The Penguin Classics Book

by Henry Eliot

The Penguin Classics Book is a reader's companion to the largest library of classic literature in the world.

Spanning 4,000 years from the legends of Ancient Mesopotamia to the poetry of the First World War, with Greek tragedies, Icelandic sagas, Japanese epics and much more in between, it encompasses 500 authors and 1,200 books, bringing these to life with lively descriptions, literary connections and beautiful cover designs.

Genres: Nonfiction, Books About Books, Classics, Reference, Literature, History, Coffee Table Books

460 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2018

Reviews

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

meta.

i read this back to front and marked all the books i wanted to read with little rainbow post it things and said the fun-est facts and weirdest deaths aloud to my family and that made the whole thing very fun!

i recommend going into this with the same level of whimsy i did. like, childlike wonder levels.

bottom line: i love books.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an impressive book for several reasons. The book is huge at nearly 460 pages of high quality heavy paper the binding is a cloth bound hard cover with sumptuously illustrated pages of classic Penguin books.

The book itself has a wealth of information in it - from the history of Penguin publishing to lesser know facts such as the explaining of the ISBN number system and how it breaks down in to individual packets of information about the book to the explanation of the original book cover colours. There is also a fascinating section on the imprints of Penguin some of which I knew and others I most certainly did not.

The book itself is broken in to different chapters - covering such topics as geography and ages. Within each chapter they have sections (varying from a single entry to several pages) on the key authors and their most important works. Now many of these I knew about but a lot more I didn't realise their significance to Penguin and the book community.

Each entry has a short bio of the author as well as a paragraph about the book - what you would expect if you were reading the back of the book itself.

In short a great abridged trip through the classics of Penguin and brief showcase of what Penguin publishing has brought to the masses.

There are many stories about how Penguin publishing came about and what their were trying to achieve, this book shows that not only did they achieve this but surpassed in it so many ways.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Very informative and very didactic. It is a real joy to immerse yourself in this ocean of books by Penguin publishing house, with comments and arguments of each of them, and photographs of their covers. Very well edited.

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this for myself as a celebratory present after the US midterm elections, which doesn't make a lot of sense because it's not like I was singlehandedly responsible for the midterm results, but there you go. It's a handsome, heavy, clothbound compendium of (and companion to) the Penguin Classics imprint, beautifully illustrated with colour photographs throughout and including little essays and text boxes about the imprint's early days. E.V. Rieu (whose translation of The Odyssey was the first Penguin Classic ever) edited it for a long time, as did Betty Radice, who seems to have been both marvelously clever and quite wonderful as a person. Little notes on each entry provide pieces of trivia about translators, many of whom were the sort of eccentric academic types that only English intellectual society in the twentieth century could have created and sustained. It'll also remind you of how much there is in the way of world literature; the texts from antique and medieval Asia, in particular, were often new to me. There are a couple of awkward typos (along the lines of "weak" instead of "week"), which shouldn't exist at all in a book where so much design effort has clearly been put in, but the production of the object on the whole is first-class. I spent an extremely happy rainy weekend on the sofa with this beast, and if you're a nerd, you should too.

[Flybyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A list of works Penguin has published, all sorted according to time and geography. A great reference book to create insight and help you decide your next book. If you’re a classics lover or an enthusiastic beginner, this giant book provides hundreds of best, well-known classics. Penguin is one of the leading publishers and providers of quality translations for classics and this is a well-structured A-Z library of the famous publishing house. I hate to admit that my tbr has grown uncontrollably due to this and I regret not having started reading classics much younger (sigh). Better late than never!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first engaged with the Penguin Classics imprint in the second half of my teens when I started reading Thomas Hardy, as a result of an English lesson that used a passage from The Woodlanders, describing fallen leaves - thanks, Mr. Bray! (He was one of those teachers who was better the more enthusiasm or talent you displayed - no good for the recalcitrant or below average.) Anyway, I was delighted one day when I saw a flimsy paperback that turned out to be a catalogue for the series, including the Modern Classics, too - being handed out for free! Of course I took one and used it for reading inspiration. I still have it, decades later!

Now, the imprint has a new print catalogue - a large format hardback of over 400p, with the Modern Classics to get their own separate volume - costing £30. The lsit has expanded an enormous amount since the '80s! Is it worth it? After all, a constantly updated listing is available online for free.

Well, for me the answer is a resounding, yes! This isn't simply a list of books in print. As well as short descriptions of each book, there are micro-biographies of the authors and sidebars about the history of Penguin Classics and biographies and anecdotes about editors and translators who have worked on the series. There's even a page explaining ISBNs and their origins. Did you know that the first three digits of a bar code are a geographical origin code? Since books are fundamentally international, they have their own code, known as "bookland" - which is why ISBN13s all start "978" or "979." I love that books have their own country!

The Penguin Classics remit is gigantic; the classics of world literature up to and including WWI - thousands of years. The book therefore stands as a guide to the world of books that are still considered important/great/interesting/entertaining after at least 100 years. It shows up some of the impacts of world history just by charting how much (or little) material came from where and when. The list has not been sniffy about genre, at least as far back as the '80s, by the way. It has changed constantly (not just growing) - books have gone out of print, been replaced with new translations, expanded, split up into multiple volumes, conflated into fewer volumes, so I expect this volume was out of date by the time it went on sale, but that in no way detracts from its value to me as a ready reference and source of inspiration.

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 3 out of 5]

When it comes to paperback reprints, I'm an Oxford World's Classics girlie over anything else (the best notes!) but I have read my share of Penguins. This book covers everything published in this line, notes about Puffins, and so on. It's organized by time/geography and author, with the briefest of author bios. Synopses highlight connections to other books/authors included in the volume. Fun!

There are lots of delightful tidbits (supposedly the term cliffhanger comes from Thomas Hardy's A Pair of Blue Eyes, in which an installment ends with a character hanging from a cliff). An extensive index is much appreciated. I liked "The Vaults," a section of out-of-print titles. I find it quite suspicious that the "Other Penguins" section makes no mention of Penguin Clothbound Classics, which are gorgeous (I own several) but have tiny print, Bible-thin glued pages, and flaky printing designs. Quality is just not Penguin's strong point, I know! But it's a disservice to art as good as Coralie Bickford-Smith's. If only they could put that much effort into the covers of their paperbacks...

Books published several times have several different covers shown. It's fun to see how the design has changed over the years. Shame that the current cover design scheme is the least attractive in their history, and based on the various copies I own, the lowest quality. The black ink flakes off the corners and spine and doesn't hold up to bookstore stickers (wHY). I much prefer the 1980s-2000s cream border with a larger image, rather than a stripe and giant empty text box of the current design. They also zoom in on a random illustration and it's often ugly (see their cover for Bleak House). Fortunately, I can look forward to seeing many Penguin redesigns in my lifetime.

tl;dr make Penguins pretty (and durable) again!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was awesome. The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is because it ends kind of abruptly with WWI poetry. I don’t understand why they didn’t extend it at least into the 70s and 80s.

At any rate, this was so enjoyable and informative, and I think I genuinely added like a 50+ books to my wishlist.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this one. I highly recommend it to classic book lovers.

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A catalogue more than actual book but very enjoyable; must have been miserable to write.

[lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

i didn’t read this in its entirety, but went through every page. found so many classics i’m dying to read. such a good book, definitely worth the money imo

[Louise Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a massive catalogue of amazing 📚

[John Isles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up with Penguin Classics, especially the Greek and Latin ones, but the series and its offshoots has grown to include all the world's great literature. Here we have a complete listing of every one of the volumes, with a description of each and a reproduction of at least one version of its cover, accompanied by frequent amusing anecdotes, and attractively hardbound. Well done!

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a book lover and a collection development librarian, I found it fun and useful to browse through this and make notes about classics that might have fallen out of my library's collection. While there could be a lot more depth (and more information about some of the best titles), this is a real testament to the breadth of work covered by Penguin Classics over the years. Fans of cover art will also find this intriguing.

[alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun journey through all of the Penguin Classics throughout their publishing history. I went through and marked all of the authors/books I wanted to read with sticky tabs. I found some new books I wanted to read and some fun facts about authors that the editors of this catalogue sprinkled in.

I did find the organization of the book itself a little haphazard—they ended the book with WWI poetry and stories, which I found an odd choice. (I guess it's because anything after that is a Penguin Modern Classic, but still...)

Overall, if you like Penguin Classics like I do, I would pick this up as a fun and easy read. It also looks good on your shelf, too.

[Teri-K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful for browsing. Who would ever imagine so many older books are available out there? I've started a list of interesting titles to request at my library.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

on going reference book

[Neil Pasricha · Rating 5 out of 5]

My family had two bookshelves. One was just the Encyclopedia Brittanica. The other was a three-foot tall shelf in the upstairs hallway with my mom’s health, self-help, and inspirational books – plus some Sidney Sheldon and Danielle Steele. That was it. Pretty barren except on library days. When I was nineteen I visited my friend Claire’s house in downtown Toronto. I took the train in from the burbs and still remember walking in her front door and being just staggered by the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves covering every single wall of their front room. And almost all the books were the same color. Orange! Orange everywhere. Penguin Classics had spread like slime. “It is the design of this Library to provide English-speaking readers with new versions of the finest and most enduring of the foreign classics, ancient, medieval and modern,” says the classic opening page of the book – said in a bit of a snooty brunch-on-Fifth kinda voice. But it’s just because they took the job seriously. And it paid off. Chopped into four high-level sections – The Ancient World, The Middle Ages, Early Modern Europe, and The Industrial Age -- the book turns into a history lesson told entirely through books. For example, zooming into Ancient India (one of 19 sub-sections) I learned about the 12th-19th century BCE-published collected “Roots of Yoga” Penguin classic which collects and translates all the Hindu, Tantric, Buddhist, and Jain yoga traditions from original sources. And the collected plays and poems of Kālidāsa, the 5th century BCE writer thought to be the best classical Sanskrit writer of all time. On one hand: This is just a sales catalog to all the Penguin Classics. On another: It’s a booklovers ultimate geek-out that never gets old. On yet another: It takes a ripe swing at trying to annex and index our collected wisdom over the past 5000 years. Worth grabbing for any of those reasons!

[Graham Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far I've only had chance to read a few pages of this amazing book. I've flipped through a few pages detailing my favourite books and authors, but wow already a 5*+ book in my eyes. Love it!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This compendium of images and information derived from the large collection of Penguin Classics is a wonderful and engaging book that will be welcomed by so many readers, students and teachers of literature, and those with an interest in publishing or collecting books. It is a celebration of the authors and their books that have been accorded the status of Penguin Classics, a statement of what literature have cultural signficance, and a salute to one of the great publishers of the modern world. Oh, and it might also arouse some nostalgia for anyone who, for example, has wended their way through the Graves translation of Seutonius or any number of other non-English books rendered into an understandable text.

Like so many quality titles of its ilk 'The Penguin Classics Book' is a finely wrought balance of the author's words and the images, combining to form an exceedingly well constructed and holistic presentation of its content. The cover photos demonstrate not just the imagination of the editors and publishers associated with Penguin Classics, they also show how the books have an artistic and cultural unity. Very few of illustrations are out of place or jarring; they are works of art in and of themselves.

However the covers need the text (and vice versa), so it is gratifying to have such learned and entertaining material about each book, author and/or translator as provided by Eliot. Whilst the text is a relatively cursory summary of the publications, no title, no writer nor translator is left without the right level of engagement. The reader is encouraged through Eliot's summaries to read those titles that provoke his interest, or perhaps re-evaluate those already digested. The intermittent sprinkling of trivia throughout the book also makes this publication an enjoyable read.

Ultimately this book deserves the rating I have given it because it encapsulates the breadth and depth of so many people's cultural and intellectual identity. Since I was a senior high school student copies of Penguin Classics have never been too far away from my desk, my bed, my class room, my university library. They are a touchstone in my life, and 'The Penguin Classics Book' is a reminder of how much I love the titles that have taught me so much.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This book is intended as a reader’s companion to the best books ever written. It is a book of suggestions and recommendations, drawing connections across the history of world literature, which will hopefully reacquaint you with old friends, introduce you to new titles, and suggest ways to map your future reading. It is also a celebration of an abiding series of books, which began more than seventy years ago and has grown incrementally and idiosyncratically ever since."

This book is pretty amazing. It’s not one that you can really sit down and read from start to finish, as it’s more of an encyclopedia/reference book, but it’s incredible and really fun to peruse (and read over time). It’s also a great way to beef up your TBR!

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a visually spectacular and fastidiously crafted celebration of one of the most cherished literary series in publishing history. For bibliophiles and casual readers alike, this book is an enchanting journey through over seventy years of literary treasures, showcasing the cultural significance of the Penguin Classics collection. Eliot organizes the book thematically and chronologically, offering a well-curated overview of the 1,200+ titles that have been part of the Penguin Classics lineup. Each entry is accompanied by lovely reproductions of book covers, synopses, and contextual details about the work and its author. The visual appeal is undeniable, with the vibrant cover designs and Penguin’s iconic aesthetic drawing readers into a world of literature that spans centuries and continents. More than a sequence, Eliot’s work serves as a literary history. He provides insight into how the series began in 1946 under E.V. Rieu with the mission to make classic literature affordable and accessible. This ethos persists, and the book offers pointers into the decisions behind curating works from diverse cultures, languages, and time periods. Eliot also weaves in the evolution of Penguin Classics as a brand, exploring its influence on readers and literary culture worldwide. One of the book’s strengths is its emphasis on inclusivity. Eliot highlights texts from a wide array of cultures, including ancient Chinese poetry, African folklore, Latin American literature, and modern classics from Asia and the Middle East. This reflects the series’ ongoing commitment to broadening the canon beyond Western European traditions. For readers, The Penguin Classics Book is not only a resource but also an inspiration to explore new works. The brief descriptions and background information help demystify daunting texts while sparking curiosity. Whether it’s Homer’s Iliad or Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o’s The River Between, Eliot encourages readers to dive into the profound stories that have shaped human thought. Henry Eliot’s The Penguin Classics Book is more than a compendium; it’s a love letter to literature and the transformative power of books. The lavish visuals, engaging prose, and encyclopedic knowledge make it an essential addition to any literary enthusiast’s collection. It will excavate your appreciation for the Penguin Classics series while inspiring you to enter into new literary escapades.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec The Penguin Classics Book ?
"Quand il s'agit d'un livre qui parle de livres, j'ai très peu de retenue et celui-ci me paraissait à la fois particulièrement beau et potentiellement captivant. Je voulais donc l'ajouter à ma collection et je l'ai reçu en cadeau à mon anniversaire."

Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Cet ouvrage retrace toute l'histoire des classiques édités par la maison d'édition Penguin, autant dire toute l'histoire du livre classique."

Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Cela fait plus de six mois qu'il traîne sur ma table de chevet et c'est sûrement la première fois que j'écris la chronique d'un livre avant de l'avoir terminé mais sans avoir pour autant décidé de l'abandonner. Pour être détaillé et exhaustif, ce livre l'est, sans aucun doute. Et qui s'intéresse à toutes les périodes, toutes les cultures ? Pas moi. Ou en tout cas, pas d'un seul bloc. En bref, si les chapitres sur les classiques américains et européens des dix-huit et dix-neuvième siècles me passionnent, j'ai plus de mal avec d'autres chapitres qui constituent finalement la plus grande partie de ce recueil. Pourtant, je suis consciente que c'est bien écrit, quoique très factuel, intelligemment présenté et interessant en soi. C'est juste trop d'un coup, indigeste. C'est un peu comme quand on vous sert une assiette énorme et que cela vous coupe l'appétit."

Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Du coup, que faire, le picorer de temps en temps, le reprendre plus tard, m'arrêter là tout simplement, je n'arrive pas à me décider."


http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly an amazing book that doesn't just shine because of its didactical approach but its humorisitic way of teaching history as well. I wouldn't have thought to have laughed as much as I did reading this. As you go through almost the entire history of book writing, you stumble across so many short biographies, intertwined relationships between authors and the weirdest and least expected pieces of information.

I have read it from cover to cover and enjoyed every bit of it. I also was able to fill many gaps in my own library and found quite a lot of hidden gems along the way. Even if you don't plan to read any of the mentioned books I would still give this a read because after reading it I felt like it opened my mind. Who would have thought that our ancestors had such interesting characters.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing resource for book nerds. I bought this because I'm interested in the history of book design and wanted to see the progression of iconic Penguin covers. It's got that, and tons more besides. For example, I've been wanting to get into Classical literature for a while, but feeling completely at a loss for where to start. The chapter on Greek Myths really piqued my interest and gave me lots of pointers for key texts. I also really appreciated the sections on world literature (including Asian and African classics) so that it's not only focused on Western literature.

Penguin have just released a companion Modern Classics Book and I'll absolutely be investing in a copy of that too.

[superawesomekt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting reference book of Penguin's published classics. It explains some of the imprints, the color coding, and then goes through an exhaustive anthology of book blurbs with various covers. If you are interested in Classics it might be a good reference for surveying what you want to read—but it is such a large list, of course, that most readers will not get through them all (nor want to!)

I still think 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List is my favorite book reference / list so far!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books about books is one of my favorite genres. And this is a master class. The quote on the book says it all.

“There are a good many books, are there not, my boy?” said Mr. Brownlow, observing the curiosity with which Oliver surveyed the shelves that reached from the floor to the ceiling.

“A great number, sir,” replied Oliver; “I never saw so many.”

“You shall read them if you behave well,” said the old gentleman kindly; “and you will like that, better than looking at the outsides, - that is, in some cases, because there are books of which the backs and covers are by far the best parts.”

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have spent a glorious afternoon reading this delightful book. It is for all intents and purposes a catalogue of the classic books that Penguin have in publication, although there is a bit at the end that adds those no longer available. It goes chronologically as well as geographically, has lovely illustrations of both the Penguin editions and pictures of the authors referred to. Each author has a brief biography and each book has a very brief synopsis. It is fun to read about books you have read, books you want to read and books you now need to add to your collection! For a bibliophile this book is a must have.

[Carlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Browsed, as this is more a reference book to dip into than to read continuously, this is a joy for a reader of Penguin Classics since the 1980’s. Wonderful to see familiar old covers, read the brief descriptions and more interestingly the stories about the translation and publication of the books. Bookish social history!
Penguin have a lovely introduction at https://www.penguinclassicsbook.co.uk/

[Joséphine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well edited and well designed catalog of the Penguin Classics, it's very easy to immerse yourself in this beautiful book for a few hours. A clear over-representation of British literature (Australia had, what, 2 pages? to give an example), and of western literature in general, but that was to be expected. Bonus: comes with PICTURES! With so many covers, it's really pleasing to the eye, and makes a good gift for book lovers.