Folio Archives 170: The Greek Myths by Robert Graves 1996

The Greek Myths by Robert Graves 1996

Zeus, Jason, Hera, Orion, Eos, Circe, the Medusa, Scylla and Charybdis were all part of daily life for ancient Athenians. They were the heroes and heroines of their daily social and religious lives. Added to that were the tales of adventures from the Argonauts to Helen of Troy.

Two and a half millennia later, these stories are still entertaining and powerful, and many of them have become entwined in our modern mythology. Robert Graves has rewritten these stories into a very entertaining and easy to read form in a beautifully presented 700 page book.

This was one of the last standard Folio Society books to be quarter-bound in leather, in this case a texturally sensual deep brown, with cloth covers blocked with one of Graham Baker’s two colour scraper-board illustrations. There are another 16 of these illustrations within the book.

There is an introduction by Kenneth McLeish, an introduction by the author, and a foreword to thoroughly introduce you to the book and its stories.

The page tops are stained dark brown, the dark brown slipcase (26x18.2cm.) has a subtle band of gilt chain decoration and the endpapers (different front and back) are maps printed black on mid-brown.















Front endpaper






































Back endpaper


An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.

Beats the socks off the two volume edition.

It does. Everything about it is better -- except for price.

Been meaning to grab a copy of this for ages.

Same here. I have the 2 volume addition but have been lusting after this one since I realized it existed (thanks to the sets thread).

Edit: Nice. Found a reasonably priced one volume edition on Ardis. It’s now on its way.

I got the two-volume edition as my free gift when joining in 2000 back when there was still a Society and a Membership. Sold to friend (despite sentimental value) and replaced with this single volume version. No regrets.

Forgive a newbie question, but can someone please share the main differences between the (apparently much preferred) single volume and the two-volume set? Thank you!

>7 goldenbowl: The bindings on the single volume is quarter leather and the illustration are colored. Albeit it is just that red tone but still look better than no color at all.

The binding on the 2 vol. version I have is quarter bonded leather rather than the more usual cloth. Apparently there were 21 reissues up to 2006, so lord knows what variety there was. I think I'd have preferred cloth to ersatz leather.

>9 Jayked: "I think I'd have preferred cloth to ersatz leather."

Always

I first purchased the two volume edition in fine condition for $10, then I learned about the earlier single volume copy, so another $30 down the tubes to acquire the nicer edition. I don't regret that decision.

To me the illustrations are simply much better with the red colour added than without it. It's a shame they changed that aspect in later editions. Fortunately I knew about the difference before I started looking for a copy and got this one right away. It's beautiful.

I'm another for whom the two-volume edition - sixth printing, 1999 - was a joining gift, along with the Folio Grimm, Perreault and Hans Christian Andersen. New non-members today don't know what they're missing ;)

It's very rare for me to replace a book I already have, and I think when it's happened the spur has always been either the promise of a radically improved reading experience or an edition that better celebrates a text to which I'm particularly devoted. I'm contentedly stuck with the set I have for life, then, unless the local charity shop happens to acquire this edition and presents me with an offer I can't refuse: Folio volumes there are priced at two or three pounds according to size and regardless of their identity.

This is the first Folio book I bought and it's a lovely volume. The texture and smell of the leather is gorgeous and it feels like an august great tome of a book, fittingly for the subject. I wouldn't part with it for anything.

The titles in this series always look fantastic when placed alongside their siblings. Here it is amongst other titles from the Myths & Legends series, and alongside other titles covering classical history and civilizations.

>15 Conte_Mosca: Very nice

What were they thinking with Irish Myths and Legends?

>17 Chemren: Great question.

>17 Chemren: "Let's design a book that doesn't look ridiculous"? :)