What publishing company's line of classic books is the best?

Question

Over the years I've acquired a long wish list of classics I'd like to buy. The most popular collection seems to be Penguin, but I'm sort of turned off to them now after reading customer reviews of people online who fault the paper quality. Some have said the books don't last. Modern Library Classics looks pretty good, I have their "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and it still seems healthy. I'd like some feedback.

Oh yeah, Puffin is pretty good too. I got a few of those. Only it seems it's targetted at kids.

Answer 1

At first this may not seem likely, but if you want to get the most for your $$$, you might avoid paperback reprints of classic titles and find very good used copies of standard hardbacks. You can find these online at

http://abebooks.com

Be sure the seller has designated the condition of the books as very good (VG) or better. You can specify hardback w/ the dust jack (dj), if you prefer.

For example, for William Faulkner's Light in August, I found 159 copies listed between $7 and $12. These include the 1959 Modern Library, a fine reading edition, Random House, and the 1997 Book of the Month Club. (Of course, shipping will add another $4 or so, but if you have good used/rare book dealers near you, you will be able to find hardback copies of most classics in vg condition.) You will spend no more than you do for a good paperback; the typeface and paper will ususally be superior; the binding will last better; and you will have the makings of a long-lasting, attractive library.

For older classics, for example Mark Twain or Charles Dickens or Jane Austen, you will find collectors' copies from Heritage Press (boxed reprints from Limited Editions, a collectors' club), Franklin Library (both leather-bound, which are more expensive, and imitation leather, which are fine reading copies), and the like.

For Charles Dickens, for example, I found 69 Franklin Library copies of David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Tale of Two Cities, or The Mystery of Edwin Drood, priced $15 or less, some as little as $6. There were 325 Heritage Press copies of Dickens, priced $15 or less, some less than $5. Most all of his novels are available in this edition. Usually these slip cases will not have worn very well or they will be slightly faded, but the books will be in top-notch condition. Some of the books are oversize, and the illustrators are usually well-known, well-respected artists.

Then, of course, you take the chance that you will become a rare book collector. And that is addictive behavior. Take it from one who knows.

Enjoy!

Answer 2

To be honest, in my library I have the opposite results. I have many paperback Penguin published classics, from both the Signet Classics and the Puffin Classics collections, and they are in quite good condition while the few Modern Library Classics paperbacks I have are some of the worst in condition in my library. Those I did get used though, so I don't know how well that predicts they would end up if you bought them new and took good care of them.

If you are after classics to have them mainly for reading, buying them used is a good suggestion. Since the classics genre is so large, you can get more of them for your money buying used and buying the paperbacks and they are usually in still pretty good condition, particularly from library used book sales. If you are after the classics more for display though, hardcover and new is the way to go, but more expensive.

Answer 3

I went to my bookshelf & pulled out some of my classics to see where they were published after I read your question & frankly, they're all over the place. Grove, Bantam, Rutgers, Heritage, Bedford, Blacksparrow.

Of course many I collected while I was in college and I'm still collecting, so they may be university editions which are different than the ones your purchasing. I think the ones you are buying are printed specifically for inexspensive sale.

Why don't you look into buying used text books? You'll get better quality, maybe even hardbacks (if you want them) and they're often much cheaper.

Answer 4

If you've got the bucks or are willing to use the library, the
Great Books set is the best. I got my set used.

Answer 5

readers digest has done several classic collections, several books in one hardcover volume, they are very well done and are going to last. i don't know if you can still find them new though.

Answer 6

Penguin because they are the cheapest