Are Penguin Classic Editions Overhyped? (The Penguin Classics Tag) 

The Penguin classics deserve their good reputation on the whole. Their strengths include the sheer range of titles in the series and the readability of the translations. The introductions usually contextualise the text well for new readers and the notes (if present) are often helpful too. Penguin classics also publish some excellent anthologies. The cover artwork is usually well-chosen and attractive. There are some negatives though: many of the translations are getting quite old now and could do with updating; Penguin translations usually aim for readability over literal accuracy, so if it's accuracy you're looking for you may find a different edition suits you better; Penguin quite often abridges books when it doesn't seem necessary. When a text exists in both Penguin and Oxford versions, the Oxford version will normally have a more recent and literally accurate translation. The introduction and notes will tend to be more scholarly in the Oxford edition too. Norton critical editions will be even more scholarly still, with plenty of contextual material and critical essays, but the font size will typically be small. Most of my comments here are generalisations, and with translations you should always try them out and see which one suits you best (more recent doesn't always mean better), but in terms of making a wide variety of classic literature available to readers I can't think of any publishing house that does it better than Penguin classics.

Penguins are the best…..usually. Oxfords are pretty good and sometimes beat Penguins on certain books. The B&N editions are surprisingly good too. Excellent video!

I've been collecting Penguin classics because I tend to find them thrifted more than other editions... but my favourite editions are the Oxfords... I love the notes at the back and I love how floppy they are 😅 But from Penguin I ADORE the English Library editions... more for the aesthetic haha. p.s. love your shirt :)

Couldn’t click on this fast enough as I don’t collect Penguin classics but if I am looking for a classic, I do prefer their books, particularly for the translations, notes and introductions. For instance, I am reading War and Peace and, despite owning the Oxford World Classic for some years, the Penguin translation by Briggs is the one I went with based on research and it is great. They also had a huge range of classical texts in translation so I have a fair few of those from when I did my classical archaeology degree, including that Rieu translation (didn’t like that translation btw also didn’t know it was their first published classic!). The aesthetics didn’t used to be a focus for me, but I do like their design more often than that of other publishers. Great video!

the penguin classics are so vast! I have some Shirley Jackson ones! We collect the modern library classics in our rare book collection 🤗 great classics video! I didn't know there were so many different kinds of penguin classics!

I mainly collect Penguin classics for the aesthetic. The spines look so nice all lined up! And I do usually like their footnotes. But I think Oxford classics are just as good (and also look quite nice lined up), and I'll go for those if I can't find the book I want in Penguin. But I'd say the actual "best" editions for classics are the Norton Critical Editions. They provide so much historical context.

I seek out Penguin Classics. The pocket Penguins are so stinking cute!!! Penguin is definitely a collector thing and they have the best notes (even if they include spoilers). You scrolling through all the classics and my reaction was a wide-eyed shock! What a cool tag! Thanks for sharing your thoughts

Wow, it was cool to see all the different 'lines' of classics that Penguin has done! Didn't realize! :D

We adore the notes in the outro of the classics ...it really touches our hearts 💕👈🏾 Happy Bookish Wednesday Friends

Back when I was still collecting hard copy books, I preferred the B&N versions. That's probably because the Starbucks inside B&N was my unofficial (and more frequented than my real) office. I never really considered comparing the various classic versions. Also, I usually ignore the introduction/commentary altogether. I'd rather decide for myself what the book is saying.

I don't have anything to add as I don't really know much about the history of Penguins classics but I loved learning a bit more from you =) The clothbound ones are so pretty!

currently own 58 penguin clothbound classics. They look great the shelf

I work in a second hand book shop and Penguin Classics are our biggest seller.

I think they are so popular because they are a truly global brand particularly after merging with Random House. Also their history of publishing quality bound books back in the 1930s when the quality of popular books in the UK at least was very poor. As to the classics I have a few but my main collection of Penguin books is the Orange spined collection of non-fiction ranging from religion to politics. As to other companies I recommend 'Vintage Russian classics', as the translations are very good as is the quality of printing and binding.

I have quite a few soft cover publishers that I like; vintage classics, penguin deluxe (for a splurge), Harper Collins, Barnes and Noble and penguin classics. I like the notes in penguin classics and tend to favor those editions with antiquity or subjects I'm not knowledgeable in. I don't care for the intro spoilers with and read those last if I remember to. 🤷‍♀️🤔My speculation for the p. classic popularity is the rise of "dark academia" since they have the black spine; the middle of the road pricing, solid quality for the price and they tend to have really nice font size.

I actually like the Norton critical editions, which are meant for students but I like how they will have foot notes that explain historical contexts

Cage match! Penguin v Oxford v Signet v ...Dover Thrift??? Those got me through in.a pinch in several instances! ;D

I have often wondered about this, seeing them all over booktube! Thanks for doing this and going into it. I think I’ve only ever ended up with some because of the translation, orrr just cheap on bookoutlet. The Honjin Murders I read seemed like the translation was kind of suspect, so if it is just for the translations, that’s kind of funny. I’ve never thought about the prestige and hyped of the classic. I’d have thought Oxford would be kind of a bigger deal. And also, yeah, I never read introductions, they should universally before afterwards imo. I don’t get it.

The Wordsworth Classics Introductions are really good. They sorta give a background of the author and his works so readers know where he's coming from. I have many Dostoevsky's works in the Wordsworth editions and the Introductions are always well written 👌

"Quite bonkers" 😆👏🏽

Just found your channel and I’m so glad I did, great to find a fellow kindred spirit! Would it be okay if I did this tag on my channel? ☺️

Man's Search For Meaning is propaganda.