, the papers feels great, the size is perfect to hold, and the cover with piggy's glasses foiled looks awesome!

A random selection of (non-LE, non-fine) FS books I love more than usual:

In Parenthesis
The Man in the High Castle
The War of the End of the World
Shackleton's Boat Journey
Treasure Island
Eugene Onegin
The Song of Roland
The Voyage of Argo
Nineveh and Babylon
Three Kingdoms
Chinese Fairy Tales and Fantasies

You absolutely must buy Beowulf. I've always thought it to be the quintessential Folio binding for newbies to get a sense of Folio's quality.

The ones you want to read...

Here are some of my favourite buys.They are really gorgeous on the shelves,and some have even surprised me by how good-looking they really are.

Eugene Onegin (Really beautiful)
Pride and Prejudice
Emma
Tender is the Night
Handmaid's Tale
Hitchhiker's series
Cloudstreet
The Great Gatsby
The Once and Future King
Slaughterhouse Five
Fahrenheit 451
Lord of the Flies
Dune
Midnight's Children
Remains of the Day
1984
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Anna Karenina

Out of print books:
Gogol's Short Stories
Chekhov's set
Master and Margarita
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Disgrace
Things Fall Apart
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

- Lord of the Flies was my first Folio book 3 years ago.I loved it so much that I ended buying another copy in the recent summer sale!

>6 wongie: seconded

The Vision of Piers the Plowman and Finnegan's Wake. The Voyage of the Argo is also a particularly stunning production.

Finnegan's Wake
Eugene Onegin and Queen of Spades
The Moving Toyshop
Hitchhikers Guide, all of them
The Last Man
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea
treasure Island
Religion And The Decline of Magic
War and Peace

DS, I also started with Dune about three months ago, and immediately followed it with the Hitchhiker books! They're beautiful! And FYI, they're going to publish the other two in 2016.

I agree with >7 AnnieMod:, you should buy what YOU want to read, because the FS books cover virtually every taste and genre, and all are beautiful and "must haves" in someones opinion.

>7 AnnieMod: >13 wcarter:
Absolutely! Beautiful books are great to look at and hold, and illustrations are wonderful to admire, but I never buy a book unless I intend to read it. It's easy sometimes to lose sight of their main purpose.

Everyone should have a copy of War and Peace whether you like it or hate it. Love the recent FS edition and a good one to use a coupon on.

>7 AnnieMod: Ditto

Thanks for all these, you guys are awesome! I have about two dozen on the wishlist now ... need to whittle that down a bit for the sake of my bank balance!

If you have kids, intend to have kids, or are young at heart, then Wind in the Willows is a beautiful book and an example of what makes the FS different to any other publisher today. Many of us here (even those of use who don't fall into any of those categories) buy children's books from Folio as they are such a joy.

>18 HuxleyTheCat: Absolutely! Also, His Dark Materials, The Midnight Folk and The Box of Delights, The Wizard of Oz, Pinocchio, The Ghost of Thomas Kempe, The Selfish Giant and the Dark is Rising series were must-buys for this overgrown child.

>18 HuxleyTheCat:
You're right!
I forgot to mention Wind in the Willows.It is really gorgeous!

>18 HuxleyTheCat:
Totally agree. Not only do I not have any kids, I don't enjoy them and consciously try to avoid them. But many of the Folio children's books, in addition to being beautifully produced, bring back nostalgic memories of childhood (WITW, Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, Chronicles of Narnia, etc.)

*The war and peace fine volume, stands great besides Dune .. same hight, meassures
*Anna Karenina

Either than that, it is a very difficult question .. as your folio collection grows, the books in sorts compliment eachother (get a nice bookshelf, and a nice base)

Some great boxsets - which compliment eachother:
*Pliny natural history
*Greek tragedies
*Plutarch lives

Tip: Start with your favourites .. ex: Collect all Sam Weber .. as you love him - really love him! Maybe collect all science fiction .. build a collection brick by brick - or as me, buy everything untill you cannot, no more - for a while ;)

Just get sucked in .. and go with the flow .. and have enough cash

>1 DS_Taylor:

NOW you have opened a Pandora's Box !! Everyone has his/her favorite, indispensable FS books and, of course, they will vary widely according to reading interests and aesthetics. With that in mind, I will toss my two cents into the ring with my personal favorites, the ones I consider "must haves". That said:

1. Several selections have already been mentioned - but I don't care!
2. Many FS devotees will vehemently disagree with my selections and commentary - but I don't care !!

Here goes:

1. Walden by H.D. Thoreau (2009). The deluxe edition (but not a limited edition) of Walden published in 2009 with historical
photographs taken at the turn of the 20th century by Herbert W. Gleason is a "must have". Superb book design, top
quality materials and extraordinary photographs taken only several decades after Thoreau's "living experiment". The pictorial
slipcase, taking one of Gleason's historical photographs of Walden pond and using it on paper to wrap around the entire
slipcase, is icing on the cake.

2. Goodbye to Berlin (1975) and Mr. Norris Changes Trains (1990) by Christopher Isherwood. The literary works that form the
basis for the Broadway play 'Cabaret' which starred Liza Minelli many years ago. Always fascinating and perceptive, giving
the reader a "fly-on-the-wall' view of life in Germany at the end of the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany leading into WW II.
These books form a marvelous pairing and Beryl Cook's illustrations for 'Mr. Norris' are fabulous.

3. The Collected Stories (3 volume set) by Leo Tolstoy (2007). Tolstoy is best known for his magnificent novels War and Peace
and Anna Karenina, two of the finest works of literature written in the past two hundred years. What is MUCH less known
and appreciated is that his shorter works, e.g., novellas, short stories, religious parables, are equally magnificent. Simply
put, if Tolstoy were known ONLY by his shorter works and had never written War and Peace and Anna Karenina, his genius
would still be fully appreciated and he would still be considered one of the greatest authors of the past 150 years. This set
contains all of his shorter masterpieces and it is beautifully illustrated by Russian artist Roman Pisarev. Must have !!

4. Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche (2012). One of the most famous/infamous philosophical works of the past
two hundred years and one of the most misunderstood. FS does a service by publishing a beautiful edition of a work that
(surprisingly) has no other representation in fine press/private press publishing in the English language.

5. In Parenthesis by David Jones (2014). A seminal work in the WW I literature oeuvre told from the point of view of an
ordinary infantryman, which Jones was. Its significance and intent remain controversial to this day - is it an epic poem?
a work of anti-war literature? etc., What is often lost in the debate is that it is one of the most highly original and import-
ant works of literature from the modernist movement.

6. The Complete Shorter Fiction by Herman Melville (2012). See comments for No. 3 (Tolstoy). A marvelous collection.

7. Letters and Poems From Prison by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2000). Again, FS does its readers a service by publishing an
exceptional collection of the writings from one of the few voices of conscience in Germany during the Nazi years. Although
most often remembered for his vehement opposition to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime, Bonhoeffer was a brilliant
theologian as well.

8. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (2012). Beautiful book with award-winning illustrations by Anna & Elena Balbusso.

9. Legends of the Grail edited by Richard Barber. IMHO, a very underappreciated book by the FS faithful. This book is in-
dispensable to an understanding of Le Morte d'Arthur and the Legend of the Holy Grail. Beginning with the original of
Chretien de Troyes in the late 12th century it traces the different versions of the Grail legend that were subsequently written
in the next 2-3 centuries and how they differ as the story moves from one country and culture to another, from the Parzival of
Wolfram von Eschenbach in the following century, culminating in Sir Thomas Malory's account in 1485. Absolutely fascina-
ting to move from one version of the Holy Grail legend to another. Throw in a set of magnificent wood-engravings by
Simon Brett and this becomes a "must have".

10. The Canterbury Tales - 3 volume set (1986). A beautiful production and my "go to" set for reading the Canterbury Tales,
The Middle English is printed on the verso pages with David Wright's superb modern translation printed opposite on the
recto pages, giving the reader a chance to appreciate Chaucer's poetry while being able to quickly clarify unfamiliar
words and phrases at a glance. Wright's modern translation, along with Neville Coghill's, are two of the best and most
readable, still retaining a good measure of Chaucer's poetic language.

11. The Chronicles of King Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory - 3 volumes (1982). A beautiful set in bright blue cloth with gilt figures
in central bright red medallions of the front covers and gilt lettering and decorative design on the book spines. Fabulous
linocut illustrations by Edward Bawden, all housed in a pictorial slipcase. This is one of the most sought after FS sets.

12. Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney (2010). Superb book design and execution. FS at its formidable best.

13. The Vision of Piers Plowman by Wm. Langland (2014). Again, FS does its readers a huge service by publishing one of
the foundations of English literature in the only fine press/private press edition in a modern English translation. The book
uses the wonderful and eminently readable translation of E. Talbot Donaldson and the wood engraving illustrations
by Harry Brockway are perfect. Superb design, quality of materials, and craftsmanship costing nearly two-hundred dollars
and worth every cent.

14. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman (2009). This is the deluxe edition with 1/4 dark green leather, green cloth over boards
and elaborate embossed floral designs on the front cover. Titling in gilt on the front cover and spine in a similar floral
motif, all paying homage to the design of the original 1st edition of 1855. Wood-engravings by Abigail Rorer are spot on. If you
cannot find or afford the new Arion Press edition, the classic Grabhorn Press edition, or the magnificent LEC edition with
Edward Weston's iconic photographs of America this is an equally wonderful way to read this American classic.

15. Robert Frost - Selected Poems (2010). A generous and well chosen collection of Frost's poetry.

16. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - 3 volume set (1977). This is the first and best of the many (too many!!) FS editions
of this work and it is a deluxe set with pale grey 1/4 leather, light blue-grey cloth over boards, and elaborate labyrinthine
gilt designs on the front covers and spines by Jeff Clements. Illustrations originally done by "Ingahild Grathmer" (in reality,
Queen Margrethe of Denmark) and then expertly redrawn and reworked by Eric Fraser are wonderful. Navy blue and white
maps of Middle Earth as endpapers. Again, as with No. 11, one of the most sought after FS sets. The 1977 deluxe edition
is the one to have - ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES !!

17. The Man in the High Castle by Philip Dick (2015). I do not like science fiction but this is a work that transcends the genre.
One of the most original and imaginative literary works of the past 50-60 years and the illustrations by Shotopop do it
proud. Great FS choice.

Vintage FS titles:

Before the FS became a well-oiled publishing house and marketing machine, it produced a handful of small, elegant and
delightful books in silk cloth (or silk-like cloth material) bindings between 1950 to 1975. These books are guilty pleasures and, sadly, the FS no longer produces this style of book. They are well worth seeking out, however, and older FS devotees will know exactly what I mean. Here are some titles:

1. Sonnets From the Portuguese by E.B. Browning (1962)
2. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli (1970)
3. Cheri by Colette (1963)
4. Five Japanese Love Stories translated by William Theodore de Bary (1958)
5. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (1960). Gorgeous illustrations by designer Cecil Beaton.
6. The Knight in Panther Skin by Shota Rustaveli (1977). Beautiful full page color illustrations taken from a manuscript
dated 1646 in the Institute of Manuscripts, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. This is the national fable of the Republic of
Georgia and a marvelous tale.

Well, DS_Taylor, there you have it! And now, all of the FS faithful can shoot their arrows, fling their stones, and poke holes
at my selections :-)

Robert's Holy Land 2 volumes, especially if you have been there.

>24 dlphcoracl: not from this devotee! Much wisdom, insight - and enablement! Let the searches begin! Rustaveli on FS - who knew?!

>24 dlphcoracl: Great post!

>1 DS_Taylor:
If you are not confused about what FS books to buy by now, you never will be!

lol this thread may have been a mistake...

And don't forget the illuminated manuscript The Romance of Alexander for $7,000. It comes with translation.
http://www.foliosociety.com/book/RAX/romance-of-alexander

> 30

Don't scare the newbie :-)

By the way, I love this thread....

>24 dlphcoracl: Well, your list is quite as subjective and arbitrary as my own would be - and despite that (or perhaps because of it) quite wonderful. Whilst my list would be quite different, it is hard for me to objectively argue with any of your choices (after all, I have them all except for the latest Melville offering, which is on my wish list). Indeed any newcomer blindly building a starting library using your list would end up with a wonderful collection of books, showcasing the best of the Folio Sciety, old and new.

There are many posts of "my favourite" lists. What I enjoyed about your post was the extra detail explaining why you thought each book warranted a place. A very entertaining read (a condensed, but sadly one-sided, version of what I imagine would be an entertaining pub conversation over a beer or two!)

Did anyone mention the Folio 60? this will open a window onto all the FS editions of the first 60 years, and perusing it you'll find more "must haves" than you ever imagined.

Don't buy Folio 60. It's very, very expensive.

Ive never seen the 60 up close but when i do see it on booksites, yes very pricey...I obtained Folio 50 on ebay or abebooks, and was around £15 i recall, was good deal but ive seen similar too. I find 50 a big help as well

no sooner i posted that i looked on ebay and found Folio 60 at £35
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PAUL-W-NASH-Folio-60-A-Bibliography-1947-2006-FOLIO-SO...

What`s interesting news for me as mentioned by >24 dlphcoracl: is

* The lord of the rings edition (1977)

* The Chronicles of King Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory - 3 volumes (1982)

Didn`t know that these volumes were `much sought after`

It`s easy to get lost in all the editions produced by the Folio society of King Arthur, and or Lord of the rings

I will certainly hunt down Walt Whitman someday .. that volume is lovely .. and rest of the folio poets

>37 Pellias:

The 1982 3-volume set of 'The Chronicles of King Arthur' and the original 1997 set of 'Lord of the Rings', also a 3-volume set, are indeed "much sought after" because they are simply beautiful and (imho) far superior to the subsequent FS editions of these works. This is reflected in the consistently high prices these works command (in fine or NF condition) in the secondary market. A quick perusal of FS works currently available on Abebooks will illustrate this point.

>35 frostymaxim: Even if Folio 60 comes free, it ends being very expensive...

true lol

I never knew I had such a valuable collection of FS titles until I joined this group. Now I can add my 1982 Chronicles of King Arthur to my Icelandic Myths II, The Third Policeman, The Secret Life of Trees, Smiley's People, and others that have been mentioned as "much sought after"!

Since I never thought of selling any of them, I never bothered to check their value in the market.

I think the Eric Ambler titles are amongst Folio's best recent efforts. The design of the bindings, especially the spines, are exactly right and look splendid on the shelf. Looking forward to more Ambler in series. Red binding, blue binding, a nice green perhaps?

>42 foliomusthave: I agree. Great binding and illustrations. So hard to resist, I didn't try.

>42 foliomusthave:, >43 cronshaw:

+1, as the kids say today. Also, IMHO no discussion of recent splendid FS efforts would be complete without mention of Golding's Lord of the Flies.

>1 DS_Taylor:
To summarise -
- the Folio Society has published more than 2000 titles in the last 68 years
- there are more than 400 titles currently for sale on the FS website
- titles cover almost every imagineable genre
- every FS title is beautifully designed in at least someone's view
Therefore the choice is yours - choose what you want to read, fondle (yes, many books are sensuous) and enjoy, and you will not be disappointed.