Darwin Collection?

Hi, im in the UK

I am wondering if the essential Darwin collection has been discontinued as i cant track it down anywhere on the site now? or find pics of it on the net?

I (like hundreds of others) were waiting on joining hoping that this would be on this years into offers...but i dont think it will be?

Thanks
Dan

Hi Dan,

I'm in the UK as well & they show up for me okay. Strange why it shouldn't for you. Maybe it's one of those internet blips? Here's the link to the page:
http://www.foliosociety.com/categories/view/214

I can't find any pics on the net either so I've taken screen caps of the pages:

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I, too wanted the set for renewal but I doubted that they would out right offer it us so my back up plan would be to ring them up & negotiate. And just incase that didn't work I've got other options too: the Great Ancient Philosophers set, The Art & Spirit of Paris or the Shakespeare First Folio. Although I'm not very hopeful. :)

- Lucia

Lady_Lulu,
The First Folio was a renewal gift when I renewed 2 years ago. It shouldn't be too hard to convince them to make it available to you. But take care: IMHO, it's very awkward to read. I had to give up any idea to read even one play. The Folio lies flat at the top of my bookshelves. I almost never use it.

Ahhh maybe i didnt explain properly.

Im talking about the SET...they did all 4 books in a box as a set but now all i see are the individual books?

Pepys-
Yes I thought it might be troublesome, with all the idiosyncrisies, Elizabethan spelling & faded print. But I am more tempted for historical reasons (I rather liked the idea of watching a tv program or reading a book on Shakespeare or the First Folios and consulting a facsimile at the same time. Bit gimmicky I know :) I'm suprised they gave it as a renewal gift, I thought it might be a tad expensive! Do you think if they give that they might give the sets I mentioned above?

Ohhhh sorry I see!!!

No I can't see that either.
I'm sure though, if you ask them (& if they agree to offer that as a renewal) they will give you the full set.

Sorry for misreading. :)

# 3

Pepys,

If we were only interested in reading books then any old 25-cent used paperback from a yard sale would satisfy us and we wouldn’t even think twice about the FS books. Books were meant to be touched, felt, even smelled (leather-bound ones anyway). While I agree that First Folio is a little hard to read there’s still something magical about seeing the plays as they might have been seen in Shakespeare’s time. And yes, I do have a copy on my shelf--it was one of my first more-expensive purchases. I thought long and hard over that one and probably wouldn’t have purchased it if it hadn’t been on sale. In the end I couldn’t resist and it has since plunged me so deeply into temptation that I have also bought Paradise Lost, the Apocrypha, Jerusalem, Faust and the Letterpress Hamlet (I swear it’s the only Letterpress I’ll get--my credit card almost screamed when I ordered it). On the other hand I have managed to resist maxing out my credit card for Night Thoughts (although I do visit its web page every couple of weeks to dream).

I like books that are beautiful and all that. I find that when I read them, I enjoy them more.

But then, if I can't really read it, or understand it, then for me, there's not much point. Of course, people are different, and I know that people love their volumes of illuminated (but practically impossible to read) volumes.

For me, though, I'm with Pepys.

Oh, well, I knew there would be some disagreement with what I said about the First Folio. Actually I like the book which has a very nice spine and cover. I like to leaf through it, and it is of course very instructive to see the original plates. In this, I'm with haniwitch. What I wanted to stress is the fact that—for a common reader—reading a whole play is really too hard, both because of the spelling, and also because of the legibility of some plates. And there, I'm with gistak. I guess one gets much more pleasure with a Letterpress edition—but I haven't succombed yet.

Anyway?...back to Charles Darwin and the missing 'collection' ?

Sorry, Dan, to have broken your thread... We (gistak, haniwitch and I) claim no responsability: this is Lady_Lulu's entire fault (;-) to have induced us to talk of Shakespeare instead of Darwin.

As for the Darwin set... Well... I have nothing to say...

Was the Darwin Set in facr a set (ie., in a single 4 volume slipcase?). I don't remember ever seeing it as such, but I think given the choice, I would have ordered the 4 volumes each in its individual slipcase. I have found over the years that a set of weighty volumes wears out most slipcases, and that a 2 volume set is the maximum I would set. (My 3 volume Pax Britannica set already exhibits signs of stress at the seams, and I am very careful with my books--I have just returned to these volumes too often.)

Pepys, most unchivalrous of you to lay the blame on Lady Lu; I'm shocked, shocked....

PS: To get back to the thread, sort of, I would like to nominate a wonderful book about the impact of Darwin to be published as a Folio volume: John C. Greene's The Death of Adam: Evolution and its Impact on Western Thought. My 40 year-old paperback edition is literally coming apart page by page, and the author has just brought out a revised edition (alas, paperback) and its appearance couldn't be more pertinent for these times.

Django...i second your nomination on The Death of Adam. I remember reading the book for a class on the History of Evolutionary Theory years ago and have done so several times since. My paperback copy is a bit threadbare as well!

Hi Again folks...i have returned after finally re joining FS.

(i was a member before at an old address about 3 or 4 years ago and rather than faf about trying to 'renew' i have just joined again (does renew option run out after a period anyway?) I took the Rainbow Fairy/free Peter Pan option and have bought 2 of the 4 Darwin books ('Origin' and 'Descent')...however on noticing the 'out of stock' notice on 'Beagle' i mailed them to shockingly learn its now out of print and unlikely to be reprinted for a few more years?....why would they do this on the anniversary Darwin 200 year thing?...its a bit daft no?

Anyway i have found a fine/2nd hand copy which is on its way...i just need to buy 'emotions' before they cut that one too!

Kentishdan-- On the US site, 'Emotions' is 46% off in the New Year's sale. Now may be the time! :)

Thats was my plan however i cant seem to access the sale books? maybe because im not counted as a member until i have fulfilled my four book agreement?...what do you reckon?

Ok all sorted, im now a member and i now have all 4 Darwin books on route to me in one way or another ;)

#15 Thanks for this note! I just ordered it. Now I will have a complete collection of Darwin.

#12 Django. I heartily agree re: The Death of Adam:Evolution and Its Impact on Western Thought is a masterwork of the history of evolutionary theory. My pb copy is nearly done in from repeated referencing and thumbing. I was first introduced to it in my History of Evolutionary Theory class back in the mid-70s. If that dates me, so be it! :-)

#12 On that same topic, my paperback of Apes, Angels and Victorians is looking a little worse-for-wear. It's a very good cultural history of the impact of the theory of evolution on Victorian society.

After completing my set of the 4 darwin folio books, im finding myself wishing they also published his other works...his famous orchid work, his worm studies, barnacles and other titles in his writing history.

I would also like to see the book sthat inspired or prompted his research such as the 'Vestiges' or books by huxley and wallace...to get good copies of these books costs hundreds so it would be nice if folio expanded their classic science books and released more modern science writing (continuing the works of dawkins past improbable and watchmaker) steve jones 'almost like a whale' would be a good start?

Am i alone here on this? i realise this is mainly a society for history and classic novels but i love my natural history !!! ;)

You are not alone KentishDan. I would love to see Malay Archipelago as well as Huxley's work. I would have thought that with the 200th Birthday of Darwin that we would have seen something along these lines from Folio but I guess not.

BTW, I just received my copy of Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals and am VERY pleased with it. It is a nice finish to the set.

The survey list i got showing Dawkins- The Selfish Gene has cheared me up a little! ;)