The New Membership Year has started

They are all up on the site - new books and renewall offers.

Thanks. I think I will order books from the backlist to renew.

I wonder why it's not updated for me yet.

It is not up in the US. If you click the British flag it will bring up the announcement and ask you to log in, but if you are in the US it only takes you to the sale page!

It just updated for me!

I'm sorry to say that this renewal offer doesn't suit me in any way. Terrible!

No - I am not excited by the renewal offers either. Colour looks mediocre at best. Brewers is an interesting book to have but I would rather have something from Folio's backlist. The Folio book of card games has zero interest - with the exception of Brewers I would be likely to give most of these books away.

I'll be waiting for an offer that appeals to me. Last year, I had to wait until December when they offered the Philip Pullman trilogy. I wish they would offer more choices up front instead of just one.

The Green Fairy Book is on the site, btw, for those who were asking about it.

The Green Fairy Book is on the site, btw, for those who were asking about it.

On the US site? Link?

I don't see it--in fact, a search is not turning up any of the Rainbow Fairy books...

Correction: I see the Red Fairy Book--which was sold out, I thought? It seems to be available on the US site.

> 7: Likewise, I don't see any Rainbow Fairy books at all.

Overall, I'm a little underwhelmed. The renewal books look OK but I don't think I need a load of books I'm kind of interested in.

I'm wondering if they've put the prices up for some books - I had thought Wind In The Willows was £28.95 but it now shows as £32.95. My recollection could be wrong though.

There appears to be alot of books missing from the site. All of the Joseph Conrad novels are missing except The Rescue. Also Livy, Thucydides and tacitus. I hope these will show back on the site as these were the books I was looking to purchase for renewal.

The Green Fairy Book was there, along with the Red one. None of the other Fairy Books were listed. I barely had a chance to look at the Green Fairy Book description. They were each priced at 79.95 (weren't the Fairy Books 69.95 before?) and the Green one boasted watercolor pictures. Unfortunately, I only glanced at it so I can't tell you who the artist was. I had no idea it would disappear!

I do recall The Green Fairy Book said it would be available in October.

I can't recall: if one renews now, will there then be some kind of sale going on? Or is there a wait before that begins? I've always renewed late in the year, and after renewing, the site has always switched immediately to show some kind of sale.

I am a bit underwhelmed by the selection as well and it strikes me that prices have gone up a bit. I thought we were in a recession? Ohhh...I forgot, books are recession-proof :-)

This list of new books can't be complete. The books anounced in the latest Folio magazine - such as Alistair Cooke, Walt Whitman, EF Benson, N.A.M. Rodgers - are not mentioned ?

There are some old books returning as well - Thessiger's Arabian Sands and Sewards Monks of War.

Another FS internet triumph!

>15 khaa9481: You've got me laughing, khaa!

>6 Quicksilver66:: Are you in the UK? What is your actual renewal offer?

I am in the UK and have only been offered: Colour, Folio card games and Folio Diary..but you mention Brewer as well.

Do the FS make different offers to people in the same geographic locations/ i'm beginning to think that I renewed too propmptly last year.

I can't find the Monks of War now !! Its disapeared again !!!!!

I have to say that I am amazed by the issues that the FS has with their site. I have worked for over ten years in the industry and I would never have stayed employed if my applications and sites behaved like this.

> 17

Yes, in the UK. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable is featured as a bundle with Colour, the card book, architecture book and diary.

#10 .... I'm not 100% sure but I was going to get some of the Conrad books and I'm sure they were in either the 'last remaining copies' or 'warehouse clearance' sections (on the UK site anyway) - they might not be there anymore, which would be a shame. I had bought a couple from e-bay but was hoping to get the rest reduced direct from folio themsleves.

edit - just checked and yes ... they all seem gone except for the rescue and the two categiories (warehouse clearance / last remaining copies etc) have gone too ...

> 21 I bought all of the volumes that were in the sale section, but there were seven additional volumes that were not part of the sale.

The Folio site is getting curiouser than Wonderland. I'm in the UK and (like yomisugi) I'm only being offered Colour, the Card games and the diary. No mention of Brewer, and no mention of an architecture book.

I hate renewal time. There always seems to be a large number of books you can't see until you are officially renewed. Even though I'm logged in I can't see any of the Rainbow Fairy Books and I was seriously considering using them as my renewal books. In a way this is good news as my alternate choices are almost all around $20-25 less than the Fairy Books.

And I just confirmed that the "Counts as X Volumes" designation does work for renewal books. I just experimented by adding a Letterpress Shakespeare (counts as 4 volumes) to my basket and it thanked me for renewing, no other books needed. Of course I removed it right away.

Now the hard part is waiting for a second offer because I'm not overwhelmed by the first one and last year when I stuck it out until October I got the du Maurier set as my renewal gift. Thank goodness my three-weeks holiday is coming up soon and I'll be far away from the computer and temptation (if I can just hold out until then).

#23
curiouser and curiouser tabbytom ... I'm in the Uk too and I'm being offered the brewer's and architecture book ...
Your FREE gifts are

Colour by Victoria Finlay

World Architecture: The Masterworks

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable

The Folio Book of Card Games

The Folio Diary 2010

#22 - I am very jealous cweller ... I had been 'humming and haa'ing' about those books for a long time before i realised I couldn't really afford them ... and I'd known that right from the start :)

I agree with the general sense of the meeting here. This is just about the most unexciting set of new publications and renewal offers that I can remember.

When some of us were accidentally given a sneak preview, I was tempted by the prospect of upgrading my paperback “Dorian Gray” for £20, but on reflection I'm not sure I want those illustrations: surely we need something a bit scarier? “Empires of the Word” looks interesting, but is it the sort of work I really want a Folio-type edition of? Probably not.

Maybe I'll do what wiser heads seem to do – wait for a better offer, since there's nothing I'm desperate to have by next month.

You're all right about this year's prices. I've still got my 2009 prices, and many (but not all) books are dearer in 2010. Some of the increases are striking at a time of generally low price-inflation: “Justine” is up by 20% and “Blake” by 14%.

O, quandary! I like half of my renewal offer (Colour, and The World's Heritage--it's Collins, not Folio, but I'm interested in the UNESCO program this draws on), but could live without the second half--the card games book and the Diary.

Xenophon is a must, that much I know... But, oh, pity--I LOVE the binding of the Dorian Gray--how wonderful and different to go for the iconic green carnation on the cover!--but the faux-naif watercolours inside leave me... underwhelmed.

What to do, what to do...

In the States, the renewal offer is Colour, Folio Diary, Folio Book of Card Games. No Brewer's, no World Architecture.

Colour does sound interesting, but will undoubtedly be offered in volume on Ebay before long. I have never used any of my Folio Diaries. And the card game book holds as much interest for me as Bingo Boys & Poodle Fakers (precisely zero interest). Not only that, but the only new publications that hold a great interest for me are The Cretan Runner and The Persian Expedition.

An underwhelming year. The renewal offer will have to get much better to entice me.

I'm in the US, and I've been offered:

World Architechture: The Masterworks (curiously misspelled)

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

The Folio Book of Card Games

The Folio Diary 2010

plus The World's Heritage, if I "buy 3 books today." I'm pretty sure that part is the same for everyone, though.

No, I'm not biting. :-) It's nice to get all that just for buying two books (one more for The World's Heritage), but I don't think we can take multiple renewal offers!

...I think.

I just checked the site from one of the other computers in the office, without logging on, and there were fifteen Conrad books showing (one sold out) and the original four Fairy Books (Red sold out). When I am logged on these books all disappear. I'm wondering if FS restricts access to books they think are more popular so we order more books (i.e. I'll order four other books for renewal and once I can see them again I'll order the Fairy Books as well).

newbie ?:

so i have to order 2 books at reg price to renew?

will there be other renewal offers until the next year?

>32 petertemplar: - There will be more offers, and I believe that will last into 2010. If you want to take the current offer and renew now, yes, you need to buy two full-price books (and if you want The World's Heritage, too, make that three full-price books).

Seems others in the US are geting different (and better, but not by enough) offers. Curious.

That's odd Irieisa, I have to buy 4 books to get the 'The World's Heritage'.

I have to buy 4 books too, and I'm in the US. I get: Colour, The World's Heritage, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, The Folio Book of Card Games, The Folio Diary 2010. I don't want any of them.

I don't understand why different people in the US would get different offers.

Haniwitch, I hope that they aren't resorting to such measures. Considering what a lot of members spend each year I would find this very insidious.

I'm feeling very slighted: my own renewal offer on the site consists of simply Colour, the Card Games book, and the 2010 Diary. No World's Heritage, no Brewer's, no World Architecture. The only thing I really want is the Diary, and would, in fact, give the others away.

i'm pretty sure FS withholds the Fairy books so you can't use them to renew.

as far as the new books, Ballet Shoes and Lord of the Flies are great additions if you have children.

also, The Great Game is another nice edition.

I don't get an offer of the Brewers, only Colour, Card Games and the diary (I am in Switzerland). I have a Brewers anyway so it doesn't really matter, but last year I was also offered fewer books free than other members ;-(

This is the first time that I am not interested in ANY of the new books, apart from Colour, which has good reviews, and the diary. The only card game I know how to play is Snap. I never have time for card games, I read instead.

Ballet Shoes is nice but I just bought it in paperback and do not really need a lavish version.

>35 cweller:,36 - Eh? Really? I checked again, and mine still says 3... The Folio Society is very curious.

By the way, what does Colour look like? It doesn't appear on the site for me, and I'm curious. :-)

Does anyone know whether the Qur'an contains the Arabic original (sometimes it's miniaturised in insets in page corners?

Yeah, I'm hoping against hope, but...

It looks.......... colourful.

http://www.foliosociety.com/book/COL

If that doesn't work, it is cloth-bound and has a color wheel on the front, with colors extending beyond the wheel. It is said to have over 100 illustrations, in color I presume. 440 pages, 10.25 x 7.5, and has a list price of $89.95. The slipcase has 20 sectors, each with a different color or illustration. They only provide three images from the internal illustrations, and none of the text.

It looks like a worthy effort, and has received good reviews as overthemoon noted. But I am distressed that I seem to be considered not worthy of the better offers that others have received.

A picture is, indeed, worth a thousand words.

I would have thought you could renew with the hidden volumes - Rainbow, Conrad - by calling FS directly. Because I'm sure I would be able to buy them from the Members' Room when I go to renew as they can't hide all those books! I think from past years that looks like the strategy for renewal too - wait a bit and then ring up to bartar a better offer.

I do quite like the look of Colour but I'd need some things I really want to renew on it and they aren't there. Does anybody know if you can pick up the diary even if you don't take the offer? I'd really like a nice diary for next year.

I was able to call and order one over the phone in April this year.

>43 coynedj:,44 - That is colourful. (FS seems determined not to let me see it on their website, though.) Ah, the irony if the inside illustrations weren't in colour...

Irieisa, my friend got the same renewal deal you did. However, he said that when he actually put the two renewal books in the cart, at some point, it said he would have to buy 2 more before March, 2010. Can you try it and see if you get that same message?

*Edited to add: he just gave me his password and I logged into his account. He's right: there's nothing on the initial renewal offer saying you'll need to buy two more books later (for a total of four) but when you actually put 2 books in the cart, there is a message at the top saying so. A similar thing must have happened to me last year, except I never saw the message (if there was one) on the cart page. Folio should really make the terms of these renewal offers more clear.

The moral of the story is that you always (at least in the US) have to buy a minimum of 4 books (or the equivalent thereof) when you renew.

Maisonvivante, the only thing I would mention is that you dont really have to buy 4 books. You just have to buy as many books as it takes to meet the 4 volume renewal agreement. In my case I purchased Walden (which counts as 3) and Slaughterhouse 5 (which counts as 1). So with those two books I am now renewed.

On the Canadian site when you're on the Home page there's a flashing banner that alternates between the new 2010 books and the renewal and right under that it says "To fulfil your membership and qualify for your FREE gifts, please choose 4 volumes or more." Then when you go the Our Books page there's another renewal banner that says "Renew your membership by buying 4 books and receive your free gifts worth CAN$144.85." Of course SirFolio16 is right; it doesn't have to be four actual books just as many as count for a total of four volumes.

I don't get offered World's Heritage as a bonus for buying several books now but it does say I can get the Oxford Dictionary Of Quotations for £4.95 if I buy 4 books now.

I have noticed that the URL on my renewal offers ends in /R3. I tried editing this to R2 and R1 to be met with the message "....not available to your geographic location and/or your member renewal status".
Presumably there are at least two other renewal offers. Can we work them all out? R3 is:

Colour by Victoria Finlay
The World's Heritage
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable
The Folio Book of Card Games
The Folio Diary 2010

Mine is R4 - Colour, Brewer's, Card Games, Diary and World Architecture plus the Quotations offer above. I'm in the UK BTW in case it is a question of where you live.

I'm in the UK, my url ends in R4 and I have a slightly different offer of;

Colour by Victoria Finlay
World Architecture: The Masterworks
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable
The Folio Book of Card Games
The Folio Diary 2010

No world heritage but a world architecture ...

you beat me to it khaa9481 :)

I can add though benchamp I tried changing the url to R1 - 3 too and I got the same message re: geographical location.

My renewal offer url (I'm in Ireland btw) ends in R2.
This is my offer:

Colour by Victoria Finlay
The World's Heritage
The Folio Book of Card Games
The Folio Diary 2010

No Brewer's for me.
None of these interest me so in the absence of anything better I will not renew (for now).

Mine is also R2, but I'm in the southeastern US.

Offer is the same as N11284. No bonus for buying extra books now.

I intended to use the buckram version of Macaulay's History of England for renewal, but unfortunately the set has disappeared form the "History" section of the Folio homepage. Surprisingly there is still a link to the buckram set at the bottom of the page for the LE version. Using the link I got the following message:

"Sorry, either the book you have requested does not exist or it is not available to your geographic location and/or your member renewal status.
If you feel you are being denied access in error, please contact us."

The url for my renewal offers ends in R4. Is the buckram Macaulay visible for anyone in region R1-3?

In R2, I just see the leatherbound.

The George Eliots are gone, as is Pickwick Papers.

I'm in Canada but like Django and some others, I'm being offered only Colour, Card Games and the Folio Diary - having a total value of CAN $144.85 - if I fulfill my four-volume renewal obligation. This discrepancy in offers among members irrespective of one's geographic location is not a new phenomenon. The same thing happened to me last year. As far as I can determine, FS seems to be more generous with the newer members than it is with the longstanding ones who have a history of renewing faithfully every year.

While some of the new books definitely interest me: Kerouac, Hons & Rebels, Beyond the Pale, The Cretan Runner, The Great Game - as do some of the previous offerings: Schindler, Rushdie and the Alexandria books - I'm underwhelmed by the freebies (though Colour is tempting) and think I'll wait for the next offer. I may also ask them if I can make up my own package. They are very accommodating and usually allow you to choose any currently available books (i.e., not including, for example, books not due until next March or June) having a total value (not discounted sale value) no greater than the value of their offer. In that regard, it's probably wise to wait for the next offer which hopefully will have a higher monetary value even if the books themselves don't whet one's appetite. If I recall correctly, when I last made up my own package of free renewal books, FS threw in a Folio Diary.

At any rate, for me this is all academic at the moment. While I can see the 2010 books before I log in, as soon as I do so, I'm presented with the 2009 books and the Summer Sale (as well as the temptation to order a few more sale items). The website does keep you on your toes.

Mine is R1 and I'm in the UK. My offer is simply:

Colour
Folio Book of Card Games
Diary 2010.

Now why do some UK members have the R1 choice and others the R4, I wonder?

I have R5 (U.S.)

World Architecture
Brewers
Card Games
Diary

#62 could it also be how long people have been members? as dianp says they seem to have different offers for members / non-members, maybe they even have different offers depending how long someone has been a member?
I used to be a member, left for a few years and have only just returned earlier this year.

I get R1 and the same pitiful offer as TabbyTom.

Playing games such as these with your customers was much easier before the internet. But now we see what appears to be a poor decision - to offer longstanding customers a lesser value. That is how companies lose the patronage of said longstanding customers.

I'm not sure that's how it works. I've spent a lot of money this year, and was offered a much better renewal offer than my friend. I've been a member a couple of years longer than him, so you'd think he'd get the better offer, but his books are valued at almost $100 less than my offer.

I wonder if it is based on how much you spent this past year?

It certainly looks to me as if coynedj is right.

I've been a member since 1973 and I have usually renewed fairly promptly. The only time I was slow to renew was in 2004, when for a combination of reasons I wasn't able to renew till April or May. On that occasion the renewal offer finally increased to a set normally retailing at something like £80 (though I didn't get the presentation volume or the diary).

Having learned this, I think I'll wait and see what's in store. Like Django, I'm only really interested in the Diary as far as the renewal offer goes, and if I miss out on it I can probably get it from another website.

>49 maisonvivante: - Okay, now this is bizarre. I tried adding two books to the cart, and got the message saying I'd need to buy two more before March 2010. Then I tried adding a third to qualify for The World's Heritage, and the message went away. Looks like three books is the minimum.

That's crazy, Irieisa! I wonder if you'd still get a notice in the future saying you need to buy one more book? It's all terribly confusing.

I think Irieisa may be a special case as she accounted for 50% of the FS sales in 2009. ;)

>69 maisonvivante: - I know! Folio madness!

Unless the lack of a message above with three books in the cart is a mistake, I doubt FS would send a notice. Considering it's the website and all, I imagine it may be a mistake. Maybe.

>70 cweller: - Somehow I doubt that. ;-)

#68
Could the third book have been a "Counts as 2 volumes" book?

>73 haniwitch: - Nope.

I think they will send you a reminder if you haven't bought 4 books by Mar 2010

#62. I live in the US and that was my offer, too. Skimpy, but I rarely keep their specials, anyhow. I think the best one I ever got was the Green Moire Bronte set. But I would love a Brewer's Phrase and Fable. I wish they would add it.

Does anyone know how good Oscar and Lucinda is? I enjoyed the movie. Wasn't sure how good the book was...

I have the Qu'ran and it does not contain the Arabic original. It has a few colored pages of pages from a beautiful decorated volume but nothing else but the English translation.

I have the R2 renewal offer (US):
Colour
The World's Heritage
Folio Book of Card Games
2010 Diary

Colour and The World's Heritage look quite interesting (esp. for free) but I was planning on using the His Dark Materials set for part of my renewal and it is no longer showing on the site. Now I have to decide: do I take the current offer and buy 4 single books or wait and hope they offer HDM as a renewal or in a sale later on? HELP!

BTW, if I do take the current offer, I will gladly give the Diary away to anyone who wants it. I never use them (I always have good intentions to keep a diary but it never lasts past the end of January ....)

R2, Canada.
I'm interested in none of these. Worst offer I've ever seen unfortunately. I hope it improves next round. :(

76: I really loved Oscar and Lucinda. That is, I loved the first 4/5ths, but didn't really like it after that. Not just the ending itself, but much of the lead-up to the ending.

Having said that, most of the book was some of the best stuff in my library. I would have jumped at the FS edition, except that I really don't like the illustrations.

I'm completely underwhelmed by this renewal offer. I hope that this is not a reflection of the usual offers, but in complete honesty, this renewal offer is not, in my humble opinion of course, broad enough in interest to catch the imaginations of the general membership.

Colours? Architecture?

I might be completely wrong here, but what are they doing?

Here is my offer:

Your FREE gifts are

Colour by Victoria Finlay

World Architecture: The Masterworks

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable

The Folio Book of Card Games

The Folio Diary 2010

> 76: Oscar and Lucinda the book is a great read. I agree with gistak, one of the best things I've read. Yes, the ending is slightly strange but didn't jar too much with me. I'd definitely go for it. Whether you need the FS edition, I couldn't say. I sometimes find it weird that you could discover books you're not sure whether you liked in an expensive edition. I think I'd rather try it in paperback first and then take the dip afterwards. But each to their own.

My guess is that they're doing some market research. Someone at FS is collecting how well each offer does. Tweak this and tweak that, and see how it does. Do we have to throw in the Brewer's, or will people bite without it?

That kind of thing. I doubt it has to do with length of membership, though I supposed it's possible. More likely that it's random (with maybe some regional metric thrown in).

For me, I'm interested in Colour. I have a slight interest in the World Heritage thingy, which apparently can only be bought in paperback elsewhere (for

>83 gistak: Last year too, my offer was less enticing than that of other members. Why should some members be offered 5 books and others 3?

Looking back at my order history, here was the offer I accepted on October 31st, 2007 (not sure how many I had declined by this point):

The Folio Treasury of Shorter Crime Fiction (4 vols)
Chambers Biographical Dictionary
Bingo Boys and Poodle-Fakers
A Christmas Carol
The Folio Society Diary 2008

In that case, I was getting 6 real books, plus the Bingo boys and Diary.

84: I don't know. I'm guessing that they're just trying to see what they need to offer to make people renew.

Ok, I'm posting three in a row. I pulled the trigger. For my renewal books, I chose:

Tinker tailor
Cretan
Analects
Remains of the day

After buying them, I got another offer:

Buy two more and get A little history of the world. That looks like an interesting book, but I can get it on Amazon for pretty cheap.

There are also small discounts on lots of books ($5 here, $10 there).

But I still don't see Pickwick Papers, Macauley in buckram, any Fairy books, or any George Eliot. So either they're off the current list, or there's a Web glitch, but it doesn't SEEM to be about hiding them so you can't use them to renew.

You can always call or email them and order books no longer on their catalogue because their stock is low. I did it last year.

Well I'm very happy they are at last publishing Germinal. Here's hoping they'll do more Zola in the future.

I see that many books have disappeared from the shelves.

Half of the Robert Louis Stevenson books are gone! (overnight!)

The nice Oxford Book of Quotations...gone!

What's 'going on?'

> 90

I think they remove books that they don't want you to use to renew your membership. Presumably, once you have bought your 4 volumes those books will reappear assuming they are still in stock.

> 89

Yes - I would love to see the complete Les Rougon - Macquart cycle in Folio. I think the new Folio Germinal looks pretty good - a definite buy for me.

>91 Quicksilver66:

Ah! There goes my plan in smoke......

I just renewed with two books (got to wait until payday to bankrupt myself fully ... I feel 'Walden' coming on for the rest of it and I just can't resist) and there are some new Members only books up:

The Realm of the Unreal and other stories by Ambrose Bierce
Scott's Last Expedition -The Journals of Captain R.F. Scott
Children's Bible Stories
Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson

Now, I just have to stay away from the plastic money and wait until payday.

#92 I, too, would love to see the complete Les Rougon-Macquart cycle in Folio but Germinal's a good start.

it looks like that M.R. James book is gone. can you see it after you renew?

Has anyone contacted customer service about a "choose your own" renewal offer?

#95 ... the ghost stories of MR James?
It's there on the UK site when I search for books, then when I log in as a member it dissapears. I'm guessing when you renew it'll turn back up again / it is on their site.

#96, I did yesterday and they said there were no other renewal options available at this time (it was Autumn last year when they gave me a 'choose your own' offer).

I can't find the M.R. James book anywhere, nor any of the Rainbow Fairy books ..

90, 91: I mentioned in another post that the books I looked for did NOT appear once I renewed.

> 96

I did today in the Membership Room and have in fact renewed on the offer they made to me.

I told them that I wanted to negotiate a different renewal offer. I was told that I had two options - I could wait until another renewall offer is made or I could renew now with £85.00 credit in lieu of the renewall offer.

I said that I was interested in taking 4 books now and having the Empires of the Ancient Near East as my free renewall offer. After checking the computer I was told that I could certainly have that as my free renewall as it is a box set together with the diary and Brewers. That suits me fine as the Near East box set has been on my shopping list for a while.

I ordered my 4 new books which I was told I could collect next week with the Near East Box Set and Brewers. The four I have orders are The Authentic Gospel of Jesus, The Cretan Runner, Tinket Tailor and the Vikings. My membership for 2010 will be processed when I collect those next week.

I am pretty happy with this.

So in summary:

R1 (UK, Canada, US, Switzerland)
Colour
Folio Book of Card Games
Diary 2010.

R2 (UK, Ireland, Canada, US, Oz, Sweden)
Colour
The World's Heritage
The Folio Book of Card Games
The Folio Diary 2010

R3 (UK, Australia)
Colour
The World's Heritage
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable
The Folio Book of Card Games
The Folio Diary 2010

R4 (UK, USA)
Colour
World Architecture
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable
The Folio Book of Card Games
The Folio Diary 2010

R5 (US)
World Architecture
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable
The Folio Book of Card Games
The Folio Diary 2010

Looks like R1 is the worst package but offered around the world. R3 and R4 are the best with either World Architecture or World Heritage. R2 and R5 miss out on one book compared to R3 and R4. Can anyone else fill in other countries that the offers are going to?

> 90, 91

If they're really preventing us from seeing certain books until after we've renewed, mightn't this be counter-productive?

If I'm uncertain about whether renewal is justified by the selection of books that I can see now, my decision might be swayed if I'm told that certain other books will be available once I've renewed. If I don't know this, I may decide to opt out this year. It should be simple enough to mark the relevant volumes as “not available until membership is renewed and confirmed for 2010”.

R5 now seems to be available by just buying two books. When you put those books in the cart, there is no notice that you will need to buy another two in the future. There is nothing on the offer anywhere about needing to buy another two books. So even though there is one less book offered as a freebie, you only have to buy two instead of four books.

It's been my experience that you can always call in your order and request any book in print to fulfill your renewal offers.

#78 - I seem to have the exact same offer and dilemma as you, FionaCat, only exchanging HDM for A History of Paris in Painting as my preferable renewal offer.
I've had my eye on the standard edition of Colour for a while and the Folio version looks fantastic.
But while the Heritage book looks interesting, I'm not sure it won't be another coffee table book I'd only dip into occassionally. And the less said about the card games book the better (although I am a pretty mean veteran of 'Snap' ;-)

#94 - klarusu, is there any chance you could take a screen capture of Notes From a Small Island? The suspension of seeing this book might prove too much and I'll end up renewing JUST to see it!

#101 - Sorry to mess up your summery, benchamp, but I'm in the UK and have the R2 offer (am I the only one?).

This may not work ... but there should be a picture above ... I'm dreadful at putting piccies into talk ...

> 104

Notes is the same size/ format as Bryson's "Lost Continent" on the Folio site - but a far more attractive cover from what I can remember, featuring a red letter box and something else I can't remember.

Ooops - I see it's just appeared above !!

Yay me! Picture worked. It kind of matches the style of The Lost Continent which is available too. Here's the description for you:

Bound in cambric grain paper.
248 pages; frontispiece and 16 pages of colour plates.
Size: 9½" × 6½".

#105

I think my eyes just popped out.

"I'm dreadful at putting piccies into talk"

Apparently not :-)

Thank you klarusu, you saved me from almost certain recklessness!

#104 Now added ;-)
What about our Austrialian friends? Which package are you getting?

#107

"Bound in cambric grain paper.
248 pages; frontispiece and 16 pages of colour plates.
Size: 9½" × 6½". "

Stop it, ya killin' me!

I agree with Quicksilver - a far more attractive, coherent design than The Lost Continent. Everything I expected and so much more!

now...must...wait...for...better...renewal...offer...

>110 Lady_Lulu:
Bryson's Notes From a Small Island doesn't show up when I visit the FS site, whether I'm logged in or not.

Beyond the Pale and Other Stories shows up when I'm not logged in, but disappears when I'm logged in. When not logged in, I click "Add to Basket" and the screen switches to my basket, but the book doesn't show up ini it.

This website makes me nuts.

Os.

I'm in Oz - I get R2 (Colour; The World's Heritage; Card Games & Diary). It's such a waste when they offer *non*-folio books. But better than R1...

>101 benchamp:, you can add Switzerland for R1.
Signed
Miffed in Lausanne

>101 benchamp: - I'm R5, and if I took the offer could also get The World's Heritage by buying a third book, so is that really missing out?

Also, has anyone else noticed all the nice, new, shiny joining offers? The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci! Norwich's Byzantium, Foote's The Civil War (which I've heard others mention, but don't much about myself; note that it appears to be a Random House publication, though)!

Unfortunately, Foote's Civil War appears to be the Random House version and not a true FS.

I see there is a new Fairy Tale joining offer too (not Rainbow books though). Bizarrely when I went through all the different regions, that Fairy Tale offer is worse in some places than others. Also Greek Myths comes back but only in Canada! I've already got the complete Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen but in cheap paperbacks - I'm wondering whether I should try the Fairy Tale joining offer. (Although I've also just bought the EP Shephard illustrated WITW so maybe not...). Other new joining offers include the Booker Prize winners and the Aubrey-Mathurin series so maybe people who want them can try them for renewal offers?

I'm and R1 in the US. There's no attraction in the renewal offer for me.

Os.

I'm in the UK and like TabbyTom and coynedj I have been offered R1 - the minimum. Also like them I've been a member for a number of years and have always renewed promptly. Seems like I'm going to have to play 'hard to get' this year.

>116 khaa9481: - I think The Greek Myths are mentioned as a free gift in one of the US joining offers, too, but I can't remember. I'm a bit jealous that others could get the Aubrey-Maturin volumes...

Ah, well, at least America gets The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. That's something (and a mighty fine something, at that!).

Just an observation - If someone renews promptly every year, why would we expect FS to make more than the minimum offer to renew? The renewal offer is not likely to be a reward long-term or major customers, but an enticement for customers to purchase more and/or sooner than they might otherwise. The long-term and major customers get rewards in sales, special offers, freebies, etc., during the course of the year. Even then, the purpose of these bonuses is to entice us to spend more than we might otherwise spend, or to push slower selling editions, or to clear out the last of an edition; not simply to thank us for buying books.

Os.

>120 Ealhmund: - The practice of price discrimination has a long and often successful history. One of the keys to doing it successfully is to not make it obvious - use volume discounts, or maybe different presentation (in many restaurants, for example, the amount of soup in a lower-priced "cup of soup" is the same as in the higher-priced "bowl of soup"). If we were not able to communicate easily and discover the price discrimination, it would be easier to justify.

Groups such as this make it difficult to support, at least for the members of this group and any similar groups. And this is where their strategy may be just fine in the short-term - most members may not be as aware as we are of the different renewal offers. But that is a short-term tactic, as the news of this practice is likely to spread. As I said before, offering lesser value to your most loyal customers, especially if they discover it, is a good way to lose that loyalty. Note that many if not most cases of price discrimination, from the aforementioned volume discount to loyalty cards (buy ten and get your next one free!) and beyond, are designed to reward loyalty rather than punish it.

is it really simply a better offer for newer members? i'm a new member but i gorged myself on the sumer sale.

i think the randomness of all this (intended or no) works to their advantage. it keeps people talking and coming back.

>109 benchamp: I'm in Australia and my offer is R3

Irieisa, from what I recall we're both interested in renewing with the da Vinci - since this is available as a joining offer, I see no reason they wouldn't offer it as a renewal if asked...

#77

Thanks for the Qur'an info, Weimar.

>124 leonb: I was also intereted in the da Vinci books and when I saw that they were a joining offer, I contacted them and they had no problem using it as an offer.

>124 leonb: - You recall correctly. ;-) The ways of FS are mysterious, however, so...

>126 mookie1798: - Oh, that's good to hear!

Edited to remove irrelevant information posted due to temporary irrational thinking. :-)

Oh! Just checked the Aussie website and they have changed the joining offers :-)

Can you get these offers instead of the renewal offer most of the time?

how can I see the joining offers rather than the renewal offers?

You have to do the same faff as for the new books before - delete your Folio Society cookie (for Internet Explorer I found it in the C drive under Documents and Settings in the Cookies folder as www.foliosociety - if you need the full tech details), restart your browser and the joining offers should be there.

OK, thanks.
Probably, if I do that, I will lose the books I have tentatively placed in my basket, but never mind.
In any case, I'm going to wait till I get a printed brochure. The website is so confusing. I seem to be seeing new books somewhere or other every time I log in. But if I click to see the new books, there is no sign of, say, the new Chatwin. However, I found him later under Travel.

I'm also going to wait for the full list of new books (and to see what books reappear on the website such as Conrad and Rainbow Fairy books). Depending on what I take/ask for renewal, I'm going to buy quite a few new books and I'd rather get ones I really want than half-want. I'm also keen to see a full list of poems that will be in the Folio Anthology. At the moment, I don't see any rush to renew - although that is causing my self-restraint some problems...

Step 1: Choose your joining offer
The Fairy Tales Collection

Fairy tales and fables have enchanted children and adults alike for generations. Over the years, five collections have emerged as classics. This is your opportunity to own them all – the perfect gift for all the family to enjoy.

Select and Continue Price: AUS$ 439.75 AUS$ 14.95

You save AUS$ 424.80 (97%)

When you agree to buy 2 books within 4 weeks and a further 2 before March 2010
Shorter Oxford English Dictionary with CD-ROM

A deluxe leather-bound edition of the most authoritative English dictionary. Now in its 6th edition is the product of over 100 years of expertise from Oxford University Press.

Plus your FREE gift Penguin Encyclopedia
worth AUS$ 75.00

Select and Continue Price: AUS$ 1,070.00 AUS$ 24.95

You save AUS$ 1,045.05 (98%)

When you agree to buy 2 books within 4 weeks and a further 2 before March 2010
Booker Prize Winners

Folio pays tribute to the truly great writers and their works which have become acknowledged landmarks on the literary map of the 20th century.

Plus your FREE gift Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
worth AUS$ 89.95

Select and Continue Price: AUS$ 484.70 AUS$ 14.95

You save AUS$ 469.75 (97%)

When you agree to buy 4 books within 4 weeks and a further 2 before March 2010
The Folio Reference Library

Who? When? Where? What? The answers to almost any general knowledge question can be found within this superb collection of reference books.

Plus your FREE gift Leather-bound Oxford Compact Dictionary and Thesaurus
worth AUS$ 160.00

Select and Continue Price: AUS$ 604.84 AUS$ 14.95

You save AUS$ 589.89 (98%)

When you agree to buy 2 books within 4 weeks and a further 2 before March 2010
The Patrick O'Brian Aubrey-Maturin series
by Patrick O'Brian

The first five novels in the Aubrey–Maturin series; Master & Commander, Post Captain, H.M.S Surprise, The Mauritius Command and Desolation Island. Set against the sprawling canvas of the Napoleonic Wars, O'Brian's naval adventure novels evoke this period in history like no others.

Plus your FREE gift Cartographia
worth AUS$ 85.00

Select and Continue Price: AUS$ 442.75 AUS$ 14.95

You save AUS$ 427.80 (97%)

When you agree to buy 2 books within 4 weeks and a further 2 before March 2010
The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter
by Beatrix Potter

In two beautiful sets, all 23 of Beatrix Potter's original tales are brought together in these exquisite ‘little books’.

Select and Continue Price: AUS$ 565.00 AUS$ 22.95

You save AUS$ 542.05 (96%)

When you agree to buy 2 books within 4 weeks and a further 2 before March 2010

>126 mookie1798:

Mookie, did you get just the da Vincis, or was the reference book and/or diary thrown in?

I got the da Vincis and a dictionary set which I am sure I already have kicking around but who doesn't need two dictionary set right. I had to choose as if i was a new member so no fairy books or any of the new books but thats fine by me, I am somewhat new and there are a lot of books that I really wanted.

>101 benchamp:

I'm in the US and I got R4.

(sorry a little slow to respond; haven't been home)

I think another interesting renewal idea would be to increase the renewal volume in exchange for more future buys. In other words, give, say 2 sets if you agree to buy 6 or 8 books or something like that. I would seriously be tempted to spend a fortune with that kind of tiered renewal offers

Hi, I am new here. I received the R2 offer, and I am in Sweden (the first Swede around here I think!).

>136 beatlemoon:
Ah, the first non Brit to get R3 or R4. I was starting to think it was just UK with the best offers. I have updated the list at #101

In the US also with R4.

>123 bot_garden:, 139
R3 offer in Australia

I am definately getting the new History of England by Macaulay ... amongst other books...and by the way I spend a fortune already on Folio (I get to know the postman on a firstname basis).

>142 Barton:

RE: Macaulay.

Are you going to ask for this as a renewal item?

I have asked several times by phone for a better renewal offer than R4, but have only been offered £85 worth of books.
I asked if I could have Macaulay (buckram) or Da Vinci as a renewal set in conjuction with a LE as my renewal books, but they declined :-(

I would love to hear if anyone has managed to negotiate either of these as a renewal item, particularly in the UK.

sorry mj54, I'm not able to answer your question but I did have another one of my own ...
This is the first time I've even thought about querying the renewal offer / trying to bargain for a better deal but the impression I get from reading the posts above is that the FS are more than happy to offer books up to the amount of the renewal deal they're giving the member, is that right? I'm not so interested in the renewal deal as it stands but I do like the look of their recent Booker winner books and was going to give them a ring later this week to see if I could try to add those instead of the brewers phrase and fables and diary etc ...

>144 mj54:

mj54, why don't you ask to speak to the Members Room directly, where I find they're often more helpful, and able to make decisions on the spot - tell them that you know the Da Vinci is offered in the States as a joining offer, along with the Oxford dictionary and thesaurus; tell them also that you know of at least one member who renewed with da Vinci (but with Brewers instead of the Oxford). Push the point - they can't justify several speed memberships. I'm sure they'll concede under pressure.

Let us know what happens, as I intend as some point to renew with da Vinci. Or even better, with Macaulay (which being new and slightly more expensive is, I feel, a long shot).

just to satisfy my curiosity, what is the monetary value of the different renewal offers?
R1 is £67.85 (about US$111).

R4 - £133.95 ... I could get a few books for that amount if they'd let me pick them up to that value :)

*edit - £133.85 ... sorry

R2 - £97.85

Ditto, and both myself and N11284 are in Ireland.

Interestingly the url for the offer is:

http://www.foliosociety.com/book/R2/1-renewal-offer

does the 1-renewal perhaps signify that better offers await?

>145 yosarian:, 146
leonb, I spoke to the Members Room directly, as you suggested, and was able to negotiate the deal I was really hoping for. I purchased Night Thoughts as my renewal books together with another sizeable bundle and received Macaulay!

It seems it can be done yosarian. Give it a try and see what they say.

Many thanks for the suggestions and encouragement.
I'm now a happy bunny :-)

thank you for letting me know mj54, glad you got everything sorted out, fingers crossed! :)

>152 mj54:

mj54, that's great, well done! So now I know to go for the Macaulay, and await da Vinci in the sale. Did they throw anything else in - diary or dictionary? And was it necessary to make a really large order do you think? Night Thoughts is quite a beast, and then you mention another sizeable bundle. I was thinking just a single LE, or four ordinary books if I can get away with it.

>154 leonb:

leonb, nothing else thrown in as far as I know. The diary would have been nice but I didn't want to push it.
I couldn't really say if a large order was necessary. I just said what I would like and asked if they could oblige.
When I asked previously with a single LE I could not get better than £85 worth of books, but that was not talking to the Members Room so you may be lucky.

I'm also hoping for da Vinci in the sale but hope that won't be happening for a few months yet ;-)

>145 yosarian: - let me know how you get on as I'm thinking of asking for that offer myself. My feeling from reading here is that it's possible. But you have to ask for sets or joining offers - if you just want a random selection of books, the offer seems to be just £85 (not £133 or whatever). The members' room guys today did reiterate that you pretty much get a diary come what may. And one of them said he thought the renewal offers got better and better if you waited (although others here have disagreed somewhat; the second offer is usually better; the third one may be - and could even be a set - but if it is bad you're in trouble...)

I emailed FS about His Dark Materials. It is available and will count as 3 volumes for renewal. I was also offered the choice of backlist books up to a value of $160 instead of the current offer (I asked if I could get HDM as the renewal offer but was declined).

I think I will wait for the Prospectus to arrive before I decide. I'm leaning toward Dracula as one of my free choices, since it has been recommended so highly. Any other suggestions?

FionaCat if they are still available I would suggest One Hundred Years of Solitude (HIGHLY) and Perfume. The Screwtape letters is also very good.

#157 Glad to see that HDM can count towards renewal! I'm also going to wait for the prospectus, but then I think I'll phone and request that. Not sure about my fourth book yet...

~156, I have spoken to them khaa9481 and they offered me up to £85 off books in lieu of the renewal offer, i asked about swapping it for a joining offer but they said this was not possible. It still sounds like a great deal though and £85 worth of Folio's to re-join seems very generous. reckon I'll try and get as many of the Bookers as I can with that and the 4 books to continue ... possession / oscar and lucinda and siege of krishnapur seem most likely for that price.

Finally joined. Got the Booker prize winners, even though I'm in the USA. Can't wait for them to arrive!

I'm not seeing anything regarding a renewal offer on the web site.

#161: Is it 3 or 4 of the Booker books?