I thought this topic would be a cool way to examine what we read and what publishers put out our favorite books. I encourage you to take a look at your shelf and figure out which books come from which publishers. I think you'd be surprised how many probably end up coming from the same publishing house! Plus, this is your chance to introduce us to some of your favorite small presses or imprints. We talk about the contents or the wrappings of books a lot in this group, but rarely do we talk about the people that bring them together.
1. Delphi Classics
I first discovered Delphi Classics by accident. I was looking on Google Play for a book by Ann Radcliffe, only to find that they had her full works in one eBook for 74p. Immediately I bought it. I had to, I couldn't wait. I then discovered they specialised in collecting the full works of authors, and selling the combined works in one eBook for a tiny price. Gradually, I've managed to buy all of their eBooks up to Series Six, all of their Poets series, and all of their Classics series. Every time they release a new author, it goes on my wishlist until I can get it.
2. Wildside Press
When I had my first eReader (the Sony eReader PRS 505, which I bought ten years ago, and I still have, and yes it still works) I wanted to start reading beyond my comfort zone. On Waterstones I looked up "collection" or something along those lines, and found the Megapacks. These are incredible. All set around a theme, such as steampunk and ghost stories or an author, the megapacks bring together a huge variety of works. Again, they are incredibly cheap for what you can get. Even now, I still go out of my way to get the megapacks, but using Kobo instead of Waterstones.
3. Harvard University Press
I'm mostly going to focus here on the Loeb Classical Library. I have a digital subscription to the LCL but you can get hardbacks of their books. These are very special. The collection is split into two - green covers for Greek works, and red covers for Roman works - with the original text on the left and the translation on the right. This means you can follow in the original Greek or Latin, and still read it in English. They aren't cheap, averaging at around £15 a book, but most libraries should have a digital subscription; if not, do ask.
4. Wordsworth Classics
I hope you can sense a trend here of the books I like to read! Wordsworth Classics are again cheap considering the prices of Penguin and OUP classics. They tend to contain just an introduction (save it until you have finished the book!) and the text, with no explanatory notes. Personally, I prefer this to having footnotes or endnotes with explanations of context; I like enjoying a book for the story it contains, not for the endless details about things I have no interest in. I do, from time to time, research a line or a phrase that I don't understand, but honestly... I like reading for the sake of reading.
5. W.W. Norton & Company
When I was doing my A Levels, I desperately wanted the Norton Anthology of English Literature. Three years later I bought it. I have the Ninth Edition package version, where each era of literature is in its own book; this makes it so very much easier to read! The pages are tissue thin, the books are flimsy and feel fragile. What is inside is wonderful. Each piece of work has an introduction, explanatory notes, and the works are ordered chronologically so you can literally read through the ages. I do own a few other W.W. Norton books, but the anthologies are where I think they excel. I really want to get all of their literature anthologies, such as American literature, and nonfiction. They are expensive, for sure, but considering what they contain, I'm happy to save up and wait to buy them.
Feel free to check out my previous Top Five Wednesday posts! What are your favourite publishers?
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