As a booklover I do not just love a book for its content, but also for the way it feels and how it looks. Today I want to show you a few book editions I really love.
Dr. Zhivago is one of my all time favorite books, and certainly my favorite Russian novel. You see here my three versions. The one on the left is my first edition, a Dutch translation from the nineteeneighties. Not bad at all, but I was very happy when in 2016 a new translation was published, in the Russian library edition. Yes, it costed me 40 euro's, but it is well worth it. This is a book I will save when there is a fire in my house! (after I save the cat, of course)
These are a couple of examples of Dutch versions of Patrick Modiano's books. They are often set in Paris and I love these covers, conjuring up images of Paris, so you are in the right mood even before you open the book. These are paperbacks, but beautiful nevertheless.
I already showed you these new versions of Jane Austen. The design is really delicate and fits the books very well. I also like the format, they are not too big or too heavy.
I used to have an old version of Rebecca, an old translation I think belonged to my grandmother. I finally swapped it for a clothbound classic version in English. But then this version came along, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the publication of Rebecca. And I could not help myself, I needed this version. (to tell you the truth, I also have a pocket Dutch version, that I can take with me when I travel or something).
This publisher Van Oorschot also came with eight books in a cheaper version, called the Little Russian library. (I have six of them). These are only 10 euro's, and although these are paperbacks, they look really lovely and nice. Good quality paper as well.
These are the new editions of the Dutch versions of the entire 7 books by Marcel Proust. I am still in the first book, but I love how these look on my shelves. Beautiful editions!
There is a Dutch publisher called Van Oorschot, who publishes a lot of Russian classics. This series is called the Russian library. The books are absolutely beautiful. Small hardback versions on gorgeous paper. One small disadvantage, these are quite expensive. Each book is 40-45 euro's. These are all my versions, I only bought the ones by Pasternak and Chekhov new, the others are gifts, or second hand editions.
I have all of Chekhov's stories and his letters, but not his plays, since I find reading a play very hard, especially when I do not know the story very well.
On the right you see a version I bought a couple of weeks ago. This is the English edition, the Vintage Russian Classics edition. I love this cover, it is a design that was inspired by old Russian textiles. I do not need the other five books in this series, but I could not help myself, I wanted Dr. Zhivago in this edition. Because, just how gorgeous is this?
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