Books to buy instead of Clothbound Classics 

another one worth looking at is Everyman's Library editions - they have a huge range and they're at the mid point of your price ranges but they're supposed to be high quality. and you'll often see the older ones in charity shops etc

Last summer I read all of Austen and I really wanted to celebrate by getting a beautiful collection. I almost got the clothbound but the two that I own already are soooo faded and I never even read from them! Just from sitting on my shelf. But then I discovered the MacMillan collection!!! I adore them! The cover art is always stunning and very true to the book and I love the quotes they choose for the back. I also saw you hold up Far From the Madding Crowd. That's my all time favorite classic! But I don't know anyone else who likes it.

I'd like to on a hunch, guess that your favourite colour is green.

My tip for others who stick with the clothbounds is to lightly hairspray them.

Chiltern’s books are my fav. I love their size, font size, hardcover-ness, bookmark, and non-white pages & the thickness. Hands down, best for me.

That was very informative, and lovely to see all the different editions available. Thank you.

That Dracula copy is amazing! ❤

Easton Press also has gorgeous editions leather bound with gold edges and bookmarks. I got one as a gift and I know it was well over $125.

This was such a fun video, right up my alley, as I’ve been getting into collecting some classic editions. Love the Penguin black classics, Macmillan Collector’s Library, Chiltern, Harper Muse Painted editions, Folio Society, and Penguin Modern Classics - my personal fav and of which I have the most editions. For something similar to Penguin black, I would recommend the Oxford World’s Classics. I like that the spines aren’t black so they don’t show the white creases like the Penguin editions. One of the most beautiful paperback editions are the Penguin Threads, which replicate embroidery on their covers. I have been looking for a copy of Little Women in this edition with no luck. There’s also the Penguin Russian classics editions which replicate vintage Russian textiles on the covers. And of course the Penguin Deluxe editions, which breathe new life into the artwork for classic lit. Puffin in Bloom is a hard bound selection of children’s classics and Jane Austen novels that are smaller in size, with whimsical, floral artwork. And finally there’s the Cranford hard bound collection, which like Chiltern, are very floral in design. I believe you have to join their club to get their books, but I have seen individual copies in the secondhand market. BTW, did you know that the artwork for the Penguin clothbound classics and the Penguin English Classics were done by the same designer? That’s why they look so similar.😊

Such good advice! Love your recommendations ❤

Macmillan's are the absolute best quality for the money. The ONLY issue I have is the size. If they were just a couple inches larger, they would be perfect.,

Great overview! I love the English library editions and the Chiltern classics ones! Both are beautiful and very different vibes from each other haha. I have many from the english library and they look so colorful on my shelves but the Chiltern ones I "save" for my absolute favorite books only since they are a bit more expensive.

I think I have the most of the Penguin classic black ones. But before those was the orange ones so I have even more of those. I like the look of the Penguin English Library collection. Very pretty

I wonder if the sprays I use to set my watercolor paintings would seal the cover print that is rubbing off on the penguin cloth bound classics. I will try that and see if that protects the paint that comes off!

I've just recently bought myself a copy of the Penguin English Library Collection's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and I love it! Not only is it gorgeous but the quality feels beautiful and like it's really durable. It's also quite floppy and will be a pleasure to hold and read. I really want more of these editions!

I have been wanting to get one of the Vintage Quarterbound Classics for a while because I absolutely love the look of them. I hope they make more books in that edition as well!!

The clothbound give me nostalgic vibes. My parents have a library that is filled exclusively with clothbound books that have lasted them years!!!

Love the original collector's library books when Barnes and Noble produced them, before they sold to Pan Macmillan. They are pretty much the same quality except dust jackets are striped in different colors. Also love the Pan Macmillans....

This video is THE video I neededdddd

I love the way you speak

loved this video ❤

How do you feel about Oxford World Classics? I do like Penguin Classics, however I would rather by the Oxford. They are similarly priced. If I was rich, I would love to buy the Folio Society books. I would love The Song of Achilles! It's gorgeous!!!

I love the chiltern! I have Jane Austen and a few others in that one. I’m really surprised the Easton press leather bounds didn’t get a shout. Not your style?

I don’t love the clothbound either! Mine ripped when I tried to open the book just to flat! Hey I love that wall color do you recall the name of the color??

all the vintage red spines' covers are designed by an artist to reflect the vibe of the author which is why they don't really match each other

this was such a great video, i didn’t know a lot of these collections existed! they’re so beautiful and you’re really nice to listen to 🫶🏼