Which Classics Editions are the Best?

When it comes to classics editions these days, we really are spoiled for choice.

This can be both a blessing and a curse; I can’t count the number of times I’ve been wavering between at least three or four editions of a book, questioning and second guessing myself each time I think I’ve made the decision of which one I want (it doesn’t help that I am a chronically indecisive person by nature).

The result is that my classics shelves are a highly varied collection full of different editions, with a few of my favourite books having the distinction of several copies in different styles, because they were all too beautiful to leave behind.

The upside of this is that I have now trialled several different versions of the classics editions on the market, and am therefore qualified to help you out in your book-shopping expeditions.

I’ll cover some of the most popular types, such as the Penguin Clothbounds and Black Spines, as well as some lesser-known options, giving a short description as well as a list of pros and cons for each edition. All are books that I have owned and read, and so I feel I am well acquainted enough to write on them.

(Please note that I have not received anything in return for discussing these books — these are only my honest opinions based on experience.)

So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

Chiltern Classics

Web Site: chilternpublishing.co.uk

First up, we have one of my more recent discoveries, as well as one of my favourites. You only have to look at them to understand why; these editions are absolutely gorgeous, and beautifully crafted. Inspired by the original Jane Austen classics, the books are of a smaller size and have hard covers and stitched binding.

I own four books in these editions: The Picture of Dorian Gray, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Frankenstein, and Dracula. I have read them all, and highly enjoyed my experience with them. I have also been eyeing their editions of the Austen classics, but haven’t quite been able to justify the purchase yet, as I already own the full set in the beautiful Penguin Clothbound editions.

Pros:

• Appearance: these classics have beautifully designed covers, often with raised designs and print, gilt edges, and creamy pages; each book also includes a ribbon bookmark

• Hardy and good quality: One thing I love about these is that, unlike other expensive classics editions, they are not easily damaged; the covers are hardy and not easily scratched or bent, and the pages are thick and hard to tear, which makes them a good companion for trips and outings (their smaller size also makes this convenient)

Cons:

• Spelling and grammar: In each of the books I have read from these editions, I have encountered some kind of spelling or grammar issue — all of them have been small (quotation marks missing, or one letter changed or missing), but from the price and quality of the books, I expect better

• Lack of notes: This is a big one — each book contains only the text of the novel, with no notes on the text or intro of any kind, which for classics can be a drawback

• Price: These editions are on the higher end of the price range

• Narrow range: Chiltern has a comparatively narrow range of classics compared to some of the others on this list, but they usually release about eight new classics every year

Though by this list these editions have more cons than pros, I would still highly recommend them; their quality and design are enough for me to fall in love with them.

Due to their high price and lack of notes, however, I probably wouldn’t recommend these to readers who are just dipping their toes into the world of classic literature.

Penguin English Library

Website: penguin.com.au

Next up, we have another of my favourites: the Penguin English Library editions. I own seven of these, including Vanity fair, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Peter Pan, Mrs Dalloway, The Tennant of Wildfell Hall, Evelina, and Villette. I love their design and cover illustrations, as well as their formatting, and they look lovely as a collection.

Pros:

• Very easy to read: This is probably the best edition I own in terms of ease of reading; they lie flat beautifully without any damage to the spine, and they have great text size and spacing; in addition, the covers feel lovely and smooth, and the books themselves are not too heavy to hold

• Appearance: These have a lovely design, and, as I mentioned above, they look great as a collection on your shelves

• Notes: Though not all of the books have this feature, the longer or more complicated works have great notes and introductions

• Price: These are amongst the most affordable classics I own, and where all my other cheap classics are quite ugly or not that good quality, these have neither of those issues, which makes them a great buy in my opinion

Cons:

• Easy to damage: The covers of these editions are quite easily bend and the edges easily scuffed; in addition, the pages are not that thick and so not that resistant to tearing, and they tend to yellow easily when exposed to the sun

• Range: Though not exactly narrow, this edition does focus on a specific subset of literature — according to their website, “English-language fiction, from the 18th century to the Second World War”

I love these; they are extremely affordable and offer a great reading experience, as well as having a lovely design. One of my top favourite picks.

Penguin Clothbound Classics

Website: penguin.com.au

These will forever hold a special place in my heart, as my set of Clothbound Jane Austen books has been a prize possession since childhood. In many ways, they helped to fuel my love for the classics. They have a lovely vintage look, complete with a ribbon bookmark, and offer a decent rage.

My owned titles from this edition include all six of Jane Austen’s novels and a collection of her earlier works, as well as a wide range of other classics from the likes of Orwell, Dickens, Homer, and the Brontë sisters.

Pros:

• Appearance: they have beautiful designs, and look great in a collection, similarly to the Penguin English Library Editions; their old and sophisticated look is widely recognisable and loved by bibliophiles the world around

• Notes: They contain excellent notes and introductions

Cons:

• Easy to damage: the print of these books rubs off very easily (though I have heard that they have tried to remedy this issue in later editions), and their price sticker can also often leave a residue on the cloth cover; they also stain easily, so avoid having food or drink around them (I learned this the hard way)

• Price: These are also on the higher end of the price range

Though these were my original favourites, they are no longer my go-to editions. Their lack of durability makes them fade on every re-read (though this can lend them a more vintage look which appeals to some), which means that some owners use them more as display books than actual reading volumes. I don’t like to use them so much for everyday reading myself, due to their price and lack of durability. It is largely up to personal preference whether you pick these editions, or whether the downsides are a turnoff to you.

Penguin Black Spines

Website: penguin.com.au

Though not my personal favourite in terms of appearance, these are a popular choice for book lovers worldwide. I own several, including Don Quixote, The Count of Monte Cristo, Great Expectations, Heart of Darkness, and some poetry and mythology collections.

Pros:

• Notes: these usually have excellent introductions, notes, and appendices — exhaustive extra content to help you get more out of the text

• Price: though not the lowest on this list, these editions are reasonably priced, as well as easy to find in most bookstores

• Appearance: As I said, these are not my favourite in terms of presentation, but there is no denying they look satisfying as a uniform collection on your shelves

• Range: These have probably the largest range of any on this list — you can find almost any classic in this edition

• Translated works: their translations are usually of quite high quality for works originally written in a language other than English

Cons:

• Easy to damage: The cover and pages of these editions are not to hardy, and are easily bent, torn, or damaged; the spine is easily creased as well, even if you are careful, and the pages also yellow very quickly in my experience when exposed to even the slightest bit of sunlight

These would be one of my first recommendations, especially to those just starting to read the classics, as they are very accessible in many different ways, and don’t really have any solid downsides. As such, they have become a staple for many.

Penguin Little Black Classics

Website: penguin.com.au

I personally don’t like these very much; they have very few things to recommend them in my opinion. I have owned about six different books in this edition, and have un-hauled most of them as I am unlikely to ever read them again, based on both content and reading experience.

Pros:

• Size: These are very small, which makes them easy to carry around with you, and also quick to read, which can be good in some circumstances

Cons:

• Abridging: A lot of these books are shortened versions or selections from specific texts, and not the full text; a fact which is not really displayed in any prominent place (in my experience)

• Not easy to read: The reading experience with these was not great; the covers don’t lay flat or open very nicely unless you bend them back, due to the size of the books

As you can probably guess, I don’t really recommend these, unless they are exactly what you are looking for. They do have some fans, but I don’t really see the point of them personally.

Vintage Classics

Website: penguin.com.au

I have owned a few books from these editions over time, and I neither like nor dislike them particularly.

Pros:

• Though I don’t like the design of most of their books (especially the ones with the red spines), some, like the Russian Literature editions (including War and Peace, pictured above), can be quite pretty

Cons:

• Quality: Pages tend to be thin, and to yellow quite easily

• Print size: This can be a little on the small side in some of the books

I don’t know that I would ever specifically recommend these, as there are ranges that I like better out there, but like I said, I don’t dislike them for any particular reason either. It depends on whether you like the look of them and what they have to offer, but they aren’t a standout option in my opinion.

Popular Penguins (Penguin Orange Classics)

Website: penguin.com.au

I have quite a few of these — about seventeen at the moment, and have owned more in the past, as I received one each month in a book subscription box for a few years as a teenager. That said, I don’t think I have ever bought one for myself personally.

Pros:

• Price: These are quite affordable

• Easy to read: They tend to have decent sized print, and they are light and comparatively small, easy to hold and carry around with you

• Range: They have a pretty wide range, from popular to less well-known classics

Cons:

• Quality: The quality of these is not typically great (though it’s not bad for the price, either); the pages yellow easily, and the paper isn’t as good quality as the more expensive classics

• Appearance: I’ve always found these kind of plain and ugly personally, and they’re definitely not on the list of the most ornate or beautiful versions of classics out there

These are pretty decent if you are looking for a cheaper option, but if you want something a little more eye-catching then I would suggest going for something else; these aren’t the prettiest options available by a long shot.

Wordsworth Editions

I own quite a few of these, as I came across a sale as a teenager where they had a shelf of them for seven dollars each, and talked my parents into getting me a whole stack. The biggest downside of these is that, in my opinion, they are the ugliest classics I own, with weird stock-image style cover art on a greyish background.

Pros:

• Price: one of the cheaper options available

• Notes: decent notes, though not the most comprehensive I’ve ever come across

Cons:

• Appearance: as aforementioned, they are catastrophically ugly

• Quality: they are also not of the best quality, meaning the covers damage and the pages yellow quite easily; in addition, the print size is often small

I don’t really recommend these; if you are searching for a cheap option, there are certainly better choices around that are less of an eyesore on your shelves.

Dover Thrift Editions

Website: doverpublications.com

Another cheaper option; I haven’t owned many of these, so haven’t had a lot of experience with them, but what I have had hasn’t been too bad.

Pros:

• Price: these are an extremely affordable option

• Range: these have a pretty wide selection available, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry

Cons:

• Appearance: for their price, these aren’t bad looking, but also don’t expect anything too fancy; as far as formatting, the print is also quite close together (at least in the books I have owned in this edition), which isn’t great for ease of reading

• Quality: for what you pay for them, these aren’t terrible, but the paper is noticeably thin and neither the covers nor the pages are of high-quality materials; again though, for the price you aren’t exactly expecting the world

• Translated works: I haven’t read any translated works in these editions, but have heard complaints from those who have that the translations are sometimes outdated or not of the best quality

In conclusion, these are a pretty decent low-cost option, but are quite basic, with no frills or extras.

Word cloud classics

Website: canterburyclassicsbooks.com

These are a bit on the quirkier side, and personally I quite like the design.

Pros:

• Appearance: these editions have a unique and pretty design, including foil stamping on the cover

• Print size: unlike some other classics editions, the print size is decent, so you don’t have to squint to read it

• Quality: the paper is nice and thick, and the cover feels nice on the hands and doesn’t damage easily

Cons:

• Range: their range is not quite as wide as that of some other classics editions

• Notes: in my experience, the books have no notes or commentary, only the text itself

If you are looking for a pretty and more unique edition, these are nice; but if you are looking for a more in-depth study with notes, these are probably not the edition for you.

Barnes and Noble Collectible Editions

Website: barnesandnoble.com

These are among the prettiest and most luxurious options; they have beautifully designed hardcovers, gilt edges, and ribbon bookmarks, and look absolutely fantastic on the avid book-collector’s shelves.

Pros:

• Appearance: these are probably the best looking classics I have ever come across, and look incredible and eye-catching on a bookshelf

• Quality: these are very durable and made from very good quality materials

Cons:

• Ease of reading: due to the size and weight, especially of some of the thicker volumes, they aren’t that easy to read, especially for long periods of time, and you can’t really just throw them into a bag to take on holiday or out to the park with you

• Price: these are on the more expensive side, in accordance with their appearance and quality, so not quite suitable for those looking for a more affordable option

I love these, but they are more for display than everyday reading as such; they are beautiful editions for collectors and passionate bibliophiles, but for those looking for a more practical read, they should probably look elsewhere.

Puffin classics

Website: penguin.com.au

Last but not least, we have the Puffins. Some of my first ever classics were in this edition, so I have a soft spot for them out of nostalgia, if for no other particularly good reason.

Pros:

• Formatting: these have a large print size and are generally smaller sized books, which make them easy and comfortable to read

• Appearance: they often have cute designs and cover illustrations

Cons:

• Abridging: these editions are often abridged, as they are mainly aimed at younger readers, so make sure you double-check before buying if you are looking for the full version of a classic

These are great editions to get younger readers started on the classics, as these are the main audience that they were intended and designed for. However, if you are an older or more experienced classics reader, these are likely not the most fitting option for you.

Conclusion

So, after all that, I hope you’ve managed to find some information that is helpful to you on your book-buying journey, and in making your reading experience the best it can be.

Classics are by far my favourite genre, and I hope that you can find some advice that is useful for your own forays into the world of classic literature — or just to find the prettiest edition to add to your collection.

Which are your favourite editions? Did I skip over any that you would recommend? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy reading (and shopping)!