Comments on: It’ssss my Birthday … http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:27:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: nick s http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189888 nick s Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:29:10 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189888 I got the Classic 60s set at the time, though it's stuck in my back-home book collection. I've also got a few Pelicans in boxes, which I acquired randomly, and remember thinking them to be <i>chewy</i> books. As for classical texts, a good friend took me on a tour of the (now-replaced-by-the-cafe) Latin/Greek section of the Oxford Book Tardis, pointing out which texts were best served by the lovely owl-faced <a href="http://www.lesbelleslettres.com/" rel="nofollow">Les Belles Lettres</a> editions, and which ones were best in the egg-blue German ones (Reclam?). <i>I wish the major publishers of classics would return to the old three-volume format. Easier on the biceps on the subway.</i> The high-falutin' French publishers still do that, though they ain't cheap. But when you're not fussed about a definitive text or front/back-matter, those little India-paper Oxford hardbacks are hard to beat. I got the Classic 60s set at the time, though it’s stuck in my back-home book collection. I’ve also got a few Pelicans in boxes, which I acquired randomly, and remember thinking them to be chewy books.

As for classical texts, a good friend took me on a tour of the (now-replaced-by-the-cafe) Latin/Greek section of the Oxford Book Tardis, pointing out which texts were best served by the lovely owl-faced Les Belles Lettres editions, and which ones were best in the egg-blue German ones (Reclam?).

I wish the major publishers of classics would return to the old three-volume format. Easier on the biceps on the subway.

The high-falutin’ French publishers still do that, though they ain’t cheap. But when you’re not fussed about a definitive text or front/back-matter, those little India-paper Oxford hardbacks are hard to beat.

]]> By: "As You Know" Bob http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189854 "As You Know" Bob Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:21:11 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189854 As one book lover to another, congratulations. I recall that there were two sets of 60 issued in the States, two <i>different</i> sets of 60 in the UK, and at least one set of 60 (possibly different yet again?) issued in Australia. In the States, they were remaindered pretty quickly - I bought a bunch of them for a quarter apiece. Where did you get yours? (Do you have a link?) As one book lover to another, congratulations.

I recall that there were two sets of 60 issued in the States, two different sets of 60 in the UK, and at least one set of 60 (possibly different yet again?) issued in Australia. In the States, they were remaindered pretty quickly – I bought a bunch of them for a quarter apiece.

Where did you get yours? (Do you have a link?)

]]> By: RETARDO http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189828 RETARDO Wed, 14 Mar 2007 01:37:23 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189828 I wish these were made as well as the old Pelicans Zizka mentions, which were as near-indestructable as a paperback can be. Still, they look nice, and are especially impressive in mass. Congratulations. I've been lucky at library sales in Memphis to get a few of the new PCs rebound as hardbacks (but keeping their original cover design). I have several of the first series of PC with the black covers, and the paper is pretty awful (my Suetonius won't last much longer), but the new ones like you have seem to be made from much better stock. I wish these were made as well as the old Pelicans Zizka mentions, which were as near-indestructable as a paperback can be. Still, they look nice, and are especially impressive in mass. Congratulations.

I’ve been lucky at library sales in Memphis to get a few of the new PCs rebound as hardbacks (but keeping their original cover design).

I have several of the first series of PC with the black covers, and the paper is pretty awful (my Suetonius won’t last much longer), but the new ones like you have seem to be made from much better stock.

]]> By: motordoc http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189738 motordoc Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:39:20 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189738 Beats google book search. I wish the major publishers of classics would return to the old three-volume format. Easier on the biceps on the subway. Beats google book search. I wish the major publishers of classics would return to the old three-volume format. Easier on the biceps on the subway.

]]> By: Katherine http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189730 Katherine Tue, 13 Mar 2007 12:20:59 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189730 Okay, I'm talking utter rubbish - it is in fact £8k - I was looking at the "you save" figure. Good job I don't have £8k spare. Okay, I’m talking utter rubbish – it is in fact £8k – I was looking at the “you save” figure. Good job I don’t have £8k spare.

]]> By: Katherine http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189728 Katherine Tue, 13 Mar 2007 12:20:17 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189728 Well, there is an Amazon UK version which costs less than £8000 - it appears to be 1300 "Classics" for about £5k or so: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Penguin-Classics-Complete-Library-collection/dp/014091238X/ref=sr_1_1/203-8903147-7079108?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173788297&sr=8-1 Well, there is an Amazon UK version which costs less than £8000 – it appears to be 1300 “Classics” for about £5k or so:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Penguin-Classics-Complete-Library-collection/dp/014091238X/ref=sr_1_1/203-8903147-7079108?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173788297&sr=8-1

]]> By: Invig http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189710 Invig Tue, 13 Mar 2007 10:54:52 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189710 How can you afford that? Are you wealthy? I thought bloggers were all poor... Maybe that's just me. How can you afford that? Are you wealthy?

I thought bloggers were all poor…

Maybe that’s just me.

]]> By: Henry (not the famous one) http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189705 Henry (not the famous one) Tue, 13 Mar 2007 09:33:54 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189705 Then there was the time that the Prince of Wales asked his valet to buy him six yards of red books and six yards of blue ones. You guess which Prince. And is this the appropriate time to mention Myles na gCopaleen's Buchhandlung Service Extraordinaire? Of course it is, it always is. Then there was the time that the Prince of Wales asked his valet to buy him six yards of red books and six yards of blue ones. You guess which Prince.
And is this the appropriate time to mention Myles na gCopaleen’s Buchhandlung Service Extraordinaire? Of course it is, it always is.

]]> By: eszter http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189701 eszter Tue, 13 Mar 2007 06:46:28 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189701 Happy Birthday! Ten years ago you wouldn't have had the shelf space anyway. Happy Birthday!

Ten years ago you wouldn’t have had the shelf space anyway.

]]> By: vivian http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189689 vivian Tue, 13 Mar 2007 01:58:38 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189689 Aretino, I remember freshman year learning the hard way that "all I could carry for $2" when I left the library was not the same as "all I could carry" by the time I was most of the mile to my dorm. They were hardbacks though. Aretino, I remember freshman year learning the hard way that “all I could carry for $2” when I left the library was not the same as “all I could carry” by the time I was most of the mile to my dorm. They were hardbacks though.

]]> By: roy edroso http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189672 roy edroso Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:19:17 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189672 Did you note <a HREF="http://www.amazon.com/gp/discussionboard/discussion.html/ref=cm_rdp_st_rd/002-5210619-1642460?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0147503078&store=yourstore&cdThread=Tx5MJQQSOTGHQ7&reviewID=R2O4BNVSKRNA07&displayType=ReviewDetail" rel="nofollow">this</a> review? Since the books were a gift, you might invest the money you saved in a book humidor. Did you note this review? Since the books were a gift, you might invest the money you saved in a book humidor.

]]> By: Gene O'Grady http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189670 Gene O'Grady Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:08:10 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189670 Aretino's story reminds me of the brief period when Penguin Classics were coming in hardbound editions (for the American library market as I recall). I bought a whole pile of them (Betty Radice's excellent Terence among them) for not very much. And if it won't utterly confirm my reputation for pedantry, I should note that I mispelled Ichneutae above. Aretino’s story reminds me of the brief period when Penguin Classics were coming in hardbound editions (for the American library market as I recall). I bought a whole pile of them (Betty Radice’s excellent Terence among them) for not very much.

And if it won’t utterly confirm my reputation for pedantry, I should note that I mispelled Ichneutae above.

]]> By: aretino http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189652 aretino Mon, 12 Mar 2007 17:41:22 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189652 About a dozen years ago, my wife overheard a conversation about a warehouse sale of Penguin discards. They were new with slightly clipped covers. We went. It was $5 for all you could carry. We took about 200, including almost 100 classics and 30 modern classics. About a dozen years ago, my wife overheard a conversation about a warehouse sale of Penguin discards. They were new with slightly clipped covers. We went. It was $5 for all you could carry. We took about 200, including almost 100 classics and 30 modern classics.

]]> By: CJCJC http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189612 CJCJC Mon, 12 Mar 2007 12:04:13 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189612 They look lovely. Alas it's £8000 from amazon uk rather than $8000!! They look lovely.

Alas it’s £8000 from amazon uk rather than $8000!!

]]> By: John Emerson http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/comment-page-1/#comment-189602 John Emerson Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:33:32 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/03/12/itssss-my-birthday/#comment-189602 From my youth I also remember the Pelicans, which seem to have disappeared. I remember being intimidated by the long row of drab, essential-identical color-coded books in the bookstore. Nowadays they're much brighter. The cover of "Discourse on Method" shows Descartes learing at a Swedish princess (not Christina, but the blonde one). One edition "Beyond Good and Evil" even has a (tasteful, rather post-coital and glum-looking) nude woman on the cover, though I'm not completely sure that's Penguin. From my youth I also remember the Pelicans, which seem to have disappeared. I remember being intimidated by the long row of drab, essential-identical color-coded books in the bookstore. Nowadays they’re much brighter. The cover of “Discourse on Method” shows Descartes learing at a Swedish princess (not Christina, but the blonde one). One edition “Beyond Good and Evil” even has a (tasteful, rather post-coital and glum-looking) nude woman on the cover, though I’m not completely sure that’s Penguin.

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