Hi everyone,
Have been sucked into the world of Gone Girl and just resurfaced. Talk about a crazy ride...
I know some of you started this and then dropped it, but it completely sucked me in...
But this is not the handsome book of which I refer...
No, I am talking about when publishers release wonderful new versions of old favourites.
My most recent favourite was the lovely hardcover version of To Kill a Mockingbird recently released by Harper Collins to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the book (they must have known Dani would cover it in her book club!):
Then this past weekend, I was shopping at one of our local bookstores, Westminster Books
and I came across some newly-released versions of L.M. Montgomery books by Virago Modern Classics.
I have some very old L.M. Montgomery books
and some of the wretched mass market versions:
So when I saw the Virago versions, I was enthralled!
No slutty Anne here, like those released last year, but a lovely, illustrated, Anne:
And there were Emily books released as well. Oddly enough, I do not own the Emily books, though now I do...
 |
| I probably was always reading my sister's growing up... |
Honestly, I am a sucker for a pretty book.
Give me a penguin classic,
A modern classic
Oh hell, ANY classic, and I am swooning like a school girl looking at Andy Gibb in 1977 (now THERE is a specific image...)
How about you? Are you a lover of pretty books?
Do you own multiple versions of the same book?
Do you dislike the latest trend in books of photos on the cover when all you want is a fine font or lovely illustration?
Would love to hear! Have a great day and stay safe out there!
xoxo wendy
Yes to everything you said! I proudly own multiple versions of the same book, especially when it's a classic and they do a re-release with new footnotes or annotations about the social milieu to help the readers, such as with a version of Pride and Prejudice I have. Like you, I also love the cover art that hearkens back to a classic look as opposed to some modern photo or, heaven forbid, a still image from the movie version. The horror!
ReplyDeleteLoved Gone Girl, and I'm really looking forward to the film. I think Ben Affleck will do a great job with his interpretation.
I purposefully avoided the movie stuff till I was done, but agree - Ben Affleck is well cast!!
DeleteI am no fan of movie still covers, too, though I do have a few of them from over the years. I think the only one I like is A Room With a View as it has 1986 Julian Sands on the cover!
I too just love the look of an artfully designed book as those 2 Gatsby's are stylish but almost eyesores after seeing that iconic bluish one with the eyes.
ReplyDeletehttp://media.npr.org/assets/bakertaylor/covers/t/the-great-gatsby/9780743273565_custom-d51f0e4daf5397927d6c4e961fbdd718904668f5-s6-c30.jpg
Those L M Montgomery are indeed quite handsome!
Long live the independent bookstores such as your Westminster!
I like that version too, though those eyes make me nervous....
DeleteAgree with you completely on the importance of independent bookstores!
..yes those eyes are haunting!
DeleteI love a pretty book and typically don't keep any that are not very very handsome. Hardcover and without the dust jackets, I know it's bad of me to take them off but I can't stand the slippery feel of holding one and the hardcover spines are so attractive in their bare state.
ReplyDeleteYour old LMM books are gorgeous.
You and Barry are so alike - he takes them off as well, while I love dust jackets!
DeleteI also can't stand dust jackets, they drive me bonkers! But the books I am more likely to keep and/or have 2 versions of are definitely NOT the handsome harcovers, so much as the super well-loved paperbacks I've read 100 times, several of which I've also bought the eBook version of. But I do think cover art is an important element of your enjoyment of a book, and one I miss since I switched to eBooks.
DeleteI'm with you, W, love my dust jackets!
DeleteLove a classic penguin. And I agree on the Room With a View HBC and JS cover: yum. All other movie ones are rubbish, as you point out.
ReplyDeleteIt must be time to re watch that movie again....
DeleteI love beautiful books. Those new versions are simply ugly. I don't even like to borrow those from the library!! Love a penguin classic or any classic. It improves my experience. I'm goofy, and have been known to sit starring at a cover for long moments before I open it.
ReplyDeleteOh me too. I love a cover. And typeface is huge as well. Gotta love a nice typeface...
DeleteI like those simple modern classics covers but if Gwyneth's picture on Emma will spur people to pick it up and read it, I'm all for it. I have mostly transitioned to electronic books so I admit I have not been paying attention to covers lately. Gone Girl was a fun read although my interest waned towards the end. The second part was not as strong as the first but the progression of the story through different perspectives was interesting.
ReplyDeletemarie - I don't disagree - reading is ALWAYS better than not reading! Gone Girl was a bit of ride for sure!
DeleteI am an electronic reader like Marie. I love a beautiful bookstore but there are none to be found here. I really enjoyed the first half of Gone Girl and not so much the second...a bit bat shit crazy for me.
ReplyDeleteBB - most definitely BAT SHIT CRAZY!
DeleteI am a sucker for a great book and great cover. I am one of those people who have actually bought a book purely for the cover ( dont tell anyone!)
ReplyDeleteI think that is also my struggle with the kindle - i judge a book by its cover what can i say??
Oh, CSW, I have done this! Is this the same club as the buy-wine-by -the-label?
DeleteI, too have bought a book for a cover...
DeleteI haven't yet read Gone Girl, but I would like to before any movie comes out. I just checked and we do have the Emily books although I have no memory of ever reading them with the girls. Would I like them now?? I should replace our old yellowed paperback Anne series with that Virago edition for future generations.
ReplyDeleteGrateful I didn't get into first editions in a big way as I'd still be more gainfully employed than I am! I have a first of Out of Africa, one of Laurie Colwin's Homecooking. I got the reissued anniversary edition of Julia Child's Mastering..., imagining future family weddings( great red slipcover!)
I was lucky that I inherited the very few first editions I have. I am thinking the same of the Anne books now that I have the Emily books. I really loved the Emily books growing up - they are a bit darker than the Anne books, I think. I am actually reading The Story Girl and the Golden Road - oddly I never read them, but have now!
DeleteI love the looks of your old L.M. Montgomery books. As a lover of real books, how do you feel about Kindle and Kobo editions???
ReplyDeleteWell I love my kindle! I need it for reading in bed! I need the large font!
ReplyDeleteI really care about the cover of a book, it influences what I choose to buy. (I'm biased towards illustration over photo as it's how I earned my living.) I've got multiple copies of some books, though mostly by accident when I've mislaid a copy. As soon as I buy a new one the old book turns up!
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy, "a little stone chapel here in Fredericton" just looks deeevine, more deviner than some of those destinations because you'd need the mulla of Kimkayne to get your guests there for one thing. I know there is also a lot more heartache with destination weddings as some people whom you think are friends do not make the effort ( I saw this time and again) Mind you anything in france is great with me and whoever turns up its all good. Illustration of front cover is very important to me too, Zadie's Smith cover of NW doesn't really reflect her novel and is way too masculine I think. In comparison Beautiful Ruins had the most divine cover and I loved having it around the house.
ReplyDeleteWendy, I am so depressed about my so-called novel, Will have to get this tape for some inspiration.
Gosh I've just realised I've done two blog posts and left one comment, sorry will scadoodle upwards
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