Your favourite EP standard editions

Are there any non-DLE books, or sets of books, from EP’s back catalogue that stand out to you as particular favourites?

Which books should be on a budding collector’s wish list?

My personal favorite EP books are the old Masterpieces of Science Fiction/ Fantasy books. I'm a big fan of new wave era science fiction, and I don't expect a lot of the titles in that series to see a nice edition again, so I've been steadily adding them to my collection.

I'm very fond of EP's current standard for Crime and Punishment. It just has the perfect design to it, nice and simple but elegant.

For content and nostalgia, I agree with SolerSystem about the old Masterpieces of Science Fiction / Fantasy. Nowhere else can I get nice editions of The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Asimov's "End of Eternity," "Caves of Steel," and "The Naked Sun," or Larry Niven's "Ringworld" or Anderson's "Tau Zero" (which also has a nicely designed spine), or Simak's "City" or "Way Station," or Haggard's "She." Folio Society has done some of the other Asimov and Bradbury classics, but in general I prefer Easton Press' treatment of these favorites from my teenaged years. The various editions of Dickens and Dumas hold a special place for me, though in truth I prefer the Franklin Library versions of these.

Another personal nostalgic favorite is EP's three-volume Sherlock Holmes collection, from the 100 Greatest Books Ever Written series.

If we're speaking purely of production quality and design, I'd say The American Civil War series that includes McPherson's "Battle Cry of Freedom," Wiley's "Life of Billy Yank" and "Life of Johnny Reb," and Sears' "To the Gates of Richmond" is quite striking (in addition to being magnificent reads). I'd also include Omar Khayyam with the drawings of E.J. Sullivan; Page Smith's two-volume biography on John Adams also looks nice on the shelf, as do the Famous Editions version of Hugo's "Toilers of the Sea," the two-volume Plutarch translated by Sir Thomas North, and Malory's "Morte d'Arthur." The 1996 publication of Kate Norgate's biography of Richard the Lion Heart is also very nice, and Richard Zack's "The Pirate Coast" has an attractive design.

Finally, my Rafael Sabatini set really stands out, though perhaps in an almost gaudy way with its garish colors. But that is probably as it is meant to be for this flashy trilogy of swashbucklers: Scaramouche, Captain Blood, and The Sea Hawk. I also have the EP Collector's Edition of Sabatini's "The Black Swan," but sadly, it was not designed the same way as the previous three.

>4 Betelgeuse: >2 SolerSystem: Yes, ditto for me. I have slowly been collecting the Masterpieces of Sci-Fi over the last few years. I was a subscriber to the series when it first started in the 80s but had to let it go when I started a family - too many competing priorities for our family budget. :) I have about 30 more volumes to collect but there are a couple that will forever be out of my price range (e.g., Solaris by Lem and Starship Troopers by Heinlein). Once complete I'll see how far I can get with the Masterpieces of Fantasy series but again, there are some that will forever be out of my price range (e.g., the Earthsea Quartet by Le Guin).

Others that I hope to find some time but are on the outside of possibility due to current secondary market pricing: Asimov's Robot series (e.g., Caves of Steel), Asimov's Foundation series (I have the original trilogy), The Narnia Chronicles, and The Space Trilogy by CS Lewis. Further down my list are the Dune volumes that follow the original Dune. But not as high on my want-to-have list. Dune really is Herbert's masterpiece - the subsequent volumes in the Dune series, though interesting, are simply not of the same calibre.

Agreed on the Materpieces of Science Fiction. May as well also look at Masterpieces of Fantasy. After MOSF were the ʻSigned First Edition Science Fiction" if one is into newer science fiction, those were also great productions.

Also, please consider

Hemingway Collection (18 books in this very colorful series)
Wyeth Classics (14 books in series)
Horror Classics (12 books in series)

>7 sdawson: I have EP Wyeth illustrated books from when I was a kid. Like them very much My childhood https://postimg.cc/Vr9MKsbY

wonderful, for those of us, and we are definitely dwindling, who enjoy reading classic juvenile lterature, these are just great books, great stories, great writing and characters.

I do believe these types of books are terribly out of fashion today, which is a loss for literature.

>9 sdawson: what a memories. I still read them almost every year

The 3-volume Sherlock Holmes set is one of my favorites, as well as any of their 6 or 8 editions of Robin Hood, all of which are beautifully illustrated. I also enjoy King Arthur both in the Malory edition and the 4-volume Howard Pyle. Also, the 6-volume Mike Hammer collection by Mickey Spillane.

>11 jroger1: awesome. Our three volume Sherlock Holmes were the first books that my parents had purchased from EP. I love reading Sherlock Holmes. https://postimg.cc/rRst91Gk

Back around 1990 EP published a set of 8 James Michener novels, each in a 2-volume format:
Centennial
Alaska
Chesapeake
Texas
Hawaii
Space
The Covenant
The Source

They also published his shorter novel “Bridges of Toko-Ri” in a single volume. I would love to see them publish more of his shorter works: “Tales of the South Pacific” (which won the Pulitzer Prize and was the basis for the musical “South Pacific”); “Journey,” an outtake from “Alaska” which the publisher thought was too long; “The Eagle and the Raven,” an outtake from “Texas” for the same reason; and many more.

Alas, historical fiction is not fashionable right now, so it probably won’t happen, although I still see many of Michener’s paperbacks on the shelves at Barnes & Noble.

And for folks who enjoy Neil Gaiman, EP has done a lot of his books in more recent years.

Thank you everyone. What a tremendous response.

The Masterpieces of Sci Fi/Fantasy have a great look, with the printed endpapers being an especially nice touch. I’ve initially added Leiber, Haggard, London, Vance, and Pratt/de Camp to my wish list. I’ve always had the intention of giving Zelazny a try but am yet to get around to it.

I’m very taken with those Wyeth classics, and the Pyle King Arthur looks fantastic. I already had my eye on the Pyle Robin Hood. His retellings rank as my favourite version of the Robin Hood legend.

In a previous thread, the perception of EP as being “uncool” was mentioned. I would argue that this is actually a strength. It’s hard to imagine another publisher giving such unfashionable classics of adventure any attention.

>15 SyllicSpell: I had never heard of the Wyeth classics until this thread. They do look gorgeous but wow! are they pricey now:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Easton-Press-N-C-WYETH-ADVENTURE-CLASSICS-14-vols-Drums...

Very interesting thread. I want to make a plug for EP’s copious offerings in classic literature, philosophy, and history. No doubt, EP sometimes goes wrong here, with uneven production values and archaic translations of non-English texts. But when they get it right they produce some excellent classic books. A few of my favorites include:

• Euripides, Plays (Medea, Hippolytus, Bacchae), 1980. Philip Vellacott’s elegant 1963 translation. Large, attractive font, with copious illustrations, ranging from the creepy to the comedic, by Michael Ayrton. The book is oversized but still within the range for comfortable sofa reading. Based on a 1967 LEC.

• Livy, Early History of Rome, 1978. Selincourt’s 1960 translation. The font and layout are generous if standard, but some of the illustrations by Raphaele Scorzelli are pretty engaging. Excellent way to read Livy. This one is not a George Macy reproduction, but based on a 1971 Penguin edition.

• Beowulf, 2004. William Ellery Leonard’s 1923 verse translation. There have been translation improvements since Leonard, to be sure, but his does capture the beat rhythm of the old English. And the color illustrations by Lynd Ward are fantastic: somewhere between Blake and Detective Comics. Based on a 1939 Heritage.

• Defoe, Robinson Crusoe, 1976. Unusually plentiful color illustrations, both full page and smaller images integrated into the text, by Edward Wilson, whose deliberately rough drawings match the story well, I think. Based on a 1930 LEC.

• Flaubert, Madame Bovary, 1978. Lewis May’s 1928 translation. Comfortable text layout, and the copious illustrations are captioned, giving them an emblem-like quality. Based on a 1950 Heritage.

• Conrad, Lord Jim, 1977. The book is wide in proportion to its height, and I like the unusual dimensions. Attractive, elegant font, and Lynd Ward provides illustrations (some in color) of great psychological tension. Based on a 1959 LEC.

• Camus, The Stranger, 1993. Gilbert’s 1946 translation. More weird proportions: this book is almost perfectly square. Very generous text layout, with full page color illustrations, quasi-surreal, by Daniel Maffia. Based on a 1971 LEC.

>16 Neil_Luvs_Books: See the post I just bumped. Back when I was completing I kept track of sold ebay sales to know when to snatch a good priced book.

>18 sdawson: thanks! It is interesting to track the price of these over time on the secondary market. The many that are too expensive for me today I remind myself that people are always making room and so there will be another chance to buy. Hopefully within my budget! 😉

absolutely true. patience is key. enjoy the books you have.

>16 Neil_Luvs_Books: >18 sdawson: Some of the individual Wyeth volumes seem reasonably priced. I'm especially interested in 'The White Company' and 'The Black Arrow'.

>17 Eumnestes: I have to make a confession here - I also collect LEC/Heritage Press, and would probably buy the originals before their EP counterparts. I like the look of the Selincourt Livy.

>21 SyllicSpell:
As do I. The LEC / Heritage Press are fabulously produced books, depending on the printing date and location, and the particular title.

For this particular collection I went with the EP books though. I am not sure which, if any of these Wyeth books were actually published by George Macy. I am sure someone knows.

However, I love my EP editions.

I was a bit muddled. I was referring to the ʻWyethʻ books when I said this particular collection.

But of course fo EP standard editions which have LEC/HP counterparts, please do consider those as well. I have over the years, and have a wonderful collection of EP/LEC/HP/Folio editions of books.

>21 SyllicSpell: I have several LEC editions of Wyeth illustrated classics of adventure and in fine condition. However, EP Wyeth books are much better looking and font is large and sharp, on top of a beautiful leather. I prefer my favorite classic books to be bound in leather. Illustrations were also finely reproduced in these EP editions. Just my personal taste, but I find ep Wyeth books to be much better than LEC. To me it needs to be a full package and LECs covers design are definitely not in the same league

>23 sdawson: Sorry to cause confusion, I was replying to comments in the wrong order. I'd have no aversion to owning EP editions of LEC/HP books, particularly when the Macy editons have unappealing designs (Brave New World!) or are impossible to find in good condition. And EP would be my preferred choice for 19th century and Golden Age illustrated books such as the Wyeth set.

I think I would simply class myself as a (novice) book collector, and not specifically as a collector of EP, FS or LEC. I love the books I own from all three publishers.

>24 fancythings: Your books certainly looks more elegant on the shelf than mine. You can see some photos of my small, rag-tag collection of quality editions – including my two EP DLEs - in my member's gallery.

Thank you everyone for a very informative thread.

>25 SyllicSpell: Saw your library pictures. Your library is elegant and beautiful. I want all of the books you have. It’s just my preference of having Wyeth illustrated adventure books in leather. Absolutely love your limited edition of EP Don Quixote, which we missed. I can see you displaying it without a slipcase. It looks really beautiful.

>26 fancythings: Thank you. I'm experimenting with shelving my books without slipcases, for no better a reason than I think they look nicer. Whether this will last or not, I don't know.

The Don Quixote DLE is wonderful. I can't fault the reproduction of the Dore engravings. I was lucky to find it for sale in the UK at a very reasonable price.

>27 SyllicSpell: good job finding EP limited Don Quixote at a reasonable price. It was listed for $999 on Ebay. I really wanted it. I don’t know if you saw it but recently EP, I’m sure by mistake, advertised this Limited DQ edition, when in fact they have only regular oversized edition for sale. I called to order and they apologized for this hiccup on their part.

>27 SyllicSpell: Yes! you have a nice set of books. I am particularly impressed with the four volumes of Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. I believe that particular edition has some gorgeous pictures. It is this set published by the Folio Society... correct?
https://www.scifinow.co.uk/books/the-book-of-the-new-sun-by-gene-wolfe-getting-a...
Although I prefer the leather binding of EP's editions, they never published the 4th volume, Citadel of the Autarch which was a disappointment. Plus, Sam Weber's illustrations are amazing!
https://www.muddycolors.com/2019/06/the-book-of-the-new-sun/

>29 Neil_Luvs_Books: Centipede Press also did an edition of The Book of the New Sun, which has different (and attractive) illustrations. It is now, unfortunately, obscenely expensive on the secondary market.

My favorite version is the Folio Society limited edition, which is not bound in leather but is handsome and tasteful. The paper is nice as well, Abbey Pure Rough, and the black stain to all edges of the text block is dramatic.

(The Book of the New Sun is one of my favorite novels/series of novels.)

>30 abysswalker: how much was centipede edition of the book of the new sun when it was still available from centipede? I just ordered my first centipede book

>31 fancythings: the Centipede website shows the original pricing for most or all of the press titles.

For example, you can find links to all four Wolfe volumes here:

https://www.centipedepress.com/authors/genewolfe.html

To answer your question directly, each volume was $225 USD originally. The limitation was only 100 copies! No wonder the price is so high now. I do not own copies of this set.

>32 abysswalker: $225 small potatoes compare to what ep and fs charges for their limited editions nowadays. Thanks for the info. I purchased my first book from centipede today.

4-volume Jack London set in uniform covers is among my absolute favorites. Books are small in size and illustrated on top of it. Pleasure to own, display and re-read again and again.

>32 abysswalker: Thanks for pointing me to the Centipede Press. Gorgeous books!

>32 abysswalker: Yes, indeed.

It seems that EP is not really interested in wrapping up the unfinished business and publishing volumes from series that were left incomplete with perhaps the exception of the Orson Scott Card's works... Because of that and unique/mesmerizing artwork, I ended up purchasing the 2-volume SE of FS's The Book of the New Sun as well...

>36 EPsonNY: You mean this one?

https://www.foliosociety.com/ca/the-book-of-the-new-sun-2-volume.html

It is gorgeous.

>37 Neil_Luvs_Books: Yes, it is. If you are patient, you may find a damaged set on eBay for much less.

Folks at FSD have been debating for a while the ethics behind selling damaged sets that were not required to be returned to basically pay for a chunk, sometimes sizeable, of the replacement set...

It the damage is fully disclosed in the listing, then I am OK with this. To be honest, different folks have different ideas of what ʻdamageʻ means. So it should simple be stated.

I have seen folks over the years return multiple copies of books trying to get that perfect specimen. Many times the flaw was something I would have been OK with. For example -- a corner dinged on the slipcover for instance, but not on the book itself.

>39 sdawson: Completely agree. Damage was indeed disclosed and shown in photos and the degree was acceptable to me for the price :).

I have had a good run with my EP purchases with no shipping damage so far. The biggest complaint is that quite a lot of EP's newer books seem to unglue at head ribbon within a couple of years regardless of the size of the text block...

>40 EPsonNY:
I will have to look out for this unglue issue
thank you

>29 Neil_Luvs_Books: Apologies, I didn't reply to you. As >30 abysswalker: stated, the FS LE Book of the New Sun is an attractive and well-made set. I bought it on the day of release, which is unusual for me, but I assumed it would sell out quickly and I knew I'd regret it if I didn't pull the trigger. I was initially unsure about the cover art, but it grew on me after I received the books. The colours suggest infrared and ultraviolet light, which seems appropriate considering the dim and dying sun of the setting.

I hope to supplement this set with the Centipede Press Urth of the New Sun and Castle of the Otter someday, but that might be a distant dream considering the cost of those volumes on the secondary market.

Returning to the subject of EP's Masterpieces of Science Fiction, has anyone here read Jack London's Before Adam?

I enjoy London's writing, but am yet to delve into his science fiction. Reviews for Before Adam seem to be quite mixed, but I've heard it mentioned in comparison to Lovecraft's The Shadow Out of Time.

>43 SyllicSpell: Before Adam is on my TBR list. It's on my bookshelf but it is currently low on the list. I'm currently reading Child of Venus by Pamela Sargent. This past summer I really enjoyed reading the first two volumes in her Venus trilogy.