1wcarter
England had Shakespeare, Germany had Goethe.
The Folio Society has published innumerable editions of Shakespeare’s works, but only once has it published a work by Goethe.
Arguably the most significant author in Germany’s history, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s supreme work was Faust. A two-part play, with the two parts being first published 24 years apart (1808 and 1832), part one sets out the magician Faust’s despair, his pact with Mephistopheles, and his love for Gretchen. Part two covers Faust’s life at court, the wooing and winning of Helen of Troy, followed by his purification and salvation.
The 2005 Folio Society publication is a large fine edition 33.5 by 25cm. It is superbly bound in beautifully tactile quarter leather with cream moire silk sides. There is a dark red coloured page top edge and endpapers, and a gilt embossed spine title.
It is housed in a substantial illustrated slipcase, and printed on Abbey Pure paper by St. Edmundsbury Press.
Part one is illustrated by 17 lithographs by Eugene Delacroix, taken from an 1828 edition.
Part two is illustrated by seven appropriate oil paintings by various artists. There is also a frontspiece oil painting (reproduced on the slipcase) of Faust and Mephistopheles by Eugene Delacroix.
The type in the book is large and well-spaced, making it easy to read.
There is an introduction by Nicholas Boyle, and the translation is a recent 1987 one by David Luke.
At 380 pages this is a substantial volume that is close to being of limited edition standard. It would enhance any library.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed at : http://www.librarything.com/topic/266300
The Folio Society has published innumerable editions of Shakespeare’s works, but only once has it published a work by Goethe.
Arguably the most significant author in Germany’s history, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s supreme work was Faust. A two-part play, with the two parts being first published 24 years apart (1808 and 1832), part one sets out the magician Faust’s despair, his pact with Mephistopheles, and his love for Gretchen. Part two covers Faust’s life at court, the wooing and winning of Helen of Troy, followed by his purification and salvation.
The 2005 Folio Society publication is a large fine edition 33.5 by 25cm. It is superbly bound in beautifully tactile quarter leather with cream moire silk sides. There is a dark red coloured page top edge and endpapers, and a gilt embossed spine title.
It is housed in a substantial illustrated slipcase, and printed on Abbey Pure paper by St. Edmundsbury Press.
Part one is illustrated by 17 lithographs by Eugene Delacroix, taken from an 1828 edition.
Part two is illustrated by seven appropriate oil paintings by various artists. There is also a frontspiece oil painting (reproduced on the slipcase) of Faust and Mephistopheles by Eugene Delacroix.
The type in the book is large and well-spaced, making it easy to read.
There is an introduction by Nicholas Boyle, and the translation is a recent 1987 one by David Luke.
At 380 pages this is a substantial volume that is close to being of limited edition standard. It would enhance any library.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed at : http://www.librarything.com/topic/266300
2c_schelle
>1 wcarter: Thanks for the detailed description. I stumbled upon this book on eBay a few weeks ago. It looks really lovely. The only thing that prevents me from buying it is the fact that I'm a native german speaker and struggle to buy translations of books I can read the in my native language. I have the same problem with the works of Kafka. The FS editions look stunning, but I can't justify to buy them at the moment. Over time I think I will succumb to buying the FS Editions of the aforementioned works, but for now I have to pass on them.
Does anyone know if the FS has ever published a work by Schiller? I have never seen one on the secondary market.
Does anyone know if the FS has ever published a work by Schiller? I have never seen one on the secondary market.
3bookfair_e
There is also Italian Journey 1786-1788 published 2010 by the Folio Society. It was quite expensive at £64.95 and seldom appears on the secondary market.
4Firumbras
I own this book, and for reasons which are not wholly rational, have never warmed to its design (I prefer dipping into my trusty battered Everyman). The paint-box red of the leather overwhelms the gilt lettering; the coarse cloth of the binding is singularly unpleasant to the touch. The typeface is too big, and its single-column layout leaves, with many short lines, acres of creamy paper blank. Having said all that, I enjoy other books in similar design - Thoreau, Golding Metamorphoses - and I regret never picking up the Italian journey in the same format.
5N11284
Have this book and love the format. just picked up the Italian Journey on eBay for £25.00, described as Very Good condition. Can't wait to get my hands on it.
6terebinth
>4 Firumbras:
Italian Journey is a substantial volume, but I'd not say it's in the same format at all. Just the spine lettering is consistent with the others.
Italian Journey is a substantial volume, but I'd not say it's in the same format at all. Just the spine lettering is consistent with the others.
7LettersandNotes
I was happy to find this edition of one of my favorite books (thank you, wcarter). I love everything about its format (size, style, slip case). I also have Milton's Paradise Lost in the same format and would love to find more.
It looks like Folio Society's 2007 edition of Blake's Jerusalem and 2009 edition of Thoreau's Walden are in the same format. Dante's 3 volume Divine Comedy looks the same but is, I believe, a smaller size. Any others? Thanks!
It looks like Folio Society's 2007 edition of Blake's Jerusalem and 2009 edition of Thoreau's Walden are in the same format. Dante's 3 volume Divine Comedy looks the same but is, I believe, a smaller size. Any others? Thanks!
8red_guy
>Off the top of my head, - The Apocrypha (often reasonably priced, and surprisingly a really good read), The LE of Pilgrims Progress, and Ovid Metamorphoses - but I'm sure people may chime in with more.
9affle
>7 LettersandNotes: Here is a link to the online bibliography, Folio 76, which you would find helpful for checking out format details:
https://www.foliosociety.com/uk/folio-bibliography
Faust and the 2015 Paradise Lost are of similar size, but different binding. The Divine Comedy set is of similar height and binding to Faust, but less wide (230mm vs 250mm). Jerusalem and Walden are both smaller, and Walden quite differently bound.
Gilbert White's Natural History of Selborne (2009, there are other FS editions) is just a little larger than Faust, and cloth bound, but if you like your books hefty, this is worth your consideration.
Edited, twice, to correct link
https://www.foliosociety.com/uk/folio-bibliography
Faust and the 2015 Paradise Lost are of similar size, but different binding. The Divine Comedy set is of similar height and binding to Faust, but less wide (230mm vs 250mm). Jerusalem and Walden are both smaller, and Walden quite differently bound.
Gilbert White's Natural History of Selborne (2009, there are other FS editions) is just a little larger than Faust, and cloth bound, but if you like your books hefty, this is worth your consideration.
Edited, twice, to correct link
10LettersandNotes
Thank you to both @red_guy and @affle. All the books you mentioned are beautiful and I am glad to know about them. I found Folio 76 very helpful. I used the search function to search for books the exact size of the Faust and found only the 2003 Paradise Lost (the two are considered a part of a "series" and reference each other in their descriptions). I still hope to acquire some of these other titles you recommended, so thanks again.
