Folio Archives 98: British Myths and Legends 1998
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1wcarter
British Myths and Legends 1998
This is a delightfully presented small set that contains a large number of myths and legends pertaining to the British Isles, and therefore includes those from Scotland, Ireland and Wales, as well as England.
This collection was actually published twice, with a reduced size version (the one I own) in 2002, but otherwise identical to the larger (25.3x17.7cm.) version of 1998 The date on the title page remains the same in both editions.(the FS loves to confuse we bibliophiles).
The stories vary from the well known (King Arthur, Sir Gawain) to the totally obscure (Cuchulain, Havelok), and vary in length from a handful of pages to 50 or more. There is sometimes an excessive amount of description or lists of names in some tales, but these paragraphs can be easily skipped. I read the books in bed for 20 or so minutes before sleep, and as these books are small and light, and the tales can be easily stopped at any point, I found it the perfect way to relax.
Many of the legends (eg. Beowulf, Robin Hood) have been published as fuller versions by the Folio Society in separate books over the years, and only abridged versions are included in this anthology.
There are three volumes in the set – Marvels and Magic, Heroes and Saints, History and Romance – that are arranged in a rough chronological order. Volume One starts with an introduction by the editor Richard Barber, and then describes the origins of the most ancient myths. Volume Three ends with an index of persons. Footnotes and introductory paragraphs give the background to many stories.
The books are not profusely illustrated, as only 17 engravings by John Vernon Lord are distributed through the combined 708 pages of the three volumes. The binding is quarter maroon cloth, with identical picture printed paper covers on the front and back of each book. The endpapers are plain maroon, and the 23.7x15.7cm. slipcase is also maroon with a gilt blocked title on the front only. The paper is a lightweight Caxton Wove.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
This is a delightfully presented small set that contains a large number of myths and legends pertaining to the British Isles, and therefore includes those from Scotland, Ireland and Wales, as well as England.
This collection was actually published twice, with a reduced size version (the one I own) in 2002, but otherwise identical to the larger (25.3x17.7cm.) version of 1998 The date on the title page remains the same in both editions.(the FS loves to confuse we bibliophiles).
The stories vary from the well known (King Arthur, Sir Gawain) to the totally obscure (Cuchulain, Havelok), and vary in length from a handful of pages to 50 or more. There is sometimes an excessive amount of description or lists of names in some tales, but these paragraphs can be easily skipped. I read the books in bed for 20 or so minutes before sleep, and as these books are small and light, and the tales can be easily stopped at any point, I found it the perfect way to relax.
Many of the legends (eg. Beowulf, Robin Hood) have been published as fuller versions by the Folio Society in separate books over the years, and only abridged versions are included in this anthology.
There are three volumes in the set – Marvels and Magic, Heroes and Saints, History and Romance – that are arranged in a rough chronological order. Volume One starts with an introduction by the editor Richard Barber, and then describes the origins of the most ancient myths. Volume Three ends with an index of persons. Footnotes and introductory paragraphs give the background to many stories.
The books are not profusely illustrated, as only 17 engravings by John Vernon Lord are distributed through the combined 708 pages of the three volumes. The binding is quarter maroon cloth, with identical picture printed paper covers on the front and back of each book. The endpapers are plain maroon, and the 23.7x15.7cm. slipcase is also maroon with a gilt blocked title on the front only. The paper is a lightweight Caxton Wove.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2emgcat
Warwick,
Thank you so much for these very interesting insights into many older folio society books. It has inspired me to track some of them down, to add to my own collection.
Thank you so much for these very interesting insights into many older folio society books. It has inspired me to track some of them down, to add to my own collection.
3hiphopopotamus
As a bonus - in the UK you can often find this set at absolute bargain prices - I believe I picked mine up a few years ago for less than £10. As Warwick has shown - well worth the entrance fee!
4elenchus
On my wishlist, though I've not done any active hunting. Had no idea the set could be picked up so reasonably (after setting aside airfare & accommodations).
6elladan0891
>1 wcarter: ...reduced size version (the one I own) in 2002, but otherwise identical to the larger (25.3x17.7cm.) version of 1998
There are more differences. The original 1998 version is a single-volume tome from the Myths and Legends series. That's the reason for the odd arrangement of the Contents section seen in the pics above where contents of all 3 volumes are clamped at the beginning of the first volume, with continued page numbering and no indication where one volume ends and another starts. I haven't seen the 3-volume set in person, but as they simply copy-pasted the Contents section verbatim with page numbers, I guess they haven't bothered renumbering pages either, so, for example, volume 3 starts with page 451 rather than 1.
Materials are different too - the single-volume edition is quarter leather with cloth sides while the set is quarter cloth with paper sides. The image on the sides is the same.
There is also a difference in illustrations - the original ones are not black and white, but maroon, black, and white. I don't think loosing maroon was a big deal, but it was an extra touch to carry the maroon theme throughout the book, from binding to endpapers to illustrations.
There are two more volumes from the Myths and Legends series that were later reissued as multi-volume sets with downgraded materials and monochromized illustrations - Legends of King Arthur, reissued as a 3-volume set, and The Greek Myths, reissued as a 2-volume set.
But despite downgrade in production values, the multi-volumes sets do have one advantage - they're lighter and easier to handle. Personally, while I normally dislike huge omnibus tomes, I went with the single-volume editions to match with other volumes in the series.
There are more differences. The original 1998 version is a single-volume tome from the Myths and Legends series. That's the reason for the odd arrangement of the Contents section seen in the pics above where contents of all 3 volumes are clamped at the beginning of the first volume, with continued page numbering and no indication where one volume ends and another starts. I haven't seen the 3-volume set in person, but as they simply copy-pasted the Contents section verbatim with page numbers, I guess they haven't bothered renumbering pages either, so, for example, volume 3 starts with page 451 rather than 1.
Materials are different too - the single-volume edition is quarter leather with cloth sides while the set is quarter cloth with paper sides. The image on the sides is the same.
There is also a difference in illustrations - the original ones are not black and white, but maroon, black, and white. I don't think loosing maroon was a big deal, but it was an extra touch to carry the maroon theme throughout the book, from binding to endpapers to illustrations.
There are two more volumes from the Myths and Legends series that were later reissued as multi-volume sets with downgraded materials and monochromized illustrations - Legends of King Arthur, reissued as a 3-volume set, and The Greek Myths, reissued as a 2-volume set.
But despite downgrade in production values, the multi-volumes sets do have one advantage - they're lighter and easier to handle. Personally, while I normally dislike huge omnibus tomes, I went with the single-volume editions to match with other volumes in the series.
