📚 Which Collection of Classics to Choose 🌟 Which Edition of Classics to Buy / Recommendations

[@bookishtopics]

What collection of classics do you prefer? 📚

[@wisecraic]

If I am reading for general enjoyment and using for some shelf pizzazz, I am very fond of Knickerbocker Classics. For study, I like Pocket Books Enriched Classics when available.

[@andreakoeries7230]

Penguin modern classics 💫

[@Babvgurl3]

worldsworth classics

[@just_ella17]

I love the penguin english library ones but I'd love to get more vintage children's Classics and I try to get everything I read for school in the penguin black spine edition.

[@whateverbabe]

I liked vintage classics collections, there are Russian ones also Brontë sisters ones, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf and Charles Dickens. I want to buy them all because they are sooo beautiful + the sisterhood collection.

[@chrrytrbl]

01:35 dover thrift editions 06:22 wordsworth classics 09:16 bantam classics 10:55 collins classics 13:18 pocket penguin classics 14:57 scholastic classics 16:47 signet classics 20:18 puffin classics 24:00 evergreen classics 26:25 legend classics 28:04 penguin black spine classics 32:54 penguin english library 35:50 penguin modern classics 40:40 oxford classics 46:30 vintage classics 50:00 virago modern classics 52:56 penguin deluxe editions 55:36 the modern library 57:47 broadview classics 59:48 norton critical editions 1:3:20 new york review books 1:3:58 apollo editions

[@lpeek56]

Thank you so much for this list Alizay Abulhasan❣️

[@hermyown3956]

Do you have the chiltern editions review as well?

[@hasna7542]

as someone who have had bought classics and left them unread because of tiny fonts, this so so helpful! won't make the same mistake again haha. thank you so much

[@bookishtopics]

exactly my problem. I know I would never read a book with a tiny font unless I really really have to and there's no way around it :D I'm glad this video was helpful! Thank you for watching!

[@doloresofcourse]

THIS. I want to actually be able to READ my books.

[@sharonbrock7060]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@karengustafson7666]

Yes! My eyes cannot read tiny font and close line spacing.

[@ytacct7959]

FINALLY! Someone who talks about and shows examples of fonts and page spacing! So many of these videos discussing book series and editions only show the covers, which is an important aspect of a book, yes, but it's not THE most important part--if you actually want to read the book, that is. It's especially true for classics, Since they're out of copyright, anyone can publish an edition of a classic book, but though the cover may look nice, the text, page spacing, the font could be a mess. I've seen a version of Pride and Prejudice with a lovely cover, but which had two columns of tiny text per page, Columns! Like a newspaper! It wasn't just unreadable; it was aggressively off-putting and made me want to throw the book across the room. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

[@gnitsetnetukar1823]

Videos about books are always so calming. I don't really care about editions all that much, but looking at my shelves, i do have a lot of penguin black spines. Quite happy with them

[@intervineas]

I've wanted to see a video like this for so long! -- a good, thorough comparison of different editions of classics. I've bought books that I will not read because the font is just to small/crowded. Its great to know whether they have notes and introductions. I really like flexi-cover books too, like the Word Cloud Classics by Canterbury Press and the Barnes and Noble ones. Now I need to see if you also have a video with hardcover editions, like Everyman's Library and Chiltern, which I'm also interested in.

[@bookishtopics]

Hello, Thank you for your comment! I'm glad this video was useful. I haven't done a video about hardbacks yet, I'll do so once I have more of them in my collection. But will definitely do one eventually :)

[@a.g.2790]

I love the Oxford World's Classics- the font never too small, light books & good quality as well as the Vintage Classics, Signature Classics, The Penguin English Library & The Barnes Nobles Classics. Those hold up pretty nicely & the font is always a good size. 🥰 Loved your video! Very helpful. 💗

[@MeloD-3]

Pleeease do this video but for hardbacks! I plan on getting a few paperbacks, but mainly I plan to get hardbacks and I would love your opinion on it!

[@taylord1376]

AHHHHH you're so adorable, absolutely delightful and covers everything I needed to know about the editions

[@bookishtopics]

Thank you! 🌟 I'm glad this video was helpful! 📚

[@chambeet]

Agreed on the adorable part. Love the “prepare yourself” bit. For me, my favorites are first and foremost Penguin Classics, then Oxford World Classics, then maybe Modern Library Classics or whatever it’s called. For hardback, I like Library of America and Everyman’s Library.

[@chambeet]

Just watching the video now. How could I forget Norton Critical Editions?! Also among my very favorites.

[@veraflores1796]

The way you say José Saramago is just perfect! I'm portuguese and indeed his writing is like that, no paragraphs. It's not easy to read. I'm curious what the translation looks like and to hear your toughts about it 😊 I found your booktube recently and I'm delighted with your videos ❤

[@icthus_online]

I was about to comment the same thing.

[@cauazygiel]

adoro encontrar pessoas que falam português em vídeos estrangeiros

[@jurioish]

I came here to say the same thing. I think she would be a good Portuguese speaker.

[@lisaberg9241]

What a great video! I admit I stayed away from classics for a long time because of the tiny, fuzzy fonts in old editions!! It's so great to see publishing houses step it up and introduce these works in much user-friendly editions. Penguin, Penguin Classics Deluxe, Penguin Vintage Classics (The Russians) and NYRB are my favourites.

[@arianarosel6943]

Really enjoyed this video, especially all the side by side comparisons! I usually look for Modern Library Classics, but my absolute favorite is to find unique copies in used bookstores :)

[@goster4070]

Thank you so much for this, finally someone who also has issues with font sizes and helps people to make their choice! THANK YOU!

[@aliceandtheworld1292]

An hour-long talk about editions of classics! Yes, please! This was a very useful video! Thanks for all of the information! I am a big fan of Penguin English Library and Clothbound Classics. Now I'm sold on Norton Critical Editions. Gotta try them too.

[@user-bn9wi9hv1u]

This was an incredibly helpful video! Thank you for making and sharing it!

[@bookishtopics]

Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful!

[@mandarina_ra]

First would like to say I love this video thank you for making it! Also, those Evergreen editions are Alma Classics and I love them so much :))

[@leobochicchio3199]

This is such a great video, I love the way you talk about these books ❤ your energy is contagious

[@kookiekommenter]

Very comprehensive, so detailed, still helpful over two years layer. I appreciated this video!

[@daisycakescreativeservices5678]

This was such a helpful video. I loved seeing all of the editions (as well as the pros and cons of each). Thank you!

[@bookishtopics]

Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful!

[@iamangieh]

this video of yours was *so* helpful, thank you!!

[@vandakat]

So in depth and helpful, thank you!

[@bookishtopics]

I'm glad it was helpful! 🌿

[@ba-gg6jo]

Your enthusiasm is infectious!

[@occlumency04]

I enjoyed this video so much, it brings me so much comfort to hear you talk about the different editions haha! Would love a hardback comparison video, I’ve been spotting those Everyman’s Library editions behind you on your bookshelf, they are my favourite too!! 🤗

[@noemiethibault139]

Haha I love the Oxford editions and their small fonts! I often like the translators they work with for Russian classics.

[@DucHoang1112]

Totally agree with you on the fonts and marginal estates as breaking points 😂 I would also add another point of consideration is paper quality. Because I live in a humid climate, the papers can get yellow and moldy easily. So high quality paper that can withstand the humidity is a must for me. I also prefer papers on the denser side with cream or off white color. To me, the Vintage and Oxford Classics are more often than not to have bad papers, which lead to fuzzy characters. I had given up reading Vintage books because of them. So far, I have found Penguin Deluxe paperbacks are of the most enjoyable to read. Most of the times, I stick with the hardcovers 😂

[@patriciadeane7250]

Thank you so much for enlightening us all on the various editions. This has been extremely helpful.

[@kimswhims8435]

I ordered The Bosnian Chronicles on your recommendation. Found a new copy for about $20. Thanks for the recommendation.

[@00l508]

Love this video, I always come back to it! For me, having notes is an absolute must. Would also LOVE to see a hardcover version of this video😍

[@ofgodzeus]

I really enjoy watching edition reviews videos so you can imagine my joy at finding an hour long one xD which by the way was not disappointing, quite the opposite, really enjoyable. Thanks for all the insights! Subscribed ^^

[@ofgodzeus]

i literally just rewatched the entire thing and took notes XD

[@apeacefulworld9095]

Hands down: the best Review Video, in KZbin 🙌🏼🤩

[@jillwhitneybirk]

Did you ever do the follow-up on hard cover classics additions? I didn’t see it on your feed. I would still love this video!!

[@bookishtopics]

I haven't yet. I'm still collecting my hard-cover editions. as the majority of my library is paperback. I'm almost there so sometime this half of the year I'll make it :)

[@ceeece]

Great video! I am looking forward to your hardback classics video!

[@websmink]

I had a drink and felt very full at the end the video since I sipped from my drink every time you said font. And I am glad you did because I think many don’t even mention what seems like one of the most important parts of a book. I do agree that small and hard-to-read fonts can be unhealthy, over the long term, for the eyes. Thank you for the great information.

[@BoomerBookings-yf2de]

Thank you. I thoroughly enjoyed this and understand the differences better now. Did you ever do your edition on the Hardback collecting?

[@marlenekayenright9346]

Thank you for this video. Love your content

[@HimanshuPandey-bu1rm]

Thanks for making such a nice video. it's helping me a lot to choose my books.

[@Mungoteazer11581]

I really like The Penguin English Library and I barely read notes =D Also I am really impressed how much knowledge you have about different editions. It seems like really something you enjoy=) I think I have an Oxford Classics edition of Othello

[@bookishtopics]

I've just accumulated a lot of them 😅 but I do love beautiful books with comfortable fonts and good notes. I don't need much 😅

[@BopToTRythmOfTRadio]

I just discovered you, because i was looking for an review of the Makioka sisters. I was wondering if it was worth it. And I find myself really loving your videos. You seems so genuinely nice.. !

[@bookishtopics]

Thank you! Welcome to the channel :)

[@charmainesaliba5546]

Really enjoyed this video and it is helpful. I always go for Wordsworth edition for authors I had never read before, so if I don't like them I won't feel guilty since they are cheap and also Collins classic for the same reason, but as you said the font is small and my eyesight is not as it use to be 🤣.

[@ThirrinDiamond]

Up until this video i didn't once consider that maybe my reading block aka my brain is not the problem but the fricking book font may be the problem...... I'm shook

[@KakashiHatake-ou7mp]

I keep coming back to this video to re watch it! It's surprising to see that there is so little information about the Pricey collection! I don't think I found any videos about Apollo Library collection or Broadview collection. It would merit its own videos for sure! Hope you'll cover them along with the other pricey editions separately in detail in the future!

[@4061earthabcdesong]

I believe Tanya has tried her best. And she did a great job comparing books commonly available in general bookshops or famous online bookstore such as Book Depository. While we could enjoy useful info like what Tanya has been providing us, let's not forget that all those books that she demonstrated to us were bought out of her pocket, rather than sponsored copies.

[@mourushighosh1075]

needed is this so bad, thank u !! it was really helpful

[@lauraa4329]

This was helpful and very detailed! Thank you for sharing! I love collecting Penguin editions. I think they look classy

[@eendju]

Love this video. Such a great resource! I collect the Penguin Clothbound Classics and if I can't get it in that edition, I will buy a Penguin Black Spine or Penguin Modern Classic. I love their spines. Which is why I don't buy the Penguin English Library edition; those spines look too messy on my bookshelves. 😅 Glad that their is a choice for everyone. 😉

[@Hachan2002]

This video is my go-to every time I wanna buy an edition I’m not familiar with. Thank you so much for this🫶🏼

[@yasmine7305]

This was the perfect video I needed before starting my classics collection, had only started reading some in the few months! It’s been so fun and exciting🥰

[@MissSnow]

I really like your video

[@bookishtopics]

I certainly will, just need to collect a few more hardback editions.

[@kathale967]

Lovely video :) Please do the hardcovers!

[@lear7603]

Great overview of different collections. I really like New York Reviews one. ☺️

[@bookishtopics]

Yes! These are always beautiful and usually in my experience have nice font too :)

[@RachelB.BookReferences]

What a helpful video! Of course, I like the more expensive versions, lol. It's difficult to find covers I love, though. I think for classic works, the covers should in some way reflect the time period of the book, but without being ugly and boring. And the way a book fits in my hands is very important. I don't like wide books.

[@isabela9830]

thank you so much for this video, i really didn’t know much about the different editions and now i know which ones to look out for :)) 🤍

[@bookishtopics]

I'm glad it was helpful! :)

[@enfermagembenfermagemb2251]

Thank you so much for this video and buy books just to show us the font size and quality of the books.❤ I think that for Wordsworth classics: I would only buy Wordsworth to read Annna Karenina and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy because it’s the 1918 Aylmer and Louise Maude translation and also Tolstoy himself gave them the okay to translate his work.

[@kimesch9698]

May I suggest Seawolf Press. They carry mostly young adult classics from the 1800s to early 1900s. They try to use fonts and spacing similar to the way the book was originally published, including black and white illustrations. Jules Verne, Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson, L.M. Montgomery, Arthur Conan Doyle and many other authors. Love the font size and especially the spacing. I have many of their books and will buys more. And they’re suprisingly inexpensive for the quality.

[@preetii_pvtt]

Tysm! I really needed a video on editions! Really really thnk you!

[@chambeet]

You saying “Huckleberry Finn” is the cutest thing ever, LOL.

[@Roggle201999]

Thank you for giving so much detail! So excited for the hard copy version :)

[@jen-vx3ks]

I also don’t like how grim the Penguin Black spines look on my shelves, so I try to keep them at a minimum. But sometimes they seem to have the best translations, so I’ll go for them anyway. I also tape the edges to keep them better intact.

[@ashidotayo6478]

Great video. Really helpful and informative.❤

[@AbiofPellinor]

Those Evergreen classics are right up my street, they look so beautiful. I definitely want to get some of these at some point! And the Legend classics as well. My poor wallet hahaha

[@AbiofPellinor]

Omg wait those Apollo editions!!!

[@criselda.]

Thank you for this video Tanya 🥰 I really enjoyed listening to you explain each edition.. My favorite is the modern library and the penguin deluxe editions. I also like the penguin black spines because they are so floppy but the black spines are easily damaged 😔 I have heard about the norton critical editions but never owned one. They look beautiful too! I will try and see if I can get one. I hope you make a video like this again but for hardbound books please 💜🩵

[@bookishtopics]

Be careful with Norton Critical Editions. Lately, they're hit or miss for me. The information in them is excellent but lately, they started using very thin Bible-like paper and tiny fonts in some of their books which makes it harder for me to read because my eyes get tired very fast. I think they are better to buy from brick-and-mortar shops where you can actually see them.

[@richardreed2323]

I like this video very much. Thank you for making it. I particularly liked your discussion of fonts since I am old and my eyes don’t work as well as I used to. Often I can’t find a font big enough in a physical book and I have to resort to e-books.

[@nancypadi2213]

Such a helpful video, thank you so much. ☺

[@andreasday7874]

This is a very helpful video! Thanks for sharing!

[@rae_of_sunlight]

So helpful, thank you!! Would love to see a hardback version of this too :)

[@HumairaaXO]

lovvvve ur intro 😍😍😍

[@garagegeek4863]

This is dangerous for me - I love them all, but wouldn’t want many of them in my collection. Some of these editions aren’t available in the U.S. No Penguin English Library here - maybe that’s a good thing! This is an excellent video. I look forward to watching your other videos - so glad I stumbled upon your channel.

[@ArihaanMusic]

Hello. I really enjoyed your video and you covered a lot of editions. Do you mind posting a list of classics that you have? 😊

[@bookishtopics]

I definitely will at some point. :) Just need to figure out the format because I've got a lot of them :)

[@stanbrown32]

I grew up with Signet and Bantam classics in high school, then Penguin Classics in college. The small print really bothers me now, though, so I prefer Oxford World Classics' larger and clearer font.

[@Tasha9315]

I loved how you analyzed each edition. Would you consider doing one for hardbacks? Regarding Oxford World Classics, I think how you can predict the font is my the length of the book. I think Oxford is okay for it's font as long as it's not more than 300 plus pages (give or take). I have Cousin Phillis by Elizabeth Gaskell with around 250 pages and it's font is a little small but still readable.

[@bookishtopics]

Hello :) thank you for your comment. Yes, I'll do one eventually, I'm currently still building my collection of hardback classics but as soon as I have enough diversity of different editions I'll of course make a video :)

[@jennyyeh4730]

Thank you for this !! Get Eugene onegin in Oxford classics ! Font not bad and also translator falen is great !! (Though I know you can read in original Russian) 😊

[@adrianneconstant]

Incredibly useful vidro thank you!!!

[@bookishtopics]

I'm so glad it was useful and helpful! I did my best!

[@Beantbeantbeant]

Your complaints about oxford classics are exactly my feelings too. The reason the font is so small is because they use facsimile photo scans of the original source material, such as first prints or early editions of the original work and then input the image onto the pages... they don't actually type the book out and adjust the font. You can see this badly in some of their books too when the page can sometimes be off center and rotated a bit as they didn't format the photo scan properly. The Iliad was almost impossible to read due to this

[@SailOnSG]

Good to know that some Penguin Deluxe Classics have intros and notes. Took me by surprise to hear you mention the extras in your trio of books. I have Middlemarch in PDC and it has no extra material. There is a short Forward. Nothing at the back. I was going to say it might be because it is such a long work, but of course, you have two very long books in your trio. I’m on the fence right now as to whether I will keep this edition. The cover isn’t one of the prettier ones in the collection. I was attracted by the text style (size, spacing, good margins), floppiness, and because unlike most paperbacks it has acid-free paper.

[@tfpp1]

I would also say Dover Thrift editions are useful if you're a) cheap, and/or b) wanna read classics "on your own" and don't care for reading someone else's introductions, forwards, commentary, etc. Personally, for me, I like nicer editions. But I appreciate what Dover does, I'm sure there are people out there who do too.

[@davidhatred7275]

a lot of my minty penguins have intos and notes, the dubliners has both.

[@flottyloves3300]

Thank you so much for your work on this video! It was very helpful to me. And I got aware of the fonts. To be honest I never thought about them. But when you were mentioning them I remembered that sometimes my eyes were easily getting tired and I was wondering why. I think I have an idea now 😀

[@jane92]

Phenomenal video! Very helpful.

[@relojenmanoderecha]

Wow! Great reference to choose Classic books editions!!! Thanks!!!

[@stephenn3727]

I really enjoyed this. Thank you

[@КаринаРудковская-э5щ]

Сижу и думаю, почему такой акцент знакомый, оказалось, что у меня такой же. )) Привет из России ) Мега информативное видео, большое спасибо! Как раз подбирала себе издание, хочу собрать небольшую коллекцию книг на английском )

[@elizabethurassa2811]

Great work. You may be interested in talking about Elizabeth Paradiso Urassa's books. They are very good for university students and may help the loved ones not to drop out of their studies. I appreciate what you are doing. Thank you very much.

[@literarymalfunction]

your intro made me subscribe 😭❤️

[@KakashiHatake-ou7mp]

Are you planning to make the Hardcover edition of this video soon? Curious to see what options are there!

[@bookishtopics]

I do plan on filming such a video, but I need to get more books for that as my collection mostly consists of paperbacks. But once I have enough hardback editions, I'll for sure make a video about them too :)

[@KakashiHatake-ou7mp]

@@bookishtopics I see you have Everyman Library. Those are amazing value for money :) Looking forward to that video!

[@bookishtopics]

@@KakashiHatake-ou7mp absolutely! I love these editions! And they have a lot of interesting titles from classics around the world too! Nt just British or American which is a huge huge huge plus to me! I love British and American titles too, but I want to learn about classics from different parts of the world and it's fantastic in my opinion that they provide these titles and in such great quality books too!

[@KakashiHatake-ou7mp]

@@bookishtopics Yes. They have a very wide range of choices and they are all excellent quality. The fonts are comfortable, and paper quality is also excellent. I have now switched from Penguin Black editions to these wherever it's available

[@martasgreatlibrary]

the most helpful and needed video

[@aelissa39]

THANK YOU!! This is a great video and you've just made me think twice about switching from Penguin Black Spine to Oxford (due to price... I mean they're not very different but in my country Oxford converts to a slightly cheaper range, so... I like to get the most bang for my bucks, hehe). Anyways, have you heard about Arcturus Publishing? I love their classics! They're very similar to Legend Press: no notes, no introductions, but nice font size.

[@LennySpring]

In the evergreen classics the font varies depending on the length of the book. I got a copy of Don Quixote and it is barely readable

[@jorgelopez-pr6dr]

I search for early German Romantic poetry, but it is hard to find. Holderin, for example, has a work that is called Der Tod des Empedokles.

[@aisling8308]

My slightly older Penguin Modern Classics (with the white spine) have good lengthy introductions, but that might be just the particular books I have in that edition.

[@mohammedhanif6780]

I just wish Penguin would have acid-free paper for their Modern Classics. I agree, they are beautifully designed.

[@kismetau]

Hi, thanks for the informative video. I noticed you have Everyman's Library editions behind you but they were never discussed? What are your thoughts on these? They are personally one of my favourite.

[@amnal3983]

This video is so helpful!

[@PacoElMapache]

Great video! Have you done the video on hard cover book yet?

[@loscaffaleinsonne4156]

Hiii I love your channel, I'm going to become a subscriber! Plus I need to ask you an advice

[@mediumjohnsilver]

I also have the Bantam Classic edition of Around The World In Eighty Days, but it is an earlier edition printed in 1988, and the novel is squeezed into just 163 pages. So the printing you have seems to be a slight improvement over that. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story very much, especially the delightful ending. I gave a copy to my father and he enjoyed it, too.

[@jackiesliterarycorner]

Did you ever read This Side of Paradise? What did you think of Fitzgerald? I like the Flexibound Word Cloud Classics, Barnes and Noble classics, Penguin Black Spines, and the Vintage Classics. I'll keep an eye out for your hardbacks, but there are two hardback editions I recently realized I like, and that's the Everyman's Library and the clothbound. Some the editions I like are harder for me to get and when I'm trying to exercise self control by not buying books every month, and the editions I want disappear quickly if I buy them online.

[@rowanwax]

Aaahhhh, I struggle with decal edges because I turn pages from the side! I have to switch to the bottom or top edge and it messes with my page flow 😩 otherwise I would go Penguin Deluxe.

[@rowanwax]

Clarifying: top right corner edge.

[@bookishtopics]

Yes, they really are great editions. I also wasn't a fan of deckled edges before, so I know how frustrating it can be.

[@vindyahaasani8501]

Useful video Thank you😊

[@metronome9951]

I noticed that the covers of the same book from red spine vintage classics edition can be matte or glossy. What could be the reason for this?

[@TK-mn3id]

I love Penguin Black spines. I prefer to collect the same edition of classics and Penguins work fine for me

[@GuiltyFeat]

I am settling down to watch an hour of this deliciously bookish content. I have one or two older Dover Thrift editions, but I wouldn't buy another. The paper quality is bad. The whole enterprise is designed to be cheap and that's exactly how they come across. I don't own any of the Wordsworth editions. Also just a little too cheap for my tastes. I have some older Bantam classics that I bought secondhand. Again the quality is very poor. These books have disintegrated just sitting on my shelf over 30 years, not from being read, just because they are made from cheap materials. I'm going to carry on watching now, but I want to say that, given the choice, I will always buy a Penguin Classic, preferably an older one from the 80s and 90s. I buy classics mostly secondhand these days and rarely have to spend more than $5 for anything. eBay is super helpful here.