Spring Collection Folio Society

So there we have it: 12 new titles being released a week from now. Based on the tiny bits of the books we can see in the teaser image, any idea what these are?

Do you think there are any gothic titles in these?

Update: 3 of the books have already been released, which you can find based on the covers and how the design matches with the stack of books. Thus, there are only 9 titles that we have yet to hear of.

I think the thrid from the bottom could be another Bond novel.

Here is the link to the high res picture on twitter: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXHvAjmWkAEdyPW.jpg:large

And here the link to the three books >2 Matthew1956: is mentioning: http://www.foliosociety.com/category/10175

But.. theres 15 books here? 3 of them we know so arent we back at 12?

????

Anne Frank at the top, Empire fourth from bottom, Under Fire right above that. So that leaves 12 unaccounted for.

Second and third from bottom - a two-volume set?

>6 bookfair_e: That looks like a good guess to me. I'm most curious about the big one at the bottom. Given Empire is 10" tall the bottom one looks like at least 12.5". Should be an impressive specimen.

>1Matthew1956

I would guess for 12 titles, not including the two previously released, there is probably a chance that 1 book falls into the classic or gothic genre, this might be two with a Dickens set beginning. Maybe 1 modern history and 1 pre World War history title, 1 Science or philosophy, 1 Memoir or Biography, 1 ridiculous filler, 1 Children's, 1 Travel or Discovery, 1 Poetry, and another 2 or 3 fiction one of which will be Sci-fi, another movie based and I think a Myth or Folk Tale is imminent.

I was really spoiled when I first started collecting Folio, and they printed 3 or 4 suggestions of mine, probably not exclusively mine, but consensus is that the window for those of the Classic taste will have to be pleased with a smaller selection. It's worth the wait, for the most part, but it can be fairly agonizing to someone who only started collecting 4 years ago. I've been searching out older Folios and even some Heritage Press / Limited Editions even Peter Pauper Press for titles I can't be without. Everything else I just hope something good appears.

Third from top looks Jane Austen-coloured, could they be completing the new set with the Shorter Works?

Nothing looks fuzzy, so no Pratchett...

But I could be wrong about that, and Austen is only a guess. Basically, the problem with the photo is that the books are facing the wrong way round ;)

>6 bookfair_e: >7 gmacaree: I don't think it is a two volume set as the stripe in the second from the bottom to my eye looks white and on the third from the bottom metallic (reflection at the top).

One kind of looks like 'The Once and Future King'

They are fairly close though and stacked together, I wouldn't throw the idea out the window... Maybe it's Roger Bacon's Opus Majus or Sandburg's Lincoln...

>3 c_schelle: I think the thrid from the bottom could be another Bond novel.

A bit thick for a Bond novel, I'm thinking. Though I do fully expect another Bond in this collection or the next one.

>9 terebinth: Nothing looks fuzzy, so no Pratchett...

Don't expect another Pratchett until they resolve the rights issue. Maybe never ...

>9 terebinth: Basically, the problem with the photo is that the books are facing the wrong way round ;)

Someone should tell the photographer. Or maybe he subscribes to the in vogue idea of shelving books the wrong way round.

>10 c_schelle:
I think it is a set. The dots are just too suspicious to be unrelated to me.
Also, based on some recent facebook comments, there might be more than just one set, or more than 2 books in a set:

Folio's post: "... 12 wonderful new titles..."
somebody: "There are 15 books in the photo?"
Folio: "Good spot... it's a clue!"

So I think it could be reasonably interpreted in a couple of ways:
1) the key word is "titles", so 12 new titles, 15 books, i.e. collection includes set(s)
2) the key word is "new", so 12 brand new titles and 3 re-prints, which include Anne Frank
I guess it could also technically be a combination of the two above.

>13 folio_books: Or maybe he subscribes to the in vogue idea of shelving books the wrong way round

To give him some credit, he did forget to wrap all the books in plain white dust jackets, allowing too much colour. No future in the world of interior design for the poor chap...

>14 elladan0891:

3) the key word is "wonderful", so 3 of the 15 aren't so hot.

I'm just getting annoyed that the FS releases books for a limited time, usually a few months, and then discontinues them. Then you can almost never find any of them on 3rd part websites like Ebay, and if you in the rarest of cases do find it, the seller jacks the price up 4 x what it's really worth. I'm trying to find a packaged edition of Le Fanu - Uncle Silas that apparently was on their website last year, and I think I would have better odds of winning the lottery twice in a row.

Uncle Silas sold out quick, I felt that way about In a Glass Darkly, when I was stupid enough to let it slip from my fingers. I think you'll find two or three of the 'Wiser Elders' on this board, that will tell you to practice good patience and you'll be rewarded.

>17 Matthew1956: they don't do what you've described. Uncle Silas, for instance, was (re-)released as part of the September 2015 collection and sold out during the 2018 New Year's sale. Two and a half years is hardly "a few months".

>17 Matthew1956:

Sealed copies of books do turn up, but not very many - why would anyone buy a book just to leave it in its shrinkwrap? And, when they do come along, they're not always the best copies to buy. If pages turn out to be missing, out of order, upside down, or they show any of the other errors and faults that Folio Society books are far from immune to showing, it may be hard to get any redress from the seller: and being left sealed for a long period, in storage conditions that you'll not know about, isn't always ideal for a book's preservation.

Many a "used" Folio book, on the other hand, shows fewer signs of handling than many a "new" book in a high street bookshop. Again it's a little hard to guess why: at least for anyone not familiar with the way that buying Folio books, if not carefully monitored and controlled, can race impossibly far ahead of actually reading them.

I'm excited for the Spring Collection release, even though it's unlikely I will buy the volumes at full price. Hopefully 12 new titles will have something for nearly everyone.

>13 folio_books:
"A bit thick for a Bond novel"
Oh come on! Aren't they all?

>20 terebinth: buying Folio books, if not carefully monitored and controlled, can race impossibly far ahead of actually reading them.

Words of wisdom. Mine raced impossibly ahead of me many years ago.

>22 Jayked: "A bit thick for a Bond novel" Oh come on! Aren't they all?

I do hope you're not denigrating Ian Fleming's readership.

>23 folio_books:

"I do hope you're not denigrating Ian Fleming's readership"
I wouldn't dare. I was referring to the master's technique of piling incident upon incident.

Do you think there's any chance that the sixth book from the bottom is The Tenant of Wildfell Hall? Because that would just make me ridiculously happy.

>25 RecoveringYogi:
I'm gonna pray it is! Being the pessimist I am though I have to say the paper looks extremely white and there's no 'special' paper in the middle for illustrations... It seems like a book printed on glossy paper to me (usually non-fiction).

This is getting unbelivably exciting

>14 elladan0891:

Folio's post: "... 12 wonderful new titles..."
somebody: "There are 15 books in the photo?"
Folio: "Good spot... it's a clue!"

Or...it could be 12 wonderful new titles and 3 rubbish ones.

>26 Lim_See_Min: Not to add fuel to the flames but it's the same height (9.5", clearly matching Under Fire) as the previous Brontës

@gmacaree - You just might be right: The book is of the same color and texture as the other Bronte books in the new series, gray and made of buckram. If only ...

Unfortunately for those hoping for Wildfell Hall I suspect Folio's latest teaser rather invalidates that theory. Grey buckram ... and a train running through what looks like an American landscape.

They've posted a close up of a portion of the binding of one of the new books on twitter.

@wdripp @gmacaree Thanks for this. So yet again, our dreams of additional Gothic lit has been crushed. More modernist or contemporary literature / non-fiction. Yay.

>31 gmacaree: gmacaree:

Well... consider my dreams just crushed then.

Strangers on a Train, Patricia Highsmith?

>35 foliomusthave: Wouldn't complain

Cain's Double Indemnity, in series with the now OOP The Postman Always Rings Twice.
That red spot slightly bothers me, as I can't figure it out. But my money is on Double Indemnity.

The latest tease:



This one's a slipcase, not a binding. As a sucker for most things nautical my interest is piqued.

Ahhhh, what could this be? It looks like it might match with the orange book with white lines, which looks like a ship of some sort. Hmmm, they already have a Moby Dick, so then what is it?

>37 elladan0891: That red spot slightly bothers me, as I can't figure it out.

I took it to be the tail light on the rear carriage, which would fit Double Indemnity nicely.

>40 folio_books:
Tail light was my only thought, and most likely it is the tail light, but its location/perspective somehow look wrong/slightly disturbing to me, even though I know it's just a stylized picture.

>38 gmacaree:
Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum?

Oh please no. Hopefully it's a classic book. Also, look at the two bottom books above the orange: they have matching stripes but on opposite ends. A double-set perhaps?

It's been a while since Folio did Two Years Before the Mast, right?

Another vague possibility, although I can't see this slipcase matching the only suspected set in the new release -- N.A.M. Rodger's The Command of the Ocean would be an instant buy for me.

No more memoirs... There's so many of them, and they always go for 80% off during the sales. Why can't they produce more classic 18th-19th century literature? So many people have been requesting updated versions of Gothic and Romantic literature, but it's like they refuse to hear us.

Matthew1956 you gotta quit complaining about how they're not listening to you lest the whole forum stops listening.

Also if that IS Double Indemnity, that means they HAVE listened to us!

No im joking but seriously if that is DI i'm gonna be a happy man

>45 Matthew1956:
The FS customer base is probably about 100,000. FSD has almost 1600 members, but of those fewer than 200 are active members, with maybe another 200 silent followers.
Although we are all FADicts, we are a very small part of the overall FS world.

>47 wcarter: One does wonder though how much of FS sales percentage these 400 people are responsible for. 5%?

>29 gmacaree: Don't get me wrong! I would love if it was The Tenant of Wildfell Hall or any other Brontës! I'm just quite a pessimist about things.

>45 Matthew1956:
Or, maybe you'd consider the fact that most of those they have published before. It's these people that stick around long that Folio Society was originally catered towards, as can be seen from their membership system in the past. No one's really keen on purchasing multiple editions of the same books over and over again, right?

>50 Lim_See_Min:

Admittedly those of us under 70 won't have had much opportunity to buy the Horrid Novels from the Folio Society before, given their publication in 1968. I was nine at the time and couldn't have afforded them even if I'd wished to: Steve Ditko's "The Creeper" was more my thing just then. There is, though, the secondary market, and I've a stubborn feeling that most of us who might possibly have been interested in shelling out the £400+ that a decent new set of the Horrid Novels would need to cost, will already have appeased our longings in that direction by buying the existing set, excellent letterpress printing and all, rather than holding out in the hope of a perfect slipcase.

>51 terebinth:

I was thinking more of something like a complete set of the Bronte Sisters works, which was published slightly more than a decade ago.

Edit to include my original comment so it'll make more sense:
>50 Lim_See_Min: Or, maybe you'd consider the fact that most of those they have published before. It's these people that stick around long that Folio Society was originally catered towards, as can be seen from their membership system in the past. No one's really keen on purchasing multiple editions of the same books over and over again, right?

Someone on twitter has guessed Virginia Woolf's The Waves for the slipcase. Seems like a good guess to me!

Hoping for the next Dickens in the new set.

..

Quiet looking forward to seeing the whole list from Folio for this Spring.

>53 J.Sealy:

That would be an instant buy for me!!

Crossing fingers...

Wasn't there a confirmation that Charles Van Sandwyk was going to release a Fairy related book in 2018? Based on a limited edition from last year? If I had to make a guess, it might be the big red covered book on the bottom.

Actually I think the book might be named "How to See Fairies", by Charles Van Sandwyk.

>58 Eastonorfolio:
That was mentioned in Joe's Blog as a future LE, to be preceded by The Wanderer.

On twitter the new collection is said to be out on Wednesday along with an image of a gilded top. Not long to wait.

I wonder if that spoiler cover could be Virginia Woolf's novel The Waves? Oops...just saw someone else has considered that already! :)

>62 Lady19thC: So they say :)

>62 Lady19thC:
Could be. Although I think it would be very tempting to release The Waves in series with A Room Of One’s Own, also using Vanessa Bell's illustrations, and the teaser pic doesn't look like Bell's.
Anyway, we should find out on Wednesday.

The novel We by Yevgeny Zamyatin just came online on the "New Title" placeholder http://www.foliosociety.com/category/10175

It looks decidedly dystopian.

Direct link to book: http://www.foliosociety.com/book/WYZ/we

>65 F.Trier: Consider me sold! I'll wait for the rest to show up tomorrow, but this book already sounds fascinating. Can't wait!

>65 F.Trier: Excellent. I'll be buying.

>65 F.Trier:
I think this wins the title for the shortest ever Folio Society book title.

>68 wcarter: I think it may also win the award for the first 'lenticular design slipcase'. Excellent design work Folio! This looks very tempting.

Edited to add: they got Ursula Le Guin to introduce it. I guess this would make it one of her last pieces.

Great choice and instant purchase of an old fave, despite not being convinced by the illustrations. Zamyatin's imagery is actually colourful, even baroque, the language and sentiments fiery--the grey scale is a lazy and trite solution typical for the anti-communist propaganda. An original artistic vision should have offered more.

Lolita also has a LENTICULAR slipcase!

This looks great

No wait, nevermind. I figured lenticular meant it has a hole in it

"We" was on the top of my SF request list. Only A Canticle for Leibowitz to go.

>65 F.Trier: - As I recall, I had recommended We on one of the polls. I guess that means I have to buy it! It's an excellent book, and looks to be an excellent design.

>74 Jayked: - agree a hundred-fold. I can't think of a book I'd buy quicker than A Canticle for Leibowitz.

so is this We book the grey book with the train and red light on it that we saw on the fs teaser?

>77 Matthew1956: Matthew1956: No. I would guess however, that today's teaser is a classic literature...

I'm not typically a Sci-Fi reader, but We seems like something I could get into. I'll probably pick it up, it also seems like a fair price.

Thank you for the heads up. It's in my basket. Great novel, deserving of a re-read.

On a personal note, When I was a teen back in the late 70's, I read We, written in 1921 and Anthem written in 1937 by another Russian. Both authors experienced the Russian Revolution and the implementation of the Soviet system of communism and made it out. In my mind, the novels are intertwined, both objecting to the dangers of the suppression of the individual for the goals of the state.

I'll read both again when this edition of We arrives.

I'm so happy about "We"! :) One of my favourite dystopian settings along with brave new world.

... that's one in the cart.

When FS says it's releasing their Spring lineup on Wednesday, is that 12:01 am Greenwich mean time? I live on the west coast of the United States, and that's only 4:01 pm for me. It feels like Christmas eve and I can't wait to run down to look at the presents.

>82 Eastonorfolio: Doubt it. More likely when someone gets into the office tomorrow morning.

Aside from the Spring Collection, how many times per year does Folio Society release waves of new books, and what is the average number of books released each time? Is it 12 books for the Spring and 12 books for the Winter?

>84 Matthew1956: Usually 4 releases of roughly 10-15 books in February/March, May, September and October/November. Aside from special releases and LEs, of course.

>73 harvestRoad: there's something about that slipcase that makes me think it's not just a hole in a box: the profile of a face is visible on the picture of the slipcase, yet it's not on the front cover itself. It would appear that the face is part of the window in the slipcase, not the book.

Edit: I only now saw the video below the pictures themselves. Looks like a new type of design for a slipcase. Anyone see something like this before in book design?

Lenticular slipcase - I think the movement of the book as it slides in or out of the slipcase and passes the lens in the slipcase window, gives the effect of the image there appearing to change or move.

I am giddy about We being added, it was pretty high on my folio Society request list so... Hehe.

Anyone have any thoughts about the possibility of The Left Hand of Darkness being released this year? Especially considering Ursula Le Guin's passing in January.

That is the coolest looking slipcase....I always thought the slipcase for Day of the Jackal was cool with the cut out acting like the snipers viewfinder pointed at DeGaulle's head but this is way cooler..

Lenticular effects have been around since the 1890s. If you have the Rolling Stones' Satanic Majesties LP that's one of many instances in pop culture.

>89 Jayked:

"Well, my name is a number
A piece of plastic film........."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DLKoOs3IpU

a very interesting design, but spolied for me by the fussy FS monogram which could surely be omitted or integrated with the design beter. (Issues raised on another thread I believe). I am disheartened by this misguided branding - an inflexible and visually illiterate use of the same monogram on virtually all new titles. Every book should be different!

>91 Firumbras: "an inflexible and visually illiterate use of the same monogram"

I haven't purchased many new titles so I can't really comment on your statement but as I look at the 400+ Folio titles that I do own, I'm amazed at how many different and varied colophons grace their spines.

>91 Firumbras:

I wonder why they decided to use that monogram for We? Especially when you consider that The Handmaid's Tale, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, Slaughterhouse-Five and 1984 all had an individualized Folio Society label specific for that book. I'm fine with it either way, I'm mostly just curious

>93 RecoveringYogi: they appear to have limited the monograms to curly FS at the beginning of 2017

Personally, I'm quite happy with curly FS.

>94 gmacaree:
Unless a book is in series with some older edition(s) that has a different design (new Berlin matches Stalingrad spelling out "FOLIO SOCIETY" using the same font, etc).

By definition, lenticular means “bean shaped” or a “biconvex lens”.
Find it hard to imagine how either definition applies to a slipcase.

I have to confess that this is a new work to me as I usually shy away from this sort of genre. However, this one went to my Wish List rather quickly.

>97 wcarter: Find it hard to imagine how either definition applies to a slipcase.

Well, it's nothing new or mind-boggling.
I think we all now those cards with a plastic ribbon layer on them (the lenticular lenses). If you change the angle by moving the card, the text or picture changes.



Apparently, I assume the slip case will have the plastic layer as a window and when you move the book out the image will seem to animate.

>99 joco30:
Ahh!
I see, I see!

>80 sdawson:
From what I understand, Rand carbon-copied too many details and framework elements of the story to be interesting in her own right. Would be interested to hear your thoughts after you read them both. And she was certainly not the only one to be directly influenced by We. Vonnegut was honest about it, saying about his Player Piano: "I cheerfully ripped off the plot of Brave New World, whose plot had been cheerfully ripped off from Eugene Zamyatin's We." Orwell was obviously influenced too.

By the way, speaking of Zamyatin and Rand - I think We can be viewed a bit too narrowly in the English-speaking world sometimes - simply as a reaction to the new Soviet state. And while Zamyatin certainly criticized the bolshevik regime directly, the book was also inspired by contemporary forms of Western capitalism and industrialization. Orwell got that, as in his article on We after paraphrasing one anti-Bolshevik snippet as an example of why the book was banned in the Soviet Union, he wrote:

"It may well be, however, that Zamyatin did not intend the Soviet regime to be the special target of his satire. Writing at about the time of Lenin's death, he cannot have had the Stalin dictatorship in mind, and conditions in Russia in 1923 were not such that anyone would revolt against them on the ground that life was becoming too safe and comfortable. What Zamyatin seems to be aiming at is not any particular country but the implied aims of industrial civilisation. I have not read any of his other books, but I learn from Gleb Struve that he had spent several years in England and had written some blistering satires on English life. It is evident from We that he had a strong leaning towards primitivism. Imprisoned by the Czarist Government in 1906, and then imprisoned by the Bolsheviks in 1922 in the same corridor of the same prison, he had cause to dislike the political regimes he had lived under, but his book is not simply the expression of a grievance. It is in effect a study of the Machine, the genie that man has thoughtlessly let out of its bottle and cannot put back again. This is a book to look out for when an English version appears."

You know there is a short clip on the book page showing exactly how the slipcase works when the book is moved in and out of the slipcase!

>101 elladan0891:

Thanks for the Orwell quote and the thoughts on reactions to Industrialization under various forms of government.

George Lucas' first film THX 1138 was also clearly influenced by We.

What time does this thing go live?

>105 d-b: in theory, anytime now.

In practice, it's Folio's website soooooooo.

It is live now, but all the books are not displayed yet.

It's Alive! (you have to log in first)

'We' looks nice!

The new titles page hasn't been updated yet, but Folio's banner has, in terms of books we haven't seen:

Three Hornblower novels
Goldfinger
Letters of Vincent Van Gogh
Hide My Eyes
Strangers on A Train (good guess earlier!)
The Golden Bough

Just saw it is bound in paper though... grrr.

Hornblower!!!! I can sleep now!!!

Voyages to the Moon and the Sun, by Cyrano de Bergerac, is the big orange book. Illustrated by Quentin Blake

>110 gmacaree:

Hornblower ? Oh God, why that temptation ...

Golden bough and Under fire for me

Golden Bough for me

Hornblower is referred to as 'Set 1'. Could this be a new Aubrey and Maturin in the works? Let's hope so. Just checked and it the whole series consists of 11 novels and 5 short stories.

If the Aubrey-Maturin series is anything to go by best snap up Hornblower now before it's sold out and then listed on ebay for 4x the original price!

I'll be getting

The Golden Bough
Under Fire
We
Van Gogh
Hide My Eyes
Strangers on a Train
Bergerac's Voyages
Hornblower
The Diary of a Young Girl

I could be tempted into the Smolett too, but I've never read any of him. Anyone want to enable?

Had a closer look now and Hornblower looks very nice indeed. A beautiful production. And the source of the mysterious waves which there has been some speculation over recently.

I just finished Folio's Candide and thought Quentin Blake's illustrations suited it perfectly. It looks like 'Voyage to the Sun and the Moon' will achieve something similar.

For me the definites are Hornblower, Voyage to the Sun and Moon, We and The Golden Bough.

Hornblower! Oh dear, that's straight on my wanted list, along with the next Bond!

Free mystery book when you spend $150. That shouldn’t be too hard.

>113 gmacaree: Cyrano de Bergerac

It's a reprint. Original 1991.

>118 wongie: If the Aubrey-Maturin series is anything to go by best snap up Hornblower now before it's sold out and then listed on ebay for 4x the original price!

That's possible if the aim of buying Folios is to make a profit (never a sound financial plan) but Forester does not bear comparison to O'Brian in literary terms. Neverthess I could be tempted, but not just yet.

>123 folio_books: A reprint with a bigger text block and more integrated illustrations (I'm not sure if there were any in the original, which I don't have)

>123 folio_books:
Bergerac is more a new edition than a reprint as it has a more illustrations and a totally different binding.

Based on the clues, any guesses to what the four mystery books might be?

The "Atlantic Ocean adventure story" might be Shackleton’s Boat Journey.

>126 F.Trier:

"Will you receive an Atlantic Ocean adventure story" Could be Shackleton. Could also be The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym.

"A critically acclaimed tale of tragic betrothal" I have no idea

"A page-turning account of the ‘valley of Death’" Can only really be The Reason Why

"A tantalising glimpse into the lives of great historic figures?" Aubrey's Brief Lives or Churchill's Great Contemporaries

>119 gmacaree: I could be tempted into the Smolett too, but I've never read any of him. Anyone want to enable?

They've done it before (I'll not say "reprint") but admittedly that was 1955. I have the original but I wouldn't be in a hurry to enable.

>122 wcarter: Free mystery book when you spend $150. That shouldn’t be too hard.

It's £75 in the UK and I'm up to £140 on my definites but I'm bored with so-called "mystery books". I'd happily settle for free postage.

I noticed Fahrenheit 451 is back in stock, is that also one of today's releases?

>127 gmacaree: Nicholas and Alexandra

- -

Some tempting editions in this collection for sure!

Oh bugger, what a tempting collection, and just when I thought I was making progress overcoming FAD and tottering back towards sanity. We looks magnificent, fantastic binding, slipcase and illustrations. In my SF ignorance I knew nothing about the work until seeing it in this new collection and reading the comments above, but I'm already feeling sharp-pronged pangs of enablement. The Golden Bough looks glorious too, another work I was unfamiliar with, but how fascinating it sounds, plus such intriguing illustrations. Then there's the sumptuous-looking Letters of van Gogh: too, too enabling too. And how to ignore the new Allingham mystery? Help!

>131 cronshaw: You're asking for help in overcoming FAD? Here?

On the Hornblower set -- while it's true that Forester trails O'Brian by a long distance in terms of, well, everything, I think Folio have done a much nicer job with this release than they did with the Aubrey-Maturin sequence. Real illustrations rather than period photographs! Those spines! I was sketching out possible rebinding options for my Aubrey set and one of my options looked essentially identical to what they've come up with for Hornblower.

>132 gmacaree: At least for form's sake I feel it's the decent thing to do.

>133 gmacaree: Funny, I was just thinking the reverse. I love the bindings, illustrations and photos of the Aubrey-Maturin series. For me, O'Brian gives you such historical detail and immersion in the period, that I find the contemporary drawings and photos of historical artefacts enhance that immersive experience more than any present-day illustrator could.

So I thought there was going to be 12 new titles, and not 11? Also, what was the large orange book at the bottom of their teaser?

Also, in addition to Fahrenheit 451 being re-added, (HAHA online sellers - Now you won't sell it at 150 each), are there any other titles re-added?

>134 cronshaw: While I wouldn't want the characters illustrated, the work Geoff Hunt did for the original dust jackets is lovely. Folio could easily have gone in that direction if they were willing to spend on a good maritime artist. Which tbf, sounds expensive.

Phone lines appear hectic today as been awaiting a call back to place order for 3 hrs now.

This collection does little for me. I like sci-fi perfectly well and mystery/suspense is fine, but it would be nice if they'd publish a bit more fiction that isn't genre.

>131 cronshaw:

Glad the long silence is broken, Russell, and with such a precise appraisal. It is indeed one of the stronger lists of recent times.

The Golden Bough, We, and Albert Campion for me, but hesitating over the Highsmith because I disliked the Ripley trilogy so much. The Van Gogh for longer term consideration, like the Smollett. The 1991 Cyrano is among the best ten quid's worth of secondhand value in my collection, and I'm nowhere near being tempted to upgrade.

Edited to remove error

>33 Matthew1956:

Did everyone notice that the 3 Hornblower novels is defined officially as "Set One"?

So, I guess they are going to either complete the series of continue to publish more sets?

>129 rakkie: Possibly to coincide with the upcoming TV thing?

Of Smollett, I have only read Travels through France and Italy; he is cantankerous, sneering, grouchy and rude; but also quite funny until you can bear him no longer.

>139 affle: Under Fire would be a must, but I think Barbusse is the wrong side of the wobbly moral line that rules some authors out, an issue explored a bit back over Eric Gill, so I'll leave that one.

Genuinely interested in what you're getting at here. I don't know much about Barbusse but had a quick look at the bio on wikipedia and couldn't see much that would set him up alongside Gill in the 'authors to boycott' stakes.

>142 overthemoon: I've heard that said of me ...

At first glance I’m enthralled by We, Voyages to the Moon and the Sun and the Hornblower Set One (of three I guess). Hornblower was one of the few titles on my wishlist, so asked and received. I’m not familiar with the illustrator, apparently he did other titles for FS as well. Will look into it through the Ardis database but I’m liking what I see up till now. I got Candide in the Summer Sale and happen to like Ol’ Quentin. Will look a bit more into it when at home. We is completely new to me but what an outstanding production it is from the looks of it!

>143 Levin40:

A senior moment of confusion on my part, now edited away. Sorry.

Hornblower, yes indeed, and they've re-released Fahrenheit 451 that I missed last time. Not surprised there is no new Discworld book, but still sad. Overall a nice new set to choose from.

We, Goldfinger, and last fall's Guns, Germs, and Steel and am considering one or both mystery titles as well as Horation Hornblower

It seems I'm in the minority here. Of course, I loved the last release, so we can't win them all.

Does anyone else think Empire has one of the least interesting covers they've ever done?

I don't see the Anne Frank book at all. Even a search doesn't bring it up. This is weird . . .

Not overly inspired. I'll probably order Strangers on a Train. I'm glad there is a new Selected Letters of Vincent Van Gogh but as I have the Six Volume set brought out a few years back, I'm only likely to buy it as a gift. Though that said, it might be good to have a nice portable set.

As I've had a paperback copy of The Golden Bough for donkeys years and still not done more than sample a few pages, I don't think I'll be adding that.

>150 Bookworm59:
Are you in the US? It seems like Anne Frank is not available in the US, probably because of some rights issues - the US version of the website actually has a different picture of the collection, with Frank missing, and the orange pic announces 11 new titles instead of 12. Book copyrights are often bunched as North American, so I suspect Canada might also be getting 11 titles.

Fortunately, I already have Anne Frank. Since this is a reprint, all in the US who are interested in Frank can find a copy on the secondary market.

>152 elladan0891: Yes, I am. Thank you for clearing that up. It was very confusing!

>146 affle:
Ah ok. No problem.

The free mystery book is a one-use only voucher (FMY2) this time around.

We looks like a triumph of FS design, too bad I won't be getting it as I read Russian works in the original.

Fortunately for my wallet, only one must have after the first glance - Under Fire. Will probably wait to bunch up with the May collection or Summer Sale.
Letter of Vincent Van Gogh, Strangers On A Train, The Golden Bough, Voyages To The Moon And Sun, Humphry Clincker, and Empire to the wishlist. Will take another look or five later today, so things might change, as they often do.

>155 bookfair_e:

Thanks for the voucher code. I forgot to enter it when I placed my online order, but I called the FS office and they were happy to add it (apparently, a number of people have made this mistake).

Only interested in The Golden Bough really.

Still wondering about why Anne Frank's diary doesn't show up... for those of us in NA? Could it be to do with licensing and thus not available here?

-edit. Just received the catalogue in the mail. On the Anne Frank page there is indeed a note saying that it's not available in Canada due to rights restrictions. Oh well, I have it already, although this version seems to have more pages... 320 vs 294. Anyone have a clue what the difference might be?

I guess my next question is... when is the next new book release going to be? May?

Yes. Probably May. I really hope they have more classics, instead of another dump of science fiction, crime books, and non-fiction texts.

I was about to purchase the LEC Golden Bough (letterpress), but the FS edition looks spectacular (sans letterpress), and much more appropriately illustrated (the LEC illustrations have that late 60s/early 70s style that is about as appealing to me as an avocado colored shag carpet).

>161 ultrarightist:

Yeah, but the LEC sells at a fraction of the price. The binding on the FS does look beautiful.

'We' seems the most interesting to me. I didn't like the binding at first but it's really growing on me.

>131 cronshaw: just when I thought I was making progress overcoming FAD and tottering back towards sanity

Russell, you’ve made my day, much more so than the fair-to-middling new collection. A pleasure to see you here again. We’ve missed you enormously.

>133 gmacaree: I think Folio have done a much nicer job with this release than they did with the Aubrey-Maturin sequence. Real illustrations rather than period photographs!

I agree. I thought the photos were a cheap way out of illustrating novels. Of course, getting a decent illustrator is critical. This guy looks idiosyncratic but it seems to work, based on the samples we’ve seen.

>139 affle: The Golden Bough, We, and Albert Campion for me, but hesitating over the Highsmith because I disliked the Ripley trilogy so much. The Van Gogh for longer term consideration, like the Smollett. The 1991 Cyrano is among the best ten quid's worth of secondhand value in my collection, and I'm nowhere near being tempted to upgrade.

Campion and We are ordered; the Golden Bough is on ice awaiting a sale. Van Gogh also awaits longer consideration but I have little doubt I’ll end up buying it. I believe I’ll be keeping my 1991 Cyrano, too.

>160 Matthew1956:

You forgot to mention Gothic ...

And since no-one mentioned it, I wonder how many of these were printed in … you know, that place with the wall …

Definites:

- Empire (despite the consensus on here, I rather like the design)
- The Diary of a Young Girl
- We
- Fahrenheit 451 (so happy to see this back in stock; glad I didn't cave to the eBay sellers and shell out £60+ on a copy)

Also likes/maybes:

- The Hornblower Saga
- Strangers on a Train
- Under Fire

>148 sdawson: I thought Guns, germs and steel was new - hadn't noticed it before, strangely. Last time I logged in it came up at the top of the page and it rang a bell because someone had been talking about it in my readers' group.

I just got a Fahrenheit sealed copy of eBay last week! Arghh...

No complaints really, I shilled out 6 pounds more and am delighted with the book. Happy for all like me who missed it the first go around!

If only they could reprint Lord Of The Flies I’ll be able to complete the Sam Weber illustrated trilogy (Edited for clarity: Dune; Fahrenheit 451 and Lord Of The Flies). They will use him again, won’t they?

I’m unclear on the Golden Bough. It’s abridged to the author’s original outlay of four books (in two volumes) and apparently this makes for the standard modern text. Is this a nuisance or a blessing? And is it worth the read? Or another Tale of the Genji?

Would have gone for the Golden Bough had it been the full 12 volume set...

And is it me, or is this new Spring collection reasonably priced? At least in pounds Sterling.

>166 NLNils: NLNils What is the third book of the Sam Weber illustrated trilogy? Lord of the Flies, Fahrenheit 451, and...

>169 Eastonorfolio: Dune

Again there's nothing here for me, in the case of The Golden Bough because the 13 volumes have been on my shelves since 1981. I've been paying so little attention that I wasn't aware the "new" abridgment - only 24 years old - existed, but it does sound more fit for purpose than the former single volume one.

>138 Jason461:
I wouldn't dismiss We as genre. Zamyatin was not a genre writer, he just happened to write one book of dystopian fiction where action takes place in the future, with some SciFi elements. We is just as much genre SciFi as Nineteen Eighty-Four (which was directly inspired by We like many other dystopian novels). It's a classic and hugely influential book, not just another SciFi genre offering.

>172 elladan0891: and the other SciFi book is from the mid 1600s! I actually really enjoy reading old speculative fiction precisely because the old musings on the stories possible in the year xxxx sheds so much light on the capabilities and priorities of the cultures and times they were written in.

>173 gmacaree:
I'm with you

Well clearly busy day in office at FS because despite ringing them three times they did not phone back to take my order as apparently too busy. Will try tomorrow now

The Handmaid's Tale is available again. Missed that the first time.

>163 folio_books: - "And since no-one mentioned it, I wonder how many of these were printed in … you know, that place with the wall …"

Texas?

>176 Eastonorfolio: - That just might push me over the edge and make me place an order - thanks for the enabling notification!

So in addition to handmaid's tale, and Fahrenheit 451, any more titles re-published on their FS page?

>167 InVitrio:

I have the LEC Fraser abridgement. While brilliant, I think two volumes is more than enough to get the full flavor.

>131 cronshaw: Ah, the delicious irony of the arch-enabler requesting help to cure FAD. Welcome back Russell, you have been sorely missed.

>127 gmacaree: """A critically acclaimed tale of tragic betrothal" I have no idea" I think that one must be The Blue Flower.

I think it's another very good collection from Folio and I'm particularly happy about Hornblower. the description of which "Set One" and "This new Folio series presents..." seems to indicate the whole will be forthcoming. If that proves to be true, then I think it potentially bodes well for a future Folio series of Sharpe. Other than that full price purchases for me will be We and the Van Gogh Letters, the latter of which seems to be very reasonably priced for what appears to be a beautiful production, and in comparison with the prices available for the trade hardback of the work. I'll wait for a decent sale before really thinking about The Golden Bough, while the Allingham series is becoming increasingly tempting.

I don't see any advantage in ordering immediately, so will wait a couple of weeks before burdening 'Emma' with my order.

>179 MobyRichard: Does not Fraser's abridgment post-date the LEC edition by 24 years?

I'll be adding 'We' and last year's Orwell Letters eventually, but need to catch up on reading earlier purchases first.

I have had the Hornblower series in my suggestions since I joined FS so as you can imagine I’m pretty darn excited about this release. Along with the re-release of Fahrenheit and the new release of We this is a pretty successful collection for me.

>181 ultrarightist:

I checked my copy to make sure. It says this is Frazer's own abridgment.

>184 MobyRichard: Interesting. So we have Frazer's abridgment (pre-1970), on which the LEC edition is based, and Fraser's abridgment (1994), on which the FS edition is based.

>185 ultrarightist:

Well, I also notice that FS claims something which could be interpreted as "ours is the first illustrated edition."

Although they add the qualifier 'lavishly,' so perhaps they don't think the LEC was lavish enough.

>185 ultrarightist:

Actually, I see the confusion. At least on my part. The LEC is James George Frazer's own abridgment. The FS is abridged by somebody named Robert Fraser...I substituted the 'S' for the 'Z' without thinking.

>187 MobyRichard: Right. I'm now curious as to the difference between the two abridgments.

>186 MobyRichard:

Yet another abridgment was published, I assume very lavishly illustrated, as "The Illustrated Golden Bough" - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Illustrated-Golden-Bough-George-Frazer/dp/0385145152 . I suppose the current edition is the first to illustrate the Robert Fraser abridgment.

The four page .pdf "Note on the text", available under "Inside the book" in the Folio website entry, seems a good summary by Robert Fraser of how the original abridgment by the Frazers was made and of some of the ways in which his own approach differs.

I just returned home from a short ski trip and I received the paper catalogue for the Spring Collection. That will suit me fine as bedtime reading, and wondering!

Flicking through my 1991 Cyrano de Bergerac it's hard to see where any additional illustrations would fit as this already has to be the most heavily illustrated Folio in my collection. The new edition looks splendid but I think I'll keep the one I have currently and save the £60.

>127 gmacaree:
"Will you receive an Atlantic Ocean adventure story" Could be Shackleton. Could also be The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym

The wording I see is "Will you receive the story of an ill-fated Atlantic crossing", which points at Every Man For Himself.

Such a lovely new collection! Fittingly wonderful for the springtime!

>131 cronshaw: "Oh bugger . . ."

Glad to see you've been finally discharged from the Isolation Ward, Russell. (Or is it just the cuts?)

This is the first new collection to tempt me for quite a while. The full edition of The Golden Bough has always been just out of reach for me, so this shorter (but not shortest) version could provide a satisfactory compromise. For my sins, I've been collecting the Bonds, so there's another heading for the basket (I think I mean the book, not me). And Hornblower! What a great-looking edition - and "Set 1" certainly bodes well for an extended voyage. Don't let us down, Mole! Clinker looks stylish, too, even if it is a rehash of the old letterpress version. I'm a sucker for woodcuts. They make me go quite lenticular.

I have bought the three Hornblower omnibuses by Penguin in a secondhand bookstore approximately a year ago. Cost me £12 in total. Might be an overpay, but nevertheless I’m really happy I got them all in one go. I never expected to be served so soon with this beautiful first set by FS. The point of this post is: How many sets will Folio produce? Let’s see the picture:



I assume the FS edition uses the Penguin text and the first omnibus is aligned with Set One, thus containing Mr. Midshipman Hornblower; Lieutenant Hornblower and Hornblower And The Hotspur.

As can be seen on the photo, the second set would be Hornblower And The Atropos; The Happy Return and A Ship Of The Line.

The third and final one (also showing on the cover), Flying Colours; The Commodore; Lord Hornblower and Hornblower In The West Indies.

It’s stated that the FS editions will contain all novels and short stories. The only other book I’m aware of is Hornblower And The Crisis. This is the last and unfinished novel including some short stories. Chronologically it places right behind the first set, as the fourth book. As to how it will be incorporated in this Series, I’m unsure.

A last note on the illustrator, Joe McLaren. He’s attributed on the website as having done work on multiple books for FS already. The only one I could find is Big Chief Elizabeth for which he made the cover art. This seems to be what he has done for Folio up till now. I think of Hornblower as a prestigious assignment and am glad he got the opportunity, because I like what I see (on the website).

>190 NLNils: I received the paper catalogue for the Spring Collection.

Well you got it before me here in the UK.

>195 NLNils: A last note on the illustrator, Joe McLaren. He’s attributed on the website as having done work on multiple books for FS already. The only one I could find is Big Chief Elizabeth for which he made the cover art.

He also did the design of Anthony Burgess' Shakespeare.
And some searching on the internet further reveals : The Campaigns of Alexander, Rural Rides.

>159 Eastonorfolio: I guess my next question is... when is the next new book release going to be? May?

Coming soon:
Dorothy L. Sayers' Short Stories

Coming in May:
Oliver Twist
A Tale of Two Cities
Three Men on the Bummel

Coming 2019
Christopher Robin's Poems

(says the Spring catalogue)

>197 joco30: Thank you. I just looked up the titles you mentioned and I find him to be a gifted and diverse artist. The cover of Shakespeare stands out to me. I did look up the technique mentioned being used: scraperboard. It's an evolution on woodcuts and metal etchings and in contrast to those techniques it's made from the start diapositive. As it lends itself to very precise results, most illustrations are more diminutive in size due to the work involved. This suits book illustration perfectly. Here's a link with more (basic) information: http://www.annran.com/pages/technique.html

On the other hand, we are ten weeks into the year, and no Limited Edition release so far.
They usually release 5 to 9 LEs a year (see http://www.librarything.com/topic/192880).

I fear a little for the limited editions now that Joe is gone.
I can't help but having the impression that he left out of dissatisfaction with a new direction that Folio wants to make, or that they made him go because they wanted a new direction for the LE's. I have no immediate reason for it and could be completely wrong. It's just a feeling.

>200 joco30: He's not gone though, at least not completely. His last blog entry says he has 'reduced his commitment' but explicitly says that he's involved in a couple of upcoming LEs. I think retirement may be a more likely explanation than dissatisfaction.

http://blogs.foliosociety.com/the-folio-life-joes-blog-38/

However, 'reduced commitment' may well equal a reduced output of LEs, given that it's far from clear who is taking over from him.

>200 joco30: He got to finish with a few vanity projects, of which The Bayeaux Tapestry is the most eye-popping. I think he will finish LE's already in the pipeline in which he still had direct involvement and then hopefully they will release more price savvy LE's going forward. And with smaller limitations. I for one would be interested if FS went in that direction and recent sales show this to be the way forward.

I cracked. In quite a big way. I've just placed an order for:

- American Gods
- Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall
- Atonement
- The Call of Cthulhu & Other Weird Stories
- Empire of the Sun
- The Handmaid's Tale
- History of Western Philosophy
- I, Robot
- Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
- Three Men in a Boat
- War Horse
- Great Expectations
- King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa
- Reach for the Sky
- The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
- The Little Prince
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? & A Scanner Darkly
- The Hundred and One Dalmatians
- Berlin: The Downfall 1945
- Nicholas and Alexandra
- Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World
- Fahrenheit 451

My focus has been to snap up titles on my want list from previous years' collections, before they go out of print.

Excited for tomorrow!

>204 LondonLawyer:
You din’t crack, you split asunder!
What a haul!
The big question is, when will a London lawyer have time to read them all?

I'm hoping for a long retirement!

>199 wcarter: On the other hand, we are ten weeks into the year, and no Limited Edition release so far.

Yes, I've been wondering when we were going to see another LE. We know there are several in the pipeline. It seems a long time since the simultaneous release of the three Fine Press Classics. It's one reason I capped my purchases from the new releases to only four (for now). The money is waiting in the bank ...

>203 NLNils:
Can't blame Joe for the limitations. From his article in The Private Library:
"At the time that the Letterpress Shakespeare was initiated (2007), an extremely bullish management team was in charge at Folio. Their enthusiasm for the project knew no bounds, their sales forecasts spiralled to dizzy and wholly unrealistic heights. In consequence the original planned limitation of 1500 (which I thought already rather generous) was pushed up again and again...."
That wouldn't be the present management team that everyone loves to hate, though it might explain why they were hired.

>196 folio_books: My paper catalogue arrived today (Switzerland)

>208 Jayked: I don’t blame him for the high limitations. I do feel that current management gave him a well rounded farewell and owes him nothing. I’m not the LE buying customer they are targeting as of yet, so I’ll refrain from further comment.

I do find your response insightful and the vision set forth in it by Joe on the Letterpress Shakespeare series.

>209 overthemoon: My paper catalogue arrived today (Switzerland)

Not today, either :(

I rang them to request another copy and found out that, while Customer Services are of course based in London, the order line resides in Cornwall. Not that that helps my catalogue to arrive.

>211 folio_books:

I expect yours is on its way: sounds like another case (I'm sure we had one not long ago) of the FS over-compensating for postal delays in reaching distant lands. I'm still awaiting my copy too, a few miles west of Durham.

>210 NLNils:
"A well-rounded farewell." I must have missed that, though I don't know that I'd have recognised it anyway -- a gold watch?
In fact he hasn't been sent anywhere. Having reached the age of retirement, he has scaled back his workload so that he produces only some of the LEs, just as he scaled back earlier to produce only LEs rather than every Folio publication. As production director for over 20 years he was responsible for the appearance of every Folio book published, including most of those titles eagerly sought on the second-hand market by forum members, and of the 500 or so volumes I've bought. I have no way of knowing if current management feel they owe him nothing, but I doubt it.

>212 terebinth: I expect yours is on its way

I have little doubt. I always ask for a second copy, though, in any event. The first gets mangled through scanning for the FSD Wiki and with the scrawls necessary in making selections; the second I keep pristine in my Folio archive.

>212 terebinth: sounds like another case (I'm sure we had one not long ago) of the FS over-compensating for postal delays in reaching distant lands.

Indeed. Devotees in the Netherlands and Switzerland have already received theirs. It's a little tiresome to be kept waiting longer, especially as I'm waiting to commence the scanning process. In the past we've had the scanned catalogue up on FSD Wiki before many members in far-flung corners have received the paper copy. Not this time, though.

Edited for afterthought.

>197 joco30: Thanks for that tip. I wonder which Sayers short stories those will be, and if there'll be any overlap with the relatively recent Lord Peter Views the Body.

>215 Bookworm59: I wonder which Sayers short stories those will be, and if there'll be any overlap with the relatively recent Lord Peter Views the Body.

That's a good point. I think it would be a major blunder if there was any overlap. I recalled she was quite a prolific writer of short stories so I looked her up on Wikipedia. Lord Peter Views the Body was her first collection, published in 1928, followed by Hangman's Holiday (1933) & In the Teeth of the Evidence (1939). Then nothing until a general collection in 1958, followed by a few bits and pieces. Interestingly, these include four collaborative works with members of the Detection Club.

Plenty of scope remaining, then.

I thought that everybody had received the Spring paper catalogue, and that mine was delayed. It arrived yesterday.

>213 Jayked: I'll bite. I read up on the history of FS and the pivotal role Joe Blundell played in its existence and operation. The truth is that in such a role your earlier citated quote of his vision of the Letterpress Shakespeare process should never have been aired and prevented all together. That's his job to stand up to management if they are wrong. New management was brought in, they were gifted a "nice" problem with all kind of previous LE's which will not sell out for years, maybe decades. If they then still support you in your role as LE director and let you develop the idea and eventual production of the Bayeux scroll as best example, its clear to me that they are to be lauded and have paid there dues. So, in the end they owe him nothing. Joe could well just have retired and finish up on LE's he had a clear hand in or loves. And I have no doubt FS management will keep consulting him, as every smart board would. Having not been a member I most definitely have a different viewpoint and I am actually looking forward to the new direction of FS regarding LE's. I think the quick test run with the Count Of Monte Cristo and the positive results thereof are a first clue. So finally I do not dread for the future of the LE program without the guiding hand of Joe.

I woke up today and felt that I overreacted and spoke out of turn. I will hide this message, but leave it here for those interested to read it. I apologized to @Jayked in private message and will move on with a more positive attitude.

>218 NLNils: Wasn't Mort the first clue? I too would love to see more along those lines and am quite surprised we haven't already. It would certainly be interesting to know if Mort was regarded as a success or a misfire on their side. Could have been either.

>219 Levin40: I think it was severely underpriced on FS's behalf. And therefore I took the Count Of Monte Cristo, as the quick reskin of a previous publication which sold out fast.

Does the spring catalogue have any new books in there that aren't on the website, or easily found? Or, does it show future books? If not, what is the point of it?

Does Matthew1956 have anything positive to say on this forum, or easily found? Or, does he intend to say anything positive in the future? If not, what is the point of it all.

>222 foliomusthave: Hear, hear!

>220 NLNils: Yes, I'm sure they could have got away with at least £200 for Mort and still have it sold out in a few hours longer than it did take. I was also surprised by how quickly Monte Cristo sold out and I wonder whether they were too. Folio seem all over the place with their LE policy, like they're still testing the waters and haven't quite got their market figured out. Part of the charm I guess.

>222 foliomusthave: And is he ever going to make a post that doesn't contain multiple questions? Usually about three, isn't it? Sometimes maybe four or five?

Brother Matthew has not been a member for long, maybe you three should give some good advice preferably in private instead of rotting up like the three Omega men. Salute Matthew, and enjoy your catalogue when it arrives! .. ;)

I’m super excited about the ‘Voyages to the Moon and the Sun’, it looks beautiful and I quite like Quentin’s illustrations, they seem very fitting like the work he did for Candide. I’m also really happy to see ‘Fahrenheit 451’ back in stock as I missed out the first time. Unlike the popular opinion here, I’m not a fan of the cover for ‘We’ so that’s a pass for me. Overall a pretty good collection :)

>227 kannekills: I’m super excited about the ‘Voyages to the Moon and the Sun’, it looks beautiful and I quite like Quentin’s illustrations, they seem very fitting like the work he did for Candide.

This! I’m of like mind and have decided only Quentin Blake will be the illustrator of my early modern French books in translation. :D

You guys are so lucky... My catalog won't be arriving soon. I did not even receive the books I picked up on the New Year Sale. In this exact moment 15 amazing books are abandoned somewhere in Brazilian customs, which are ridiculously slower than usual, and the national mail service is almost on strike. Hard times! That is one of the reasons I won't be buying the new releases, at least for a couple of months. Too much money flying around and no books being delivered. But I really want to get Fahrenheit 451, Anne Frank and The Hornblower Saga. I really enjoy some nonfiction books recently released by Folio, but I decided that I want to focus on FS fiction books only. I keep buying the books but, of course, my wishlist is not getting smaller! I would very much like to have some kind of express shipping option, however expensive, so as not to feel that I must depend on a mail service from the XIX century, no kidding. But on the other hand, if I could get those books in a week or two like so many of you, I would already be seriously bankrupt. :)

>229 bookcravings: "I keep buying the books but, of course, my wishlist is not getting smaller!"

Well that's a familiar feeling haha! I'm sorry to hear about your books though, do they at least give you a window of when you might expect your package?

>229 bookcravings:
The FS do offer express shipping by courier at extra cost, but not sure if Brazil is included in the countries they service. May be worthwhile sending them an email to ask.

Thanks, RecoveringYogi. Brazilian customs is like a black hole. As soon as the orders arrive in Brazil it is impossible to know when (even IF) they will be delivered.

>331 gmacaree: wcarter:
I wish I had that option, but no, no express shipping to Brazil. I guess that Folio knows that such thing is just impossible LOL.
Last year I had to go to London and I ended up bringing back here a very heavy suitcase of Folio Society books. If things in customs move on as they are, that will end up being the quickest way for me to get FS books. I'd love to tell you I'm kidding, but I'm not so sure!

I’ll also add that I’m very happy not to see any cult classics marked up to £75 just because they can.

>229 bookcravings: Nice to see you here again, despite of the circumstances! You must have a lot of faith in a good outcome, with the treacly Brazilian customs and post holding on to your books forever... I recall you mentioning you would order straight away, because you had to wait a long time in general to receive the actual books. That was back in December, so you weren’t kidding! As @wcarter stated, have you tried explaining the situation to FS? Maybe a express option can be figured out. In the meantime I’ll be looking out for more book reviews and wish you lots of joy reading and cherishing your current book collection!

>139 affle:, >163 folio_books:, >180 HuxleyTheCat:, >194 boldface: Thank you for your kind, medicinal words. I so enjoyed a constructive convalescence from my psychotic FAD (which included isolation not only from LT but withdrawal generally from obsessive bookshop, eBay and abe scouring - to such an extent that my partner was momentarily concerned) that I must take care not to relapse fully into my former sickness, admittedly easier now the Holy of Holies, demolished by the spreadsheet Vandals that laid waste to Roman Eagle St, is no more. It's remarkable what you can do with newly acquired, large tracts of free time, things like actually reading the sagging shelves of books acquired during the chronic fever of long-untreated FAD. I was able to wholeheartedly devote myself to several longer Folio works whose length had put me off tackling them earlier: most memorably, William Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, John Julius Norwich's Byzantium, and Roy Porter's The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, three magnificently researched and engrossing works, all beautifully produced by Folio, all three definitely to be re-read and which I'd heartily recommend to all who aren't fully free of the FAD virus.

>236 cronshaw: It's remarkable what you can do with newly acquired, large tracts of free time

You would think retirement might afford similar large tracts of free time but no, not in my case. FAD rages unabated (whenever Folio can stir themselves sufficiently to release more books, that is) and the TBR pile thus grows nicely. In whatever time remains to me I expect it to reach the height of a small hill in the Cheviots. Of the books you mention in such glowing terms I have the Third Reich and Byzantium (as yet unread, of course). I'm waiting for a deep discount in the next sale for The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, as with The Malay Archipelago and Ulysses. Right now, I'm waiting for my (first) order from the Spring Collection.

No paper catalogue for me yet. Maybe that went to Brazil too! :-D

Surprisingly, my "Voyages to the Moon and the Sun" was marked "Sorry Out of Stock - 1 to Follow" in the invoice that accompanied my order (received within 2 days by express shipment). The lenticular slipcase for "We" is a temptation... better not to play too much with the pulling out and putting in of the book.

>239 drasvola: Surprisingly, my "Voyages to the Moon and the Sun" was marked "Sorry Out of Stock - 1 to Follow" in the invoice that accompanied my order.

Say what?! Will it indeed be sent out to you in your experience? I've only read these messages when Sale books had run out and thus weren't shipped out, never to follow.

>240 NLNils:

First time this happens. Maybe copies have yet to arrive from the printers.

>240 NLNils:

I think I've had the same or a very similar message for books of which no stock at all had been received at the time when my order was processed. That seems more likely in this case - actually just about anything seems more likely - than the volume having sold out already.

>242 terebinth: Yes, of course. It’s just very strange you don’t have enough copies ready at the launch of the new collection.

Dang it. I had thought I would get through this set of new books with minimal damage - after all, I have more than enough unread books already. But now I'm getting interested in The Golden Bough, to go along with We and Under Fire.

>239 drasvola: Surprisingly, my "Voyages to the Moon and the Sun" was marked "Sorry Out of Stock - 1 to Follow" in the invoice that accompanied my order (received within 2 days by express shipment).

This is astonishing. I'm still waiting for my catalogue, never mind sight of my order. For those who don't understand the significance, Antonio is in Spain and I'm in the UK, where rumour has it the Folio Society is also based.

Colour me hopping mad.

But glad to hear you have your books (well, most of them) AND your catalogue, Antonio. Enjoy!

>243 NLNils: It’s just very strange you don’t have enough copies ready at the launch of the new collection.

Strange indeed, but sadly indicative of Folio's performance in recent months. They're losing it.

>245 folio_books: "Strange indeed, but sadly indicative of Folio's performance in recent months. They're losing it."

That's a tad harsh, Glenn, perhaps Russell and a few of the other regulars at the dMR will confirm that it was not unusual for the entire new collection not to have arrived there in advance of, or on, launch day. In publishing things often slip to the right. In my work, I frequently place large orders for books based upon their supposed publication date and I can guarantee that out of an order of seventy five to eighty titles at least five will have publication delayed.

Having said that - still no catalogue in S.E. Hampshire.

>246 HuxleyTheCat: That's a tad harsh

Maybe so, but having tried to communicate with FS over the last couple of days I'm feeling harsh. This is not the smooth, friendly, efficient and helpful Customer Services I've been used to. In particular I don't appreciate promises not being kept; and I'd really, really like a copy of the new catalogue. Am I really going to have to ask for another one?

Of course the real problem is that the Customer Service Manager has been missing for nearly six months, hence the increasingly noticeable slip in standards.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm really frustrated now.

>247 folio_books: Very fair points. I wasn't aware of the CSM issue and it was only (I think your) post a couple of days ago from which I learned that the order line has now been outsourced: Mrs Omnishambles strikes again, I take it.

>248 HuxleyTheCat: I would not have guessed my of the cuff remark about having received the catalogue would partially lead to such frustration. All I can say is that information wise it is almost one-on-one identical with the website. With a separate folder for the Golden Bough. I started receiving them regularly since my second order last Summer. Hopefully it will arrive any day now and you can let go of the frustration on this part.

>249 NLNils: Personally I'm not that frustrated, but I can understand that with the work Glenn does to market Folio via the wiki, that he would have liked early sight of the catalogue. Not everything is retrograde, the option to select, or not, the freebie is a good move in my opinion.

This collection, and the titles they have announced for 2018, all have something in common....

No, or low, rights fees.

Nothing that cost them too much to produce.

I am happy so many are enthusiastic about this collection, as I am hoping for Folios survival, but there is nothing particularly exciting to me. That's fine though, I got titles I wanted last year.

I would have really loved to see Good Omens, they had me believing it was coming.

>248 HuxleyTheCat: Mrs Omnishambles strikes again, I take it.

With a vengeance. Andrew has been missing since around October. Whenever I ask I'm told he'll be back "in the Spring". I have my theories but that's all they are.

>250 HuxleyTheCat: I can understand that with the work Glenn does to market Folio via the wiki, that he would have liked early sight of the catalogue.

Yup, that's it. My order went in on Wednesday morning.

>251 devilsisland: I would have really loved to see Good Omens, they had me believing it was coming.

There's always the next collection, probably May.

>245 folio_books:

Your catalogue will soon be in your hands, Glenn. Don't despair ;)

>245 folio_books: Glenn, the catalogue reached London today. It can't be long before it reaches Tyneside and Brazil.

>255 cronshaw:

It's great to read you again, Russell, FAD or no FAD. Sure miss your reports, but that's history unfortunately.

>254 drasvola:
>255 cronshaw:

Comforting, guys.

I haven't received the catalogue yet but am sure it will work its way to me. I do think it would be nicer if the catalogue came out first, say in February, instead of all this hype and cloak & dagger stuff with IG photos and "guess this cover", and just show us what is coming and state that you can start ordering on March 1st or March 15th, or whatever. It gives people more time to ponder and save and drool. I would probably buy more that way and enjoy seeing the nicer photos of each books, as well.

At any rate, first order is now placed.

Atonement (finally saw the movie, needed to get this)
The Expedition of Humphrey Clinker (looks like fun and will also be a new read for me)
The Golden Bough (I am a witch, so how can I pass it up?)
The Horatio Hornblower Saga, Set 1 (loved the series, love the look of these, excited!)

Bring them on!

NLNils, here's what Folio says about Lord of the Flies on twitter:

Unfortunately that edition if out of print at the moment - but it will be returning! We will announce it on our social media channels when it is available again.

If Spain and everywhere else in Europe gets the catalog before the people 20 feet away from FS, why not set up a forwarding service or ask a member to forward their copy? It would be sad but it effective.

>259 just_visiting: That’s really good to hear. I hope it will be fairly soon, maybe with the May collection. Thank you for the heads-up!

>195 NLNils: In response to my self put question about how many Hornblower sets would be produced, FS has confirmed on Twitter there will be three in total.

235NLNils:
Many book sellers just stoped sending books to Brazil because of the situation. A friend told me that years ago Library of America just excluded Brazilian subscribers for a long time. People just don't get the books and the seller have to send them again. I bought some Slightly Foxed copies in November and weeks ago they wanted to send another parcel but I refused. I guess I can wait a "bit" more because I do not think it's fair to give the booksellers a loss for something that is not their fault. That being said, I hope people don't complain to Folio. What will I do if they stop sending books to Brazil?! LOL

After watching the YouTube video, I must say that We very much appeals to me. It looks like a very well designed book, and the illustrations seem well matched to the story.

>257 folio_books:

Catalogue reached Yorkshire this morning.

A couple of years ago, I would have been very excited about the Hornblowers. Unfortunately, having recently taken early retirement and seen FS's price rises kick in, new FS books have now largely become prohibitively expensive. Certainly, almost all the ones I would have been very interested in, mostly history, are now just silly money, at least from my perspective (TBH many would have been even if still in employment).

On the other hand, am fortunately still able to pick up some good stuff at the sales and on the second hand market, and even more important, am absolutely loving retirement - busier than ever, reading more than ever - so in the greater scheme of things.....

>265 Willoyd: Catalogue reached Yorkshire this morning.

It's evidently creeping north but still hasn't reached the North East (assuming terebinth hasn't received his yet, either). I am so mad about this. Someone at Folio can look forward to an earful on Monday.

>266 folio_books:

I'm still looking forward to mine. It will be interesting to see whether your copy takes an extra day to go the last 15 miles. Depends where the team of donkeys take their overnight rest, I suppose.

Maybe it's as much to do with Royal Mail catching up ever so slowly after the snows as with anything unusual at Folio. I've just received a couple of books allegedly posted six days ago.

>266 folio_books:

'It's evidently creeping north but still hasn't reached the North East'

Hmm. Mine arrived in the Highlands yesterday. Perhaps it took a short cut through a spatial anomaly or indulged in a little quantum tunneling. Either way, it's most unusual: normally we have to wait an extra day or two up here.

Actually, I suspect it's just because of the weather.

>127 gmacaree: ...Mystery Books

"Will you receive an Atlantic Ocean adventure story" Could be Shackleton. Could also be The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym.

"A critically acclaimed tale of tragic betrothal" I have no idea

"A page-turning account of the ‘valley of Death’" Can only really be The Reason Why

"A tantalising glimpse into the lives of great historic figures?" Aubrey's Brief Lives or Churchill's Great Contemporaries

------------

"A critically acclaimed tale of tragic betrothal"....The Blue Flower seems to fit this description.

"A tantalising glimpse into the lives of great historic figures?"....I think you're right on the Aubrey. They use the words tantalizing and glimpse in its summary but not in the Churchill summary.

>268 Cat_of_Ulthar: Mine arrived in the Highlands yesterday ... Actually, I suspect it's just because of the weather.

I doubt it's the weather - it's been fine here (apart from some rain) since the middle of last week. No pesky snow, anyway.

My theory is they've lumped the Highlands in with "Far Flung European Destinations". Even further flung than Spain or Switzerland, apparently, but closer than North East England. Lucky you :)

Brief lives?

>270 folio_books: Still nothing in SE Hants.

I'm wondering what we've done to upset them, Fiona.

>273 folio_books: Perhaps Mrs Omnishambles is the mole.

Reading above I was surprised to receive the sprint catalogue on March 8; in Cyprus (island just a few miles next to Syria but still EU)... so that's a "far flung European destination" that got served quickly. Maybe distance is not the sole main factor affecting delivery time.

>273 folio_books:

Goodness knows. If it were just me I'd be putting it down to my failure to buy a single full-priced non-LE since Mani and Roumeli: but probably they don't give up on a customer as easily as that.

Despite the continuing non-arrival of the you-know-what, my order from the new collection arrived this morning, sturdily packed by Erika. That's five days, including the weekend, which I count as pretty damn fast. Glad to be in a position to give Folio a pat on the back again.

My Spring order also arrived today, here in the Netherlands, so super fast, as I ordered last Thursday (I used express delivery). Already unpacked the box here at work (where I had it delivered) but will only remove the plastic wrappers this evening at home :) Looking forward to reading / looking through my Voyage to the Moon and the Sun, We and The Golden Bough. The mystery book is still in its own dark plastic bag, so no idea what it is :-D

Glad that this went so smoothly this time!

My order is in

Spring Collection

Hornblower
We
The Diary of a Young Girl
The Golden Bough
Hide My Eyes
Strangers on a Train
Under Fire
Letters of Vincent Van Gogh
Voyages to the Moon and the Sun

Previous collections

Ulysses
Rebecca
The Bull from the Sea
The Gastronomical Me
Revelations of Divine Love
Behind the Wall
The Bayeux Tapestry

>280 gmacaree: Impressive!

Did anyone yet receive the new Hornblower Set? I’m curious to your thoughts and its properties. TIA.

>280 gmacaree:

Now there's a nice big box to look forward to! It'll dwarf my puny effort of four titles (five if you include "Under Fire", which I got on release). I really want Ulysses, too, but I have convinced myself to wait to get it from a sale, as I did with Finnegan.

>280 gmacaree: That is quite the impressive order, have fun unboxing! Hopefully you'll love them, be sure to come back and share your findings :)

I'm still debating whether or not to place an order now, or to wait for the May collection/summer sale and place one enormous order. There's not that much I'd order right now:

We
Goldfinger
Elegant Universe
Chaos
Do Androids...

Still waiting for Dune to show up in a sale with a significant discount to make me pull the trigger, I'm a fan but not a 75 GBP fan. My wishlist is not that large at this point (pretty much these 5 titles plus Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Treasure Island, interested only at sale prices), in part due to a change in my book buying policy, in part because I own most books I'd like to get from FS (what luxury!).

Received Golden Bough today plus two older ones. Deeds of the English Kings and Lolita...also two mystery books which happened to be identical...The Blue Flower. Really had hoped for two different titles :)

>284 frostymaxim: I learned the lesson from a previous mystery book offering that orders placed at roughly the same time are likely to see the same mystery book arrive.

>284 frostymaxim:

How did you manage to get two free mystery books?

The Folio website continues to state ‘Voucher is one-use only’.

So, well done, and hard luck!

>284 frostymaxim:
>286 bookfair_e:

The Folio website also states "...If you are unhappy with the free book you receive you may return it to us within 30 days..."

Not sure whether that means they will send you a replacement mystery book or just accept is as a donation as the site also states "No exchange or cash equivalent in whole or in part".

>286 bookfair_e: How did you manage to get two free mystery books?

I assume by simply placing two separate orders as I did.

Now I am too dreading another set of duplicates with my two despatched orders.

"Luck" bestowed me with three copies of Big Chief Elizabeth in last mystery raffle...

There seems to be lots of excitement about the Hornblower series, which I have never read. I did not pick up the FS O'Brian series, but started a paperback edition of Master & Commander last month and have found it tough going. There is so much terminology I don't understand that I've struggled to engage with the story or characters so far. Would I have a similar problem with the Hornblower books?

>289 wdripp: Not at all. They are very different in execution. There are nautical terms in HH but not nearly like the O'Brian books.

>290 Sorion: Good to know. Maybe I'll check the first book out of the library and see how it goes. Thanks!

> 290 A follow up question: Would you recommend trying Mr Midshipman Hornblower? It looks like that was not the first book released, but is the first chronologically in the series.

>289 wdripp: If you can't visit HMS VICTORY and the Museum of the RN in Portsmouth, then understanding may be helped by having a look at an episode or two of Hornblower courtesy of Youtube, which visually represents the Royal Navy (ships, uniforms etc) of the time reasonably accurately.

>285 HuxleyTheCat:
>288 F.Trier:

I only placed the one order. books to total around £250 . My account showed two mystery books sent and lo and behold two arrived. ..I have donated my duplicate to a friends collection as he has only just started collecting. It's his first FS that's not second hand so he's well pleased...

>292 wdripp: Read them in chronological order for sure.

>295 Sorion:
So what is the chronological order? I also ordered this and will be my first time reading them. I can't wait!

>296 Lady19thC: It looks like FS is releasing them in chronological order, at least if Wikipedia is correct, and the first three volumes in the set are the first three full length novels chronologically.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Hornblower

>297 wdripp:

When has Wikipedia ever let anyone down? lol

>296 Lady19thC: The order that the FS is releasing them should be correct. So just follow that. When in doubt consult the internet as >297 wdripp: suggests. I’m a firm believer in chronological order. There are some however who do published, but it makes no sense to me. I like to learn about a character in “real time” if possible.

Thanks everyone! This is going to be a fun summer adventure for me! Hitting the high seas in my own living room. :)

I was pleasantly surprised to see an illustration on almost every page of the Voyage to the Moon and the Sun. Not a massive fan of Mr Blake, but I am sure he really enjoys this book to enable so many illustrations and it fits the theme very well.

Received my pending Voyage to the Moon and the Sun. A very attractive edition, luxurious paper and amusing Blake illustrations throughout. Matching spine style with previous books.

Hello everyone, i have a question. So far, what are free mystery books that you have received?

>303 LostStar: Blue Flower is confirmed, see post >284 frostymaxim:

>303 LostStar: Hello everyone

Hello and welcome to FSD. Enjoy!

>304 NLNils: Blue Flower for me too.

It looks like I will be waiting to place my order, as the mystery books do not appeal or are ones I have already.

I would definitely like to add We, Hide My Eyes, and The Golden Bough to my library, and am also interested in the Hornblower set, Strangers on a Train, and Voyages to the Moon and the Sun.

I will probably wait until the next sale to decide whether to add anything at full price to my order. I have plenty to read in the meantime, including the first Hornblower title (in paperback).

The fine edition of James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake has disappeared from FS's website. Presumably, it is now OOP. Does anyone know when this happened?

>308 ultrarightist: Quite some time ago. If I recall correctly, it went on sale in 2017's New Year's Sale and was sold out back then.

>309 Fierylunar: Noted, thanks.

Has anyone received the new Hornblower books yet? I have them on order and am curious about impressions...

>308 ultrarightist:

Its been out of print for around a year or slightly more. I recall writing to the FS and asking whether they were going to reprint it, as I wasn't really interested in purchasing the fine edition of Ulysses if the other volume wasn't available. At the time, they said they had no plans to reprint Finnegans Wake, but that they would pass on the feedback to the folk who make such decisions.

>311 CuthbertC:

I'm also interested in seeing some impressions before ordering these books. I also haven't read this series before, so I'm curious how accessible it is to jump into.

>312 sviswanathan: I feel the same way. It does not appear that a copy of Finnegan's Wake is on the online secondary market at this time.

>313 ultrarightist: I've been keeping my eye out for it and never see it.

It's been around a couple of times this past year, usually around RRP if bought new from FS. It does not appear to be in high demand but then again, the supply is low as well. The print run of the Wake was confirmed to have been smaller than other regular/fine FS editions.

I have been watching for Finnegan's Wake on the secondary market for 6 months with no luck. A sealed version for an incredibly low price popped up on ebay, and it lasted for about a minute. Another showed up on abe, but it had a bookplate and was gone within the first day. That's all I've seen in these 6 months, and I monitor every day.

If anyone here has a copy they'd be willing to part with...

For Finnegan's Wake you might have to wait 4 or 5 years until somebody finishes reading it.

I'be been slowly working through it at about 2 pages per day.

>318 N11284: Sounds like tough going. How long does it take you read those 2 pages?

About half an hour before bed. Strangely it gets easier as you go along. Especially if you help it along with a single malt (or 2)

So I was excited to find that my books arrived today on my birthday. The best present I could think of. However in my Hornblower set I received two of Lieutenant Hornblower and no Mr Midshipman Hornblower. I’m sure customer service will get it straightened out right away.

The books are great though. The paper is a little too white for me, almost a stark white, but I’ll get over it and am thrilled to have these.

>321 Sorion:
I received a package from Emma today, too!

>321 Sorion:, >322 treereader: - And I finally got my catalogue! Not remotely as exciting as what you received, I'm afraid.

>323 coynedj: Funnily enough I received my catalogue two days before receiving my delivery!

My catalog almost always arrives after my first order of books from a new collection...

Order placed finally:

MY2 Your FREE Folio Mystery Book
WYZ We
IFG Goldfinger
SGR Strangers on a Train

I may go back next month for Hide My Eyes and the Horatio Hornblower set

I got my order from the spring collection today packed by the mysterious Jurga -- the Hornblower set and Goldfinger. No surprise on the free book; like everyone else, I got "The Blue Flower."

I got a mystery book today: The Reason Why by Cecil Woodham-Smith.

>328 bookfair_e:

Woo-hoo! The end of the blue flowers, hopefully. And The Reason Why is a great read.

ETA An hour or so later I received a package containing my second mystery book (for the Love is Enough LE order, courtesy of Colin) and, yes, also The Reason Why. Excellent book, now headed for eBay.

>329 folio_books: The end of the blue flowers, hopefully. And The Reason Why is a great read.

Yes it is. I bought it on its publication.

I don't have The Blue Flower, nor do I want to have it.

My order is here

That is one impressive order.

Congratulations on the Ulysses in particular: the nineteen (including frontispiece) full plate illustrations are extraordinarily impressive, making it to my mind quite superior to the earlier Folio limited edition.

Happy reading!

>332 cronshaw: Congratulations on the Ulysses in particular: the nineteen (including frontispiece) full plate illustrations are extraordinarily impressive, making it to my mind quite superior to the earlier Folio limited edition.

Absolutely agreed. I have neither, having deferred purchase of the fine edition in the hope it will appear in the summer sale, to match last year's sale purchase of Finnegans Wake. Impressive is the word.

>331 gmacaree:

Don't happen to have the previous Anne Frank do you?

I'm curious to find out what accounts for the difference in pages which is quite substantial.

Folio Society customer support really let me down for the first time about this. I sent two emails over the last couple of weeks inquiring and received no response whatsoever.

>334 adriano77: I don't, sorry.

>334 adriano77: didn't it have something to do with the introduction being included or excluded in page numbers (i.e. 1,2,3... or i, ii, iii)? I seem to recall someone here mentioning it for either this book or another reprint, and it would account for a change in page count.

>334 adriano77: This question came up here http://www.librarything.com/topic/286061- posts 88 and 89.
And one possible answer is:

I think The Diary of A Young Girl is a reprint of the 2005 edition. It appears to be the same as the 2005 edition that I have - the same introducer: Eva Hoffman; preface, editor and translators. The 2005 edition has xxvi prelims followed by 294 paginated pages, totalling 320 pages, the same as the new release.

That would make sense. Thanks all.

>331 gmacaree: that is a wonderful collection of books!

ive placed my order today, once i saw that alternatives to The Blue Flower were being sent out! i think that would stay on my TBR pile for a long long time!

>339 stumc:
ive placed my order today, once i saw that alternatives to The Blue Flower were being sent out! i think that would stay on my TBR pile for a long long time!

It's a good read - one of my favourite Fitzgerald novels. I wasn't attracted by the artwork though, which I don't think did it any favours.

>340 Willoyd: thats good to know in case i receive it.

i would prefer The Reason Why or Every Man for Himself

My order arrived with The Blue Flower. I have never read it, so looking forward to giving it a go and seeing what it is all about. I can always sell it later on if I want. For now I'll keep it! All seem to have arrived in excellent condition!

>166 NLNils: >259 just_visiting: And it has just been announced on Facebook. Lord of the Flies is back in print! If you have any love for the titles but foremost the illustrative skills of Sam Weber, this is your (second) chance to own all three books done by him (Dune, Fahrenheit 451 and Lord Of The Flies) direct from FS. And not having to pay the prices on the secondhand market as of an hour ago, which started as high as £70 sans shipping.

Mine arrived with THE REASON WHY.

My order from the spring collection arrived today. I didn't already own the mystery book because they declined to add one to the box. The two heavy boxes (nine books) came nestled in their Royal Mail sling bags. The by now spherical shipping containers have been endowed with a new convenience - pre-opened boxes, no knife or scissors necessary - how thoughtful. Amazingly, Ulysses and Hornblower are in perfect shape. Two other books had damaged slipcases while Voyages to the Moon and Sun was thoroughly trashed. Six of nine books successfully shipped, 2/3, a solid "D" effort - not bad.

>345 kdweber:
That’s very bad luck. I know the FS will replace all damaged books.
From reports on FSD, it seems that shipments to the USA are damaged far more often than to other parts of the planet, or is that just because there are more of you? Is the USPS that bad?
In 26 years, I have never received a damaged FS shipment in Australia.

Yeah that's not okay in the slightest. Contact FS and they'll help you out.

>345 kdweber:
>346 wcarter:

The large white woven plastic sacks that the boxes are placed within are an invitation to be grabbed and tossed, almost certainly resulting in damage to books and slipcases. When my parcels from the U.K. and Europe, both FS and non-FS, are sent in simple boxes they have always arrive undamaged.

>345 kdweber:

Since I also live in the States, my recommendation:

Never order more than three FS books at one time. In this manner, the FS will simply send the books in a small carton without the white sling-bag. Yes, your shipping costs will increase slightly but your aggravation level will decrease considerably.

>348 dlphcoracl: I agree completely. I receive a lot of books in the mail and really only have trouble with the Folio Society. I'm sure it's those RM sling bags plus large orders to help defray the shipping costs. The FS has never had a problem replacing the defective books but it seems like such a waste of money; though, my local library probably appreciates the donations.

>346 wcarter:
I have been very fortunate with my Folio deliveries to the United States and in 20 years of ordering have only received two damaged Folios. I have found it depends on how well the books are packaged within the box. For example, I received this blob of a package from Waterstones.





I took the pictures before opening the box in case I had problems returning its mangled contents. I was pleasantly surprised, however, with an undamaged book.

Jesus christ

>348 dlphcoracl:

"Never order more than three FS books at one time. In this manner, the FS will simply send the books in a small carton without the white sling-bag."

I don't think this is the case. I've ordered three before and had the white sling case. Perhaps one of the three was larger?

---

What's the general complaint about the sling bag? Are you thinking that it encourages delivery personnel to throw the box more often? My only complaint has been the shreddy/messiness of the white plastic when I cut into it.

>352 treereader:
Don’t cut into the plastic bag!
There is a plastic tie that seals the bag that has a quick release pull tag that opens the bag.
The bag itself is great for all sorts of tasks from garden rubbish to storing toys.

>353 wcarter:

Thanks for the clue! I had no idea. I guess I never looked that closely at the tie before. The little white shreddy pieces are second only to styrofoam packing peanuts in terms of making a mess. haha

I pulled the tab and ordered once I saw that apparently overruns of The Blue Flower ran out. Actually, I already have a copy and look forward to reading it next. It seems like a book that Slightly Foxed would have printed.

I opted for short single volume works and let the longer works remain for now in my wish list hoping for a future sale.

So Vile Bodies, We and Strangers on a Train with a Mystery Book are on the way. Strangers is one of my wife's favorite films so I will pretend that it is the only book in the delivery. It just has a lot of packing, my dear.

>350 lgrazian: Wow, that's pretty close to how my last order from the FS arrived except that the sides were ripped open to let the books adequately breath. Naturally, FS impeccable customer service has already sent my replacement books but it still feels like such a waste.

>353 wcarter: I had no idea that there was a quick release on the sling bag. I just cut the strap and then keep the bag (I must have a stack of at least 3 dozen bags by now).

Did the members who already received Hornblower Set I peruse the books and be willing to share first impressions?

>357 NLNils: I've received and read it all. Nice production, fun reads. I think the illustrations are particularly good fits for Forester's work, and I've said above I much prefer them to the tack taken on the Aubrey-Maturin series.

>357 NLNils:

Briefly, pleasantly surprised. I wasn't sure about the illustrations in the teasers we'd seen but now I'm accustomed to the style I like them. The chapter head-pieces in particular are splendidly nautical. Otherwise, the books themselves are at the upper end of Folio production standards. The cloth boards are quite smooth, not unlike buckram. Paper quite white, text a good size and easy to read. A special mention for the slipcase which, as well as being engagingly printed with a sympathetic design, is also one of the more sturdy Folio productions. I'll definitely be looking forward to the remainder of the series.

>357 NLNils: My set survived the brutal voyage to America unscathed, a testament to the hardiness of the slipcase. The books are nicely bound with patterned endpapers (to look like waves). Nice collection of maps at the beginning of each book. I like the chapter heading drawings and the full page woodcuts are growing on me. I enjoyed reading the first book. The size and quality of the text and paper made for easy reading. Thumbs up.

>357 NLNils: I should also mention the annotated maps at the beginning of the books, which are very well done. I found myself going back to them to keep track of the detail (although they can be a little spoiler-heavy).

>358 gmacaree: >359 folio_books: >360 kdweber: Thanks all! I will include the Set in my Summer (Sale) order, leaves a little time to save up.

>149 Jason461: "Does anyone else think Empire has one of the least interesting covers they've ever done?"

A closer look at Empire's binding in the latest Folio blog post: https://blogs.foliosociety.com/this-folio-life-stepping-back-in-time-for-a-moder...

Would any Devotee who has received the FS edition of Yevgeny Zamyatin's We kindly say what they think of the paper? I like the look of the binding and illustrations but am slightly put off by negative reviews on the Folio website about their choice of Abbey Lynx, which I've not come across before.

Спасибо.

>364 cronshaw: I have We to hand but haven't read it, so my impressions are superficial. Abstracted, the paper is perfectly fine. The extra whiteness doesn't detract from reading (or add any glossiness), and it's about as transparent as Abbey Wove. In context, I suspect the bright white is deliberate given the setting and tone of the story.

>364 cronshaw: I don't have this one (yet) but I have books printed on Munken Lynx which I would guess is very closely related. I had no issue with the paper when I read those volumes. I may prefer the slightly yellower Abbey Wove in most cases but I'd say Lynx is a good option whenever the binding or images benefit from a crisper white. Munken Lynx is quite smooth but not shiny like the paper in some of FS more heavily illustrated books.

>364 cronshaw: It is certainly brighter than we usually see. It contrasts with the basically black illustrations. I am guessing that the illustrations drove the choice of the paper.

The paper texture is a bit crisp. The overall appearance is one of paper commonly used for a computer printer.

>364 cronshaw: >367 Forthwith: Forthwith has largely covered my complaints. Besides story complaints that is. I sold mine a week after receiving it.

>364 cronshaw: Would any Devotee who has received the FS edition of Yevgeny Zamyatin's We kindly say what they think of the paper?

I have it, Russell. If there's any particular aspect you're curious about please say. My own impressions vary somewhat from those already given. I wouldn't say it is particularly, or overly, white. I find the contrast between the black ink and illustrations pleasing and easy on the eye. It's not shiny. If you hadn't asked I wouldn't have paid the paper particular attention which, I guess, is a good indication of its fitness for purpose.

> 365-369 Thanks to all of you for sharing your opinions. Mostly, if not all, favourable. I'm relieved to learn that the paper's not glossy. Perhaps in choosing a paper type more stark in appearance than usual, Folio were seeking to reflect the atmosphere of the work (I've not yet read it), as they did with the bold metallic binding and sans serif type of their first edition of Brave New World.

Re The Diary of a Young Girl:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44133453

>364 cronshaw: I have it and just read it. I noticed nothing peculiar about the paper.

>364 cronshaw: The paper is smooth, clean and just the right weight - I like it.

Did anyone have impressions of The Golden Bough that they'd like to share?

>374 sviswanathan: No, but I can do a good one of Tommy Cooper.