January Sales 2022

I am a long time reader and new FS addict, having spent a small fortune in the past few months. My collection includes:
- Misery
- The Godfather
- Count of Montecristo
- I am Legend
- His Dark Materials

Next on my list are:
- Dune
- Dracula
- The Time Machine
- Great Short Stories

I love the FS books as much for being works of art as well as works of literature.

I wonder whether anyone has any views on whether there will be a New Years Sale? If so how deep might the discounts be?

>1 Priyesh2022: There will be a New Year Sale, probably starting at the end of December/early January. Discounts vary, last Sale was unimpressive for its discounts and the number of titles on Sale. To get a better perspective, take a look at the Wiki: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Groups:Folio_Society_Devotees#Does_the_F...

None of your wants are likely to be discounted.

>1 Priyesh2022: Unless they reprint at some point, you might need to update your list as ‘The Time Machine’ sold out last week !

As >2 NLNils: said, the last sale was very poor compared some recent offerings that have included very good discounts of desirable books. At the time, there was some discussion on this forum to the effect that Folio had adopted a deliberate strategy of reducing the emphasis on regular, generous sales. Of course, actions speak louder than words so it will be interesting to see what is on offer after Christmas.

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, I don't think we will see a sale on the books you are after. Dune has been a perennial bestseller since its launch and has robustly avoided discounting for years. Dracula is a relatively new offering at the standard edition level and we usually have to wait at least a year or two before a book gets a discount (if at all). The Time Machine is sold out. While it might be reprinted, they aren't going to reprint it only to immediately put it on sale.

The usual advice in these parts is: if you see a book you can afford and want then buy it rather than take the risk of it selling out. Treat sales more as an opportunity for serendipity.

Dear Gentlemen (and ladies)

Thank you so much for taking the time out to reply to my new comer questions.

I am grateful! And will probably cave in and order Dune!

>5 Priyesh2022: Good choice. It is a great FS edition. My only complaint is that it is awkwardly sized and may require a table or a lap pillow to read.

>4 ubiquitousuk:

The last *several* sales have been poor.

>7 adriano77: Which I would suggest is actually good news and reflective of Folio's improved financial health. Well-run specialty retailers that manufacture and sell only their own goods should ideally never have to offer broad and deep discounts to their customers in order to stimulate business or liquidate inventory.

>8 whytewolf1:

Great? Doesn't get me excited about upcoming sales though.

>9 adriano77: Its great, as it means they’ll stay in business for longer?

>10 What_What: Exactly! Kind of my point. :)

>11 whytewolf1: Yep, was agreeing with you. Sales are great and all, till it’s a going out of business one.

>12 What_What: No, I knew you were agreeing. ;)

Your best bet would be to save your money and work on your Wishlist. Slowly you'll see the books you really like accumulating in your home.

As much as I liked the previous sales (not the recent ones), sometimes you fall into a trap, in that you end up buying books that didn't interest you in the first place just because of the discount. So what happens? Your funds get depleted while your Wishlist stays the same. It's not always a bad thing: this year I got myself Montaigne's Essays in the sale as a result of seeing everybody buying it and raving about it. But yes, otherwise I've stuck to the strategy of buying at full price. Of course, if there's some books on my wish list which are also on sale, then all the better!

>14 Kainzow: excellent advice. If I'd followed this advice I'd have more space, more money, and books I like more. Alas...

An updated spreadsheet of all the Folio Society sales for the last six years prepared by FSD member Redshirt can be downloaded from the FSD wiki here.

Thank you so much! This is very helpful for someone like me who's only started collecting recently.

>14 Kainzow:
As >15 ubiquitousuk: says, excellent advice. I'd offer a possible adjunct to that: be patient, but not too patient! Whilst sales are not as 'productive' as they have been in the past, the discounts can still be fairly significant - they just pale into comparison compared to those of memory. I do have a wishlist, which I keep fairly lean, and generally allow myself a couple of years after a book has been published to see if it comes to the sales - some surprising ones do. The caveat is not to wait too long - keep an eye on stocks, just in case your choice starts to run low. Some books never come to the sales of course - and some obviously never will do - so it's a matter of judgement, but it can be worthwhile waiting.

It's all a matter of choice of course - it may be that those couple of years are too long a wait, but I've a cycle now where I'm now generally operating a couple of years behind the FS - it's interesting too how that list changes in that time once I've given myself time to let the choice settle. Having said that, I've been straight in on the Shackleton pre-orders, and bought the Andrew Chalkin after only a few months. Some temptations are too great! But I can recommend the focusing on favourites route - it's only taken me 30 years to learn it!

I agree with the above sentiments of >14 Kainzow: and >18 Willoyd:. I still have plenty of unread sale books while also continuing to regret missing out on Lolita...!

I have picked up some sale gems, however, which I would never have bought at full price. In Parenthesis in the sale 3years ago particularly stands out as an incredible Folio production, so sometimes it's worth taking a punt. 20000 Leagues Under The Sea at half price in 2018 was also a steal...

It's the last Wednesday in December, so I'm hoping the sale starts today. I'd love to see Sappho in there.

Looks like it’ll start on January 6th.

>20 What_What: Looks like, based on what?

>21 A.Godhelm: the Facebook group has a photo of a flier stating the start date as the 6th with up to 75% off.

>20 What_What: My birthday, haha.

>22 JamesMcMinn: Lovely! Marking my calendar.

>23 Kainzow: My gift to you!

And sorry for the delay >21 A.Godhelm:, stepped away for a bit. I should’ve added I saw the flyer on the FB group.

Does anyone have a link to the Facebook flyer?

>26 Priyesh2022: It’s just a single page saying the start date and “up to 75% off.”

>27 What_What:

What’s that modern turn of phrase? “Pics or it didn’t happen…”

>27 What_What: many thanks for replying! I don’t have Facebook and so not sure how things work on it! I’m just happy there’s a sale on the way and hope I won’t regret my recent purchase of Game of Thrones!

Here we go.

I'm glad to see that the flyer specifies that it's to be an online only sale. Presumably recent sales have resulted in crowds of confused faddicts wandering around Eagle St.

>31 xrayman: your comment made me laugh!

>30 Folio_Fanatic: which book is the flyer picture taken from? I it there just as a winter scene for new year, or is it one of the books on sale?

Thanks for the heads up! I'm excited and hopefully there are a few good sales. If Plants of the Americas is half off again I would highly recommend it - I think it's worth the full price but at half off it is an absolute steal. I know it's not for everyone but I think the same goes for London & New York.

>31 xrayman:
They'd be doubly confused searching in Eagle Street. 🤷‍♀️

>31 xrayman: I actually was the moron looking for the old Folio physical store at Eagle St a few years back, thought they'd moved, walked across London only to end up at the corporate HQ pushing buttons to get in only to be told they don't have a physical store at all. Really miss the discounted dinged up/slipcase less book trolley.

>30 Folio_Fanatic: thank you. I’m grateful!

>35 A.Godhelm: oh yes, it hasn't been the same London visit anymore since the Folio Society Members Room closed. Such a little oasis. I got my complete Winnie the Pooh from that cart for 30£.

Loved going there

I can't wait... not that I'd be ordering a lot, probably only a title or two.

Starting to get excited, have a birthday voucher that expires later in the week.

I am a bit excited, I am hoping there will be some good ones in there. The last sales were a bit underwhelming

Grateful for a steer from the experienced on what time the sale is likely to start?

It should start before noon. Maybe couple hours before.

I'm managing expectations. Yesterday, I went through their entire catalogue and it seemed like most titles are either uninteresting to me, or are highly unlikely to go on sale (or both). Still, I live in hope for one or two exciting opportunities.

>42 just_visiting: thank you. I’m
Grateful. Still new to the eccentricities of FS.

>35 A.Godhelm: Not at all moronic, nostalgic perhaps. When in London I occasionally wander past Eagle Street for old times sake, then on to the Blackfriar pub to console myself with a pint.

>45 xrayman: amen. I go past the building as well. End of an era. Makes me sad sometimes.

To put people out of their misery, I have finally managed to get in touch with Folio and have been informed, I quote: "The sale starts at 2".

Meanwhile, someone has posted on the Fb group that the sale is live. I can't see any sign of it but what the hell. Back to refreshing the screen every few minutes. A right Royal screw up (no offence, Andrew).

>47 folio_books: Thanks very much, I asked them on twitter early this morning but got no reply.

Price have been lowered on the FS website, but there is no banner stating the sale is on

The sale is up. If you look through the catalogue you can see some books are discounted.

But an aggregated page is not yet live.

Nothing amazing. Parades end is cheap though.

Seems to me that the best deals are:

Memoirs from Beyond the Tomb: WAS £44.95 Now £17.95
Parade’s End: WAS £115.00 Now £28.75
Tommy: WAS £84.95 Now £33.95
Essays: WAS £130.00 Now £65.00

plus the 2 remaining sets of Hornblower

I placed an order, others books might be getting added but happy with a first order and will see what the full range is later. I bought Hornblower set 2, Hornblower set 3 and Parade’s End

Montaigne, which many here liked, at 50% off. Probably the most worthwhile deal up at the moment.

And Babar, at half off!

Plants of the Americas is also half off.

Although I'm not a big fan of Children's books, Barbar looks intriguing at the current half of price tag. Also considering the LE poets at 1/3 off - as others have said in previous posts it is extremely difficult due to shipping prices on all three. London & New York and Plants of Americas both half off and personally think these are steals at those prices.

>53 DMulvee: I wish they would republish set 1 Hornblower. I don’t know how long I can sit there staring at set 2 and 3

Here you can see all the books in sale https://www.foliosociety.com/uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=sale.

I will have to skip it though because most of the book I already have and the rest I am not interested.

Edit: Neverminded! The official sale page is up now.

Pretty boring sale for me. Lots of deja vu with 80% of the items reappearing from previous sales - i think i already bought any items I really wanted in sales last year (the Ring, Parades End, Chateaubriand, Montaigne, Terkel, Atwood etc etc). Surprised the Sappho still hasn’t hit the sales !

From my wishlist I can also see that Ring of the Nibelung is down to £78 from £130.00

Five remaining Letterpress Shakespeare companion volumes at £6.20 each, presumably all low stock so they shouldn't last long. Parade's End is a steal.

>60 wongie: I bought Ring of the Nibelung for £84.50 in the Summer sale as a random punt, and was very pleased with it

Incredibly small Sale. I'm thinking about putting in an order but I'm not foaming at the mouth. If I do I'll surprise myself and will go with mostly poetry.

The only one that jumps out for me is The Aztecs. Otherwise, maybe Guns, Germs and Steel. I would buy the Edward Thomas volume, but I have the earlier Folio Press edition and the shipping is so expensive. Will await the inevitable enabling posts that often get me to buy other books. Though my collection has really grown in the past two years and I’m trying to be a lot more selective.

Meh nothing for me this time. I am trying only to buy whats on my wish list and that is 34 titles (though some are sold out) will save up and shop wisely instead.

Actually, I would be interested in feedback on The Aztecs from anyone who has read it!

The Aztecs and Essays are a must for anyone interested. Good prices. I have picked the last three James Bond novels to compete my collection (finally) and The Expedition of Humphry Clinker by Smollett

Now if only Folio could republish Hornblower 1 and Anglo Saxons

>67 ironjaw: Was the Aztecs a good read? I’ve found comments about the aesthetics, but not so much about the book itself.

Tempted by the Hornblowers at good discounts but then I would be stuck without set 1 and that’s going for quite a bit on the market at the moment and I’m sure this sale will only inflate it.

Although there are many books that I have been waiting for a sale that didn't appear this time, I am still happy with what I picked up: The Hornblower Set 3 (to complete the series), Parade’s End and Tommy (because I've been on a WWI kick recently), De Profundis (it's been on my list for a while), and Watercolor: A History and Kuniyoshi (Non-Folio, but both excellent values and great productions).

just completing two sets for me, by buying Hornblower 3 and Maigret 2

>67 ironjaw: I can’t imagine they would sell off Hornblower 2 & 3 in the sale to get rid of them, then republish 1 again meaning they would have to reprint 2 & 3 yet again for people who buy 1 for the first time & will then complain that 2 & 3 aren’t available any more! Surely this confirms that 1 definitely won’t be coming back ? I have a feeling that people buying 2 & 3 in the sale will drive up the secondary price of 1 even more as more people try to complete their set.

Montaigne's Essays at 50% discount is a no-brainer. Do not pass on this one before it goes OOP.

FYI The Alchemist is on sale in case anyone didn’t see that. It didn’t pop up for me at first.

>73 dlphcoracl: Bought it already for £78 last Summer.

Tommy just hot the Low stock counter at 140.

I bought Yoshitoshi (along with other books) - now sold out, but it is still available from Abbeville.

Hugely disappointing sale. The only selection from my wish list that is on sale is De Profundis and the $12.50 discount is not compelling enough for me to pay full price for other books at this time (I almost never order just a single volume due to the high shipping costs).

Probably no order from me this sale.

Hornblowers are good value, beautiful books and cracking stories.

Set 1 is the prequels so I would actually recommend starting with set 2 anyway.

Parades End looks like a bargain although the set itself is nothing special.

My purchases FWIW - combining Sale Books with non-sale books to save on shipping costs.

1. Guns, Germs and Steel
2. Kafka on the Shore
3. The Best Short Stories of Fyodor Dostoevsky
4. The Greatest Benefit to Mankind

One other suggestion to the FSD-ers: Give strong consideration to the 2-volume set 'The Greatest Benefit to Mankind'. This is a classic work that is beautifully written, tracing the advancment of medical knowledge and treatment through the ages. At a generous 40% discount this is a no-brainer.

hornblower 3 looks like it might sell out today

Watercolor: A History
Shah of Shahs
Essays
The Franchise Affair
The Mask of Command

Decent sale for me

I put my order in:

Guns, Germs and Steel
Kafka on the Shore
Manhattan ’45
The Alchemist
The Prophet

All the books were on my wishlist. I passed on four more discounted wishlist titles, the expedited shipping and VAT adding 25% to any order now, it got too expensive. I did slide in Kafka On The Shore (I've seen it in person and the recommendations here and on Meta are very strong. I am also enamoured with this 'series' and have every title except the Gene Wolfe) as a non-Sale title to save on shipping.

Oddly I couldn't checkout online, had to call it in, but it worked easily (I'm from the US)

Hornblower 2
Hornblower 3
The Mask of Command
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Guns, Germs and Steel
Watercolor: A History
(non-sale) The Man With the Golden Gun

Looks like Hornblower 3 was low stock, 46 left but she was able to see it and process payment, so hopefully went through. Now I can just wait to find a decently priced Hornblower 1 (I have no hopes I'll ever see a decently priced one)

Was also very, very tempted by the Hornblower sets, but ultimately resisted.

So in the end just got Outlaws of the Marsh (aren't really any other nice editions of it) and Hide My Eyes (as it's the price I was planning to buy it for secondhand anyway).

I was a little disappointed at the lack of fiction titles. I’ve got quite. Along with list and even 10% off would make a significant difference!

Do they ordinarily add more titles or further reduce what’s left at the end of the sale?

>86 Priyesh2022: If 10% would help, often after a new release, FS provides a 10% off code for releases from the previous year. Might be worth waiting for.

>68 RRCBS: unfortunately, I haven’t read it in its entirety. But I’m very much a BiG non fiction fan and often read history so it was an obvious choice. It’s a good publication.

>72 antinous_in_london: I’m afraid you’re right but I thought more in line with Patrick O’Brian set with the first volumes in plenty supply whereas the later being scarce.

Picked up a few titles I was interested in:

Antony and Cleopatra
As You Like it
Mayflower
Parade's End
Twelth Night
Watercolor: A History

I had been hoping for a wider selection. Maybe some titles have been held back to be added later once Folio has managed to gauge interest.

Best Wishes,
David

>87 RRCBS: many thanks! That’s helpful!

I've been waiting and waiting for Defeat Into Victory to go on sale, and it appears I'll have to wait some more.

No great shakes here for me. I', considering:
Jeeves and Wooster Stories
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Memoirs From Beyond the Tomb

>89 ironjaw:

The early O'Brians are numerous, Faisel, because they were used as an introductory offer for new members, and so printed in large numbers. I remember well because I was already a member, and negotiated to get this set as my renewal offer instead of whatever they had in mind for me. I fear you are out of luck for the Hornblower - in fact I think the prices of the first set will go up, as people buy sets 2 and 3 cheap, and then chase set 1.

>93 affle: My dear Alan, you are right. I’ve recently and painstakingly finished my O’Brian collection. Guess it’s going to be another inflated purchase.

1. Guns, Germs, and Steel
2. The Folio Book of Science
3. Tommy
4. De Produndis
5. The Selfish Gene
6. The Alchemist

Any thought on these 6?
Is there any in particular that you would is a must buy?

>95 Kainzow:

Gun, Germs and Steel.

This is a major anthropological work that is relatively recent. It has created a great deal of discussion and controversy but it is a highly original work. I had been waiting for this to go on sale. Highly recommended.

>95 Kainzow: I don’t know about the others but I love The Alchemist and the production is one of my favorites. The book is a 5/5 for me. The only thing is that the cloth slip case collects a little bit of dust pretty easily.

>96 dlphcoracl:
Ohhh, added! Thank you!!

>97 warehouseisbare:
Alright! I'll go for it! I was thinking about letting it go for now and buying it later in another sale. But I'll get it today!

Just a final question, does anybody know if the Selfish Gene is still relevant today? 🤔

>98 Kainzow: Awesome! I don’t know if you know much about the story but it is about a simple man’s journey to fulfilling his life dream. The book is written in a simple manner but is very profound and touching. It speaks to your soul. At least it did for me. However I know it can be somewhat polarizing and some people get nothing out of it. I absolutely loved the book though!

>32 stumc: I'm also curious. Does anyone recognize the source of the illustrations on the sale flyer or website banner?

>98 Kainzow: I don't follow the field all the carefully but from what little I can glean the Selfish Gene is still relevant insofar as it's still a valid theory but the major discussions in biology seemed to have somewhat moved on from gene vs group selection.

>95 Kainzow: Can't stand The Alchemist. To me, it felt like a wannabe Little Prince that tries too hard. Ever since I read it, I've felt baffled by how popular the author is.

>98 Kainzow:
>101 wongie:
Echoing what's said for Selfish Gene. The basic theory is still valid but it's only a part of a bigger picture. I also didn't enjoy the author's writing. From what I recall a lot of it seemed like his own conjectures rather being based than studies and evidence. I prefer Nessa Carey for a more current take.

I am probably going to get Babar. I normally am not interested in those types of editions, but it is one of the first books I can recall checking out from my local public library and helped spur a lifelong love of reading. When it was came out I thought 'Maybe for half that' and here we are.

edit for spelling

Apart from De Profundis, none of the other books on sale appealed to me.

My heart weeps, but my *wallet* says this is the best sale ever! :-D

I think it’s still a better sale than the last 2. Bought :

- Hornblower Set 2
- Hornblower Set 3
- Outlaws of the Marsh
- The Alchemist
- The Story of Babar (was waiting for 50% off)
- Shackleton’s Antarctica (threw it in)

Will I have to chase after the Set 1 of Hornblower, or will I still have a good sense of understanding of the story with Set 2 & 3 only ? Thanks in advance

>92 coynedj: At this point I would buy it out of spite when it finally shows up as a Sale title.

>102 santiamen: Hear, hear. A very primitive, deeply flawed 100-page parable that is 99 pages too long. And it really belongs in the Self-help section. If it does help anyone to get up from the couch and start pursuing their dreams - great, although I suspect there are not that many success stories. But it's no literature. I think it's more irritating than the usual mass-market mainstream because it's so pretentious.

>103 kvnchn: Dawkins is an acquired taste, but The Selfish Gene is an important book in the history of ideas. It is obviously based in biology and genetics, but I would classify the overall work as more one of philosophy than science per se (which is in line with your "conjectures" comment, but I would flavor that more descriptively and less pejoratively, if that makes sense). I have not seen the Folio edition of The Selfish Gene in person, but it is in series with several others that I have seen, and all of those are handsome productions.

Had odd issues ordering - after clicking on Checkout it consistently asks to login one more time, then gives Google Pay as the only option. I'm in the US. So I had to call to place my order.

From the sale:
- Parade's End
- Jeeves and Wooster Stories (not a fan of paper sides, but prefer this spine and board design over the busy old one)
- Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil

At full price:
- She-wolves (about to sell out)
- The Yangtze Valley and Beyond
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Used my birthday voucher. Not much, but covers almost half of shipping.

This sale is breaking my heart!! I got The Ring and Outlaws of the Marsh for myself before Christmas, added to an order of gift books. I could have saved over $100 by waiting! I have no instinct for this--although the books are both so gorgeous and the writing is so compelling I don't regret the purchase, even at full price.

I'm new to Folio collecting so my wishlist is still pretty long, but only a few toward the bottom of the list are on sale.

If you haven't read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I recommend it. It's one to collect.

In fact--can we add to our orders after they're placed?

>106 Nerevarine: The Hornblower Set I is in my opinion worth reading on its own, partly as it gives you the background on our hero's early life and growing confidence as a RN officer.

>106 Nerevarine: You can hold yourself over with the Penguin omnibus The Young Hornblower, depicted on the left.

>103 kvnchn: I agree.

I see Dawkins as a polemicist in his attacks on faith.

>110 elladan0891: Yours is a much smarter order than mine! I also have a birthday voucher to use, but didn't think to add in some full-price books to us it on.

Learning so much from this forum...

>112 English-bookseller: >113 NLNils: Thanks a lot for the suggestion. That’s what I’ll do, buy Penguin’s omnibus of the first set in the meantime.

Is there a current voucher code? I was holding off on some titles but now that I see they are not in the sale I will probably go for them.

>114 English-bookseller: he’s a polemicist when attacking faith, and a scientist when writing science books.

His fundamental problem with faith is that it’s unscientific. Hard to disagree with this.

>118 Uppernorwood:

The fundamental problem with chalk is that it's uncheeselike. Hard to disagree with this, too.

>115 goldenotebook: You can message Folio and ask them to use a voucher retrospectively if you only placed the order today. I forgot to use a "welcome" voucher when I first ordered from them and sent a mail to ask whether it could still be applied. I had nothing to lose by asking. And they accepted it.

You should try to call or e-mail them if you want to add a book to your order, it's not like someone is already eagerly packing the shipments. Begging to give them more money - yeah, I'm sure they'll turn you down. :)

What’s the reason the price of the books goes a few pounds up when adding it to the basket? For example a 35£ books becomes £38 or a £135 becomes £147. Tax is added in a separate tab so can’t be that…

>122 capiri: It’s the tax added per book and your total Tax cost. They don’t add up.

Hornblower 3 sold out and Tommy is already down to 52.

Just the Wagner for me. I'm pleased with the saving and opinions on the book seem positive.

Question on Parade's End - is it similar to Brideshead Revisited or a Graham Greene novel in that it is a "catholic" novel that explores other issues? I like both of those fine but probably not up for 1,100 pages of of that theme. The sale price has me doing triple takes on this book.

I’m on the fence as well on Parade’s End and Tommy, also The Greatest Benefit to Mankind having read neither of them. Besides the Folio volume which other publishers/editions could I go for? Are they available on Everyman’s Library, etc.

My only issue is space now and I’ve been leaning towards smaller books such Slightly Foxed and Everyman’s.

>127 ironjaw: Parade’s End was issued by Everyman. I have it and it is a nice reading size even though quite thick.

Scored Parade’s End, a steal at 40 USD!

>127 ironjaw: The Greatest Benefit to Mankind is a wonderful read if you have any interest in the history of medicine. I don't think it's available in any other nice editions. I have tracked down other Roy Porter works and sometimes found a hardback edition, but not anything special.

ETA: It is quite large, though, if space is a consideration.

>115 goldenotebook: Thank you. It took me some time to figure out how things work and come up with some buying strategies. I try to minimize the number of orders to save on shipping. I prioritize books in my wish list based on desirability and available stock.

For example, since I definitely wanted She-Wolves and it got a low stock counter, it's was among my ten priority 1 books. I was keeping an eye on it and would have pulled the trigger if the counter got dangerously low, but I was aiming to get it with this sale order to save on shipping.

Generally, since my wish list has always been long, I've been buying at full price if
1) a book I want is about to sell out
2) they publish one of the books I suggested
3) I really want the book and I know the chances of it hitting sales are slim

Of course, now sales are not what they used to be, but I still managed to get 3 decently discounted titles off my wish list.

And I agree with >120 santiamen:, email or call them. If you do call, try to get to the Customer Services in London, they would be your best bet to amend an existing order/add birthday voucher. Folks on the sales lines are nice, but might not know how to handle an existing order best.

>131 elladan0891: My buying strategy is similar, and I am trying to buy just during the two annual sales to save on shipping now that there are almost no other discounts offered.

I am planning to buy two sale books and several non-sale books I think are unlikely to ever go on sale, and which I would be disappointed to miss out on.

Working and mystery train for me. read a Kindle preview of working and enjoyed it. Not a big discount, but want a change to nonfiction and these look good.

Reiterating earlier recommendations:

Amongst the sale books, three of them are standouts and will be difficult to find, costing considerably more when then finally go OOP. Spare yourself from Non-Buyer's Remorse and the endless whining that is endemic on this board when FSD-ers procrastinate beyond reason and miss out on an exceptional FS edition. The books are:

1. Montaigne. Essays. This is firmly in the FS Deluxe category and I never expected this to be included in any sale. Fine quarter leather binding with elaborate cloth and gilt design for the boards with matching gilt design on the endpapers and pastedowns, ALL edges gilt with gilt titling on the spine. Printed and bound by Kösel in Germany. Most important, it uses the outstanding modern translation by Sara Bakewell, replacing the awful antiquated translations found in older fine & private press editions. At a 50% discount, this should be a no-brainer for anyone who considers himself/herself a serious FS collector.

2. Guns, Germs and Steel. A major anthropological work discussing the evolution of far-flung societies from the Ice Age to modern day and why Eurasian societies have flourished and advanced technologically. A highly original work that is still discussed and debated two decades later. Pulitzer Prize winner. The FS edition is lavishly illustrated with both colour and black and white photographs in the same manner as 'The Ascent of Man' by Jacob Bronowski. Beautifully designed and crafted book by Memminger MedienCentrum of Germany. 30% discount is generous. A fascinating read.

3. The Greatest Benefit to Mankind (2 vols.). The definitive history of medicine (872 pages) yet immensely readable, covering both Eastern and Western medicine and the interplay between medical advancement and society. Once again, lavishly illustrated with both colour and black and white pages. This is one of the types of non-fiction books that FS excels in. Controversial in certain areas (Roy Porter can be a bit opinionated) but always thought-provoking. Excellent 40% discount on an otherwise expensive book.

dlphcoracl

>134 dlphcoracl:
Indeed. The Montaigne's Essays are beautiful and clearly stand out on my shelf, although I didn't buy it purely for aesthetic reasons. I got it from the previous sale, and wouldn't have done it had I not been on this group. Talk about peer pressure, haha!

Guns, Germs and Steel has been on my wishlist. As soon as I saw it, I added it to my cart. Same for Selfish Gene and Alchemist. The other two that I bought were De Produndis and Tommy. All in all, I wasn't expecting anything big from this sale, so I'm pretty happy with my purchases. That's three books from my wishlist wiped out. Can't complain...

>134 dlphcoracl: Agree, the Montaigne is a gorgeous book that imho was a bargain when I bought it at 195 USD.

Con sarnit I just bought:

Watercolor: A History
The Selfish Gene
The Clicking of Cuthbert
Hornblower set 2
Hornblower set 3

like two weeks ago

Ordered:

The Italian Renaissance
The Oxford Shakespeare: Coriolanus
The Oxford Shakespeare: Titus Andronicus
The Oxford Shakespeare: Anthony and Cleopatra
Kuniyoshi
Jeeves and Wooster Stories
Shah of Shahs
Tommy
The Singing Sands
Memoirs from Beyond the Tomb
Parade’s End

Any idea when the sale ends?

>139 bacchus.: 23/1

>140 NLNils: Thank you!

Wilfred Owen LE poems (been waiting for the sale to pick up this one)
Parade's End
Kuniyoshi

Pretty excited by this sale.

>126 LBShoreBook: it is not similar to Brideshead at all. It's a complex, brilliant, multi-faceted work

>134 dlphcoracl:

I'm not sure in which direction the fact might influence any prospective purchaser in a hurry, but Sarah Bakewell has yet to translate Montaigne as far as I know, and the Folio book is a selection from the translation of M.A. Screech, available complete as a Penguin Classics volume. I can't comment on its quality: the earlier three volume edition presenting John Florio's "awful" translation is one of my chief Folio delights.

>128 RRCBS: thanks! My rule is that if it’s available in Everyman’s Library then I usually don’t buy it in folio.

>130 wdripp: Thanks. No not that much interested in medical history though I like history in general, now that I think about it. It seems bulky so will pass on it.

>146 ironjaw: Same, though I have to admit that I often buy both to get different translations (Homer) or recently Paradise Lost for the illustrations and binding.

For the first time in years, I didn’t place my sale order on the first day! After much research and thought, it’s down to:

The Aztecs
Shah of Shahs
Mask of Command

Definitely want the last two. For Aztecs, read some not so great reviews. I find buying non fiction books takes a lot more consideration because sometimes it’s hard to find information on the work, including the quality of the writing.

>145 terebinth:

Two comments:

1. You are correct. The translation is by M.A. Screech and Sarah Bakewell, who wrote an excellent biography of Montaigne in 2010, made the selections of Montaigne's essays for this volume. Although the FS edition is not the complete set of Montaigne's essays, Bakewell did indeed select the best and most important ones.

2. Different strokes for different folks. I was thinking specifically of Giovanni (John) Florio's 1600 translation, first published in 1603, when I termed it an awful translation. Perhaps stating that it was badly dated would have been kinder and more accurate but this translation is more about Florio than what Montaigne actually wrote. His over-the-top, overly dramatic translation may be your proverbial cup of tea, but it approaches burlesque in many areas and the 16th century/early 17th century language makes reading through it a slog. For FS readers that prefer a translation that is 'of the time' Charles Cotton's translation published in 1685-1686 is, to my mind, far superior and more accurate, especially the edition edited by William Carew Hazlitt for the Navarre Society in 1923. Many 21st century readers, myself included, will find M.A. Screech's translation more to their taste, eliminating the need to retranslate Florio's translation during their reading of Montaigne's essays. While it may not contain Florio's dramatic (and inappropriate) flair, it more than compensates with its clarity.

That said, Screech's translation is also somewhat wayward and some critics consider it to be a 21st century Florio. Unfortunately, the translation by Donald Frame is the best of the lot for me and the one I wish the FS had used for this edition.

Ended up buying 5 books in the sale:

- Jeeves and Wooster
- 2 Shakespeare (Titus Andronicus and Coriolanus, neither of which I am in a great hurry to read, but at $10 each I couldn’t pass them up)
- Kuniyoshi
- Essays (which I would not have bought absent a great deal of enabling by you lot)

I went for 7:

Parade’s End
Oryx and Crake
Guns, Germs and Steel
The Mask of Command
The Greatest Benefit to Mankind
The Four Gospels
Ring of the Nibelung

>149 dlphcoracl: I think Everyman’s Library (‘The Complete Works’) uses Frame’s translation

I'm with >149 dlphcoracl: on Florio. I have the two-volume Nonesuch edition with Florio's translation. They are truly beautiful books, but the translation makes them a real slog to read and, if reading after about 9pm, I find them almost intractable.

>152 DMulvee:

It does.

Clearly, selecting amongst several tranlsations is always a matter of personal taste. While many readers prefer John Florio's Elizabethan translation, others (myself included) prefer a modern translation. Donald Frame's translation may well provide the best combination of modern clarity and accuracy.

>150 jsg1976:

When your order arrives and you have the FS Montaigne's Essays in hand, you will understand why I have been so strident about FSD-ers obtaining a copy. Translation issues aside, it is one of the most beautiful FS books over the past 4-5 years. At a unexpected -50% discount you can hardly go wrong.

I have a leatherbound Franklin Library volume with Frame's translations of 29 essays.

I have a couple things in my cart and noticed a free "Folio Bestsellers" thing in my cart. Is that just a catalogue?

Just the one for me this time round but I have wanted this one for quite a while. I just ordered Wilfred Owen who will join Rupert Brooke and Edward Thomas on my shelf. I was hoping it would go on sale this year but not so early in the New Year after having an expensive Christmas. I still couldn't say no though :). There are others on sale which I definitely would of been interested in but I would of only got them at the expense of leaving the Wilfred Owen which I couldn't do. I'm thankful I picked up Montaigne's Essays and Outlaws of the Marsh previously or I really would of had a dilemma.

Jeeves and Wooster Stories now has a counter and is down to 54.

Sigh. Yeah, okay, after you all gushed about it so much I went ahead and ordered Montaigne's Essays, and since shipping ain't free I went ahead and also got De Profundis and Iron Kingdom, the latter of which isn't even on sale but which I've wanted so much.

>159 assemblyman: are you or anyone able to comment on the Jeeves and Wooster books (content)? I have vague memories of Hugh Laurie but have no idea about the books…

>161 stopsurfing: I adore the Jeeves and Wooster books and envy those coming new to them. Personally, I went with the Everyman Wodehouse set because I wanted to collect more than just those of his output. Definitely worth reading in whatever format.

>162 RRCBS: I've seen those Everyman Wodehouse books at Hatchard's. They are lovey to look at with their bright covers. Have been tempted to pick them up

>163 ironjaw: if you like Everyman you would love them! Great reading size and quite elegant. I have all of the Wooster, Blandings amd Psmith books and often think of buying a few more. Plus they take up a lot less shelf space than the Folios! Mind you, I do have and love the older FS Leave it to Pmsith.

>164 RRCBS: They do definitely look striking on the shelf at Hatchards so I might just pick up one or two next time I visits to get a feel on how they read. What's the one you would recommend I should start with?

>165 ironjaw: I would try a Jeeves personally. Maybe Thank You, Jeeves, as the first novel.

>162 RRCBS: Agreed on the Everyman Wodehouse editions. I ended up eventually buying the full set, which ended up at around 100 volumes, with the assistance of some regular haunts on Charing Cross Road where some of the less well-known titles were to be found for less than £5 each.

>163 ironjaw:

Agreed with RRCBS here and encourage you to take a close look at the Everyman series of Wodehouse. So far I've got Jeeves and Blandings covered as well as some randoms that I liked the look of. Great appearance on the shelf as you say.

I'd start with one of the early short story collections - Inimitable, Very Good or Carry On. Any of them make for a good taste test and although there's no concrete timeline overall, it's best, IMO, to meet certain characters as they're introduced. Many are recurring.

I have quite a few of the Overlook Press Collector's Wodehouse volumes. Are these the US equivalent of the Everyman series? They certainly seem well made with sewn bindings, and identical dust jacket illustrations as the Everyman volumes. Anyone have copies from both publishers that can mention any differences between them?

>169 DCBlack: I have the full set of 99 (and have read them all!) the Overlook was the publisher for the US market and Everyman for the U.K. market, they seem identical except ‘EVERYMAN’ is printed towards the bottom of the spine for their volumes, whilst Overlook has its logo and then it’s name ‘OVERLOOK’ (in the same font, and capitals and colour) in the US version - I bought 4 Overlook copies by accident online but the difference is minute.

My favourites are the Blandings series and the PSmith novels

>165 ironjaw: Agree with >168 adriano77:, early short stories are a good place to start. I'd just start at the beginning with Carry On, Jeeves. It's a collection of short stories that kicks off with the one where Jeeves and Wooster meet.
Also, for me personally, short story is the perfect medium for Wodehouse. When I'm in the mood for some light fun reading to relax, I can just pick up Wodehouse stories, finish one or two, and move on with life.

Also, like other Everyman's, I think they look even better naked. The Wodehouse dust jackets are actually made of nice paper, but I just prefer seeing cloth spines.

Anyone have any thoughts as to why Oryx and Crake is in the sale? SF and fantasy titles don't seem to make it to the sales recently as they are likely among the FS best sellers... I would have thought Oryx and Crake would have sold well, given the fame of the author.

>161 stopsurfing: Try reading a short story online. It's lighthearted fun reading. Throngs of fans, but, like any humor, not for everyone. I seem to be a more rare case who enjoys reading Wodehouse once in a while to relax, but not a die-hard fan. So I have no intentions collecting the complete Everyman's Wodehouse and Folio's selections are good enough for me, plus I have a couple of Everyman's which are a good size for traveling.

>172 punkzip:

Oryx and Crake is in the sale because the book is genuinely ugly. A Confederacy of Dunces and Something Wicked This Way Comes fall into this category as well.

>167 antinous_in_london: could you recommend any bookshops on Charing Cross Road. I’ve only been to Foyles there

>172 punkzip: Oryx & Crake was also in the Summer Sale last year so not too much of a surprise that having been in one sale it may reappear again in the next (approx 75% of the titles in the current sale were also in the last sale). I suppose a famous author (who is mainly famous for a different book / tie-in tv series) doesn’t necessarily guarantee big sales.

>175 ironjaw:

Foyles is probably the best of them but Any Amount of Books at 56 Charing Cross Rd. is worth a visit as well.

>175 ironjaw: Charing Cross Road used to be the centre of the antiquarian book trade, though there isn’t much left, and with recent closures & relocations during the last year of Covid even fewer remain. Pordes is still there (though it relocated further up the street last year & isn’t what it was. It often holds FS books but can be over-priced) & ‘Any Amount of Books’ is definitely always worth a visit. There are also several book shops round the corner from CXR, in Cecil Court.
I always enjoyed the eccentric, bizarre randomness of the old Foyles & find the new building a bit soul-less so if I'm in the mood to do soul-less i prefer Waterstones on Piccadilly for its larger range (or Hatchard’s which, like Foyles, is also owned by Waterstones but still retains its character & is nicer to shop in)

A few I had been thinking about made it into the sale so:
Memoirs from Beyond the Tomb
Shah of Shahs
Jeeves and Wooster Stories (unplanned but could not resist it anymore)
Plus two of the Tey novels which did not make the sale (if I am ordering, I might as well add all I wanted to buy anyway).

>166 RRCBS: >168 adriano77: >173 elladan0891: thank you all, your comments have been most helpful! I won’t be buying this in the sale now, I will read something online and pursue the Everyman editions if it tickles my fancy.
I’ve got Montaigne’s essays (truly a fine book) and am tempted by the Wilfred Owen (but the postage!) and the Greatest Benefit to Mankind. Postage to Europe is £34, so that puts the kibosh on me putting in an order this time. I bought a bunch of folios before Christmas, none of which are in the sale thank goodness, so I should be right. Thanks again everyone…

So I ended up just buying The Shah of Shahs and The Mask of Command. Though I also bought a secondhand copy of The Face of Battle to go with it. I really wanted to want The Aztecs, but I’m 36 and have at least 12 Billy’s full of books, so I need to be careful which books I buy a physical copy of…also spent a lot of money on books lately. Smallest sale order ever, but happy with my choices and enjoyed all the research that went into them!

I picked up quite a few books - one book I picked up on a whim was Heaven on Earth. The description sounds interesting, and not much of a risk for the price, but it seems like this is an unusual book for Folio to offer from another publisher - most seem to be more expensive books? Anyone have any idea why Folio would be selling this?

>182 punkzip: Thames & Hudson is a frequent partner of Folio so their books show up often - especially in areas where Folio does not have coverage and art related books...

>174 dlphcoracl: Oryx and Crake is in the sale because the book is genuinely ugly. A Confederacy of Dunces and Something Wicked This Way Comes fall into this category as well.

"Something Wicked This Way Comes" is one of my favorite recent Folio publications!
A perfect match of illustrations and slipcase to the mood of the book!
But then again I also liked the Herefordshire Pomana as well :-)

I haven't any particular dislike for "Oryx and Crake" either but with "Confederacy of Dunces I would definitely agree with you"

Feeling both smug and annoyed. Smug because I bought all the Hornblowers on release as I thought they would sell out relatively quickly with subsequent high prices in the secondary market and annoyed because I would have saved over $200AU buying sets 2 & 3 in the sale. Ended up with The Four Gospels (even though I have the LE), five of the Shakespeare companions, and the later two Sharpe's which I have been dithering over because I don't much like the illustrations. As with some others here I decided to take advantage of what was essentially free shipping by adding them to my sale order.
A few others tempted me but I recently picked up the Clover Hill edition of David Jones' Book of Jonah so my budget was a little tight.

OT to >185 bradleyrees:

The Clover Hill Editions are uniformly superb, primarily because they were designed and printed by Sebastian Carter at his Rampant Lions Press. His letterpress printing and book design are/were exceptional and he almost always used a fine handmade paper, frequently from Barcham Green / Hayle Mill.

I am a new collector and it was my first time ordering from FS. I am satisfied with the books I got on the sale:

Heaven on Earth: Painting and the Life to Come
Joan of Arc
The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England

I also bought other books that are not on sale since it made sense due to the cost of shipping.

>182 punkzip: I also bought Heaven on Earth. For me, it was because I am interested in the book. I was so happy to find it at such a great price!

>186 dlphcoracl:
Yes, I saw it in the flesh at a local antiquarian bookstore and decided I had to have it. I had been looking at the FS Edition but was always put off by the $100AU shipping charge for what is quite a slim volume. In the end, I didn't pay much more than the FS price as I bought quite a few other books at the same time and as I'm a regular customer I usually get quite a good discount off the total price. I've since been looking at some of the other Clover Hill editions online and they strike me as being particularly good value.

No titles tempted me this year, other than ones which I already have, leaving me with funds for more Slightly Foxed and Fitzcarraldo Editions (French paperback style books).

>187 JayBooker: Welcome!

A few titles tempted me, but the postage to Oz is just crazy: $55. I’ll have to keep bundling my regular / full price purchases with the sales, and pre-Christmas I put in a decent sized order.

For interest, I would have gone with:
- Parade’s End (I think this might have been on sale for this price previously? Or maybe not quite as cheap?). Not convinced I’d ever get around to reading it, but it looks like a nice edition
- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (likewise, has been on sale a few times before)
- the Shakespeare letterpress (I don’t have any letterpress and at this price - minus postage! - it would have been a great
opportunity)

To respond to an earlier query, I wonder whether many didn’t buy Oryx and Crake for fear that Folio wouldn’t publish the full trilogy. Although it works perfectly as a standalone as originally intended. I already had the original first edition, and while not nearly as nice, it will suffice - and matches the rest of the set. The glow in the dark is pretty cool though!

>189 CarltonC: thank you :)

>190 Jeremy53: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a fairly recent edition and I don't remember it ever being on sale, not with this discount for sure. It was on my wishlist, so I jumped at this opportunity. I think it could have been a hit if they didn't butcher the binding design with that unnecessary lemon-lime background and an oddly placed photo.

>192 elladan0891: it was actually in the most recent summer sale as well

I picked up some things I'd had my eye on for a while. From the sale:
The Italian Renaissance
Guns, Germs and Steel
Essays
Oryx and Crake
Get Shorty

I was considering the Hornblower sets but I'm in too deep with Patrick O'Brian already. Completing that set will be a nightmare. Jeeves & Wooster sold out before I pulled the trigger.
Sad to see Elmore Leonard being a tough sell. Montaigne’s Essays wasn't really on my radar but it's just gorgeous and there's a lot of rave reviews about the quality on here.

>190 Jeremy53:

Midnight in the Garden tempted me, but it's not a priority. Besides, it's fairly new, so I'm hoping Folio have a lot of copies just so they can appear in the next sale.

And i feel you. I too have to pay £50 for express shipping to my country. There's no other option. In fact, all my books have cost less than the express shipping, pfff. Oh well.

>180 stopsurfing: Despite Brexit, the UK is still in Europe!

>190 Jeremy53: The Shakespeare books in the sale are the companion volumes, which were not printed Letterpress. Many still like them, but they don't tick the letterpress box.

If you're looking for somewhat affordable letterpress Shakespeare from Folio and still in print, the best bet is probably Twelfth Night (https://www.foliosociety.com/uk/twelfth-night.html). It has been reduced to the scandalously low price of £12.50 in recent sales but was, for some reason, excluded from this sale. Even better still might be buying one of the individually bound plays from the "Rainbow Shakespeare" (https://ubiquitousbooks.wordpress.com/2021/04/24/rainbow-shakespeare/) which are widely available in the secondary market at very low prices and come from the era when Folio printed letterpress as standard.

>196 English-bookseller: not as far as law, travel, shipping and customs are concerned anymore. But you knew that.

>196 English-bookseller: >198 cwl:
Europe = 50 countries/territories vs. European Union 27. I suspect you both knew that too!

>199 Devils_Advocaat: I liked your post.

I find it amusing how minor and never-heard of European countries which are independent such as Russia, the Ukraine and Switzerland etc just seem to slip the memory of some folks!

Now back on topic to Folio Society books please ... on which I hope we all share a vast admiration.

Ordered:
Greatest Benefit to Mankind (I guess someone wrote my biography?)
Montaigne Essays
(Enablement/long-time interest/know it will be killer pricey on the secondary market)
Kuniyoshi
(What a deal/take a flyer/looks cool)
Illustrated Man
(Down to 150 copies/favourite Bradbury)

If anyone’s on the fence, pick up Memoirs…Tomb, Parade’s End and Get Shorty. Great reads and productions!

>200 English-bookseller:

Now back on topic to Folio Society books please

I try to avoid getting drawn in to political discussions on here - I come to this forum to read about and discuss FS books, as you also seem to claim to do. But I feel it should be pointed out here, that it was you who introduced the topic of Brexit to this thread - stopsurfing had simply made an innocuous comment about postage costs relevant to their location. I expect postage fees to other non-EU countries in Europe would be similar - their comment was nothing to do with Brexit but with geography. Yet you're now taking it upon youself to instruct the rest of us to return to a topic, from which you were solely responsible for the departure. I've noticed you do this several times on this forum, and personally speaking, it's getting a bit tiresome. If you would like the rest of us to avoid referencing brexit, or any other off-topic concerns, perhaps you could consider making the effort to stay on topic yourself? Just a polite suggestion.

>193 jsg1976:
Ah, yes, I suppose I should have checked the sales spreadsheet on the wiki first. So it's the second time it enters sales.

Anyone have any thoughts about Conrad's Secret Agent which is 40% off in the sale?

>204 punkzip:

Conrad is great in general, but an old enough author that there's a lot of great stuff of his from, e.g., The Limited Editions Club available dirt cheap on eBay. I'd check those out first. You'll get a higher-quality product, numbered and signed, often at shockingly low prices.

I just picked up Nigger of the Narcissus for like $10.

>204 punkzip: Conrad's Secret Agent is a wonderful novel in its own right. It is also astonishing in that it explores the world of political terrorism - in this case Russian - at the start of the 20th century. It is a great read.

If you have not come across Conrad before - and he is one the greatest writers in English - he has a very surprising personal background.

But I will not spoil the surprise awaiting those new to Conrad here.

>204 punkzip: Great novel. He’s a great writer and Secret Agent is definitely one worth reading. I have the older Conrad set and find them really beautiful. I read them all in my early 20s, have reread some and treasure them.

Bought far too much for the limited space on my book shelves…

Sale items: Essays, The Alchemist, Maigret and Coriolanus.

Non-sale: Dune, Jurassic Park, Dracula, Casino Royale and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

Now just need to find a way to get them to block my card so I can’t buy any more!

I already own quite a few of the titles on sale as most were in previous sales, so I only ordered two disounted books:

Guns, Germs & Steel (wishlisted)
Montaigne Essays (enabled)

I'm trying to place just two orders a year to save on shipping so I added quite a few full price wishlisted books that I deemed unlikely to appear in a future sale or likely to sell out soonish:

House of Many Ways
Castle in the Air
Anansi Boys
Crooked House
Long Walk to Freedom
The Longest Day
1776
The Illustrated Man
The Dispossesed

Finding space for my haul will be tricky.

>209 wdripp: Good decision to save on shipping!

Is it normal for titles to be available in the US but not the UK? Just had a look at the US sale page and can see 64 titles included compared to the UK of 63. It seems the discrepancy is on the title The World’s Heritage, a paperback by HarperCollins which is not only excluded from the UK sale but doesn't appear on the UK store at all! Here's a link to the item on the US store: https://www.foliosociety.com/usa/world-heritage.html

>211 ThisLifeIrl: It's very rare, but does happen due to publishing rights and works both ways: Folio's own edition of Anne Frank's Diaries is available in the UK but not the US (not sure about other countries).

Parade's End is now "Low Stock: 75 left" (and has been added to the "Last Chance to Buy" page). Surprised it's taken this long - at £28.75 in the UK, it's cheaper than it would have been on the old Naughty Trolley (£15 per volume).

>213 PeterFitzGerald: Ah, the Naughty Trolley! I just teared up. Btw, £15 per book guidance wasn't necessarily enforced for sets. I got a perfect, still sealed Narnia set for £30, and the wonderful large 3-volume Byzantium set (sans shrink wrap) for £15.

>213 PeterFitzGerald: And I never got to see the Naughty Trolley!

>215 Kainzow: it was magic, more akin to an audio narration by David Attenborough on a nature documentary. A small tight room filled with staring vulture like eyes upon the entry of the wheels rolling of the naught trolley. A scene of mere madness as the players jostled to become first to attack the wares at hand, leaving all civility and manners behind. You could smell the envy of onlookers as prizes were conquered

>216 ironjaw:

You've burst my balloon, Faisel. I always pictured a tranquil, more civilised scene. OTOH I no longer feel a sense of loss.

>217 folio_books: my thoughts exactly but reality was quite different. When folio closed and sent their surplus and damaged stock to those wine publishers (the name has escaped me) I was standing in queue waiting to be let in and swing other folio members and collectors was an entire surprising experience. I had thoughts of an entire civilised class, tweed jacket with brown should pads, pipe in hand, inkling pub vibes, old school with amazing stories, alas I was met with an outlandish collectors with death metal T-shirts, purple hair and snatching fingers with dangerous claws that could slice your guts out. The first few waves entering the floor had their first choice and took home great bargains but the rest waiting in queue grew quite agitated and aggressive at this and the comments were unflattering, I’m afraid.

Autocorrect is infuriating.

>218 ironjaw: yes, the wine shop was called Laithwaite's, I believe. I went there for pop-up sales twice and it could hardly have been a bigger contrast. On the first occasion the queue was short, the shop almost empty, and the few people there politely browsed the available stock. All that was missing were the tweed jackets. The second time around I queued for 90minites (perhaps right behind you if you were there, although certainly without death metal shirt or purple hair) and it definitely felt like people were scrambling for the last boat on the Titanic. Most unpleasant and I felt particularly sorry for the staff who had to manage the hoard. It's a real shame because the concept of £20 copies of Atlas Shrugged or £10 for Casino Royale was a nice one.

It was fun, though, to browse the forum while standing in the queue and try to figure out which were the fellow members complaining on here about the wait.

>218 ironjaw: >219 ubiquitousuk:

Not wishing to quibble, gentlemen, but am I right in thinking neither of these events took place in the dMR at Eagle Street? Because that's where I see the fabled Naughty Trolley standing amidst several well-mannered ex-members, not a gouge or nip to be seen. Please tell me it's true.

>220 folio_books: Yes, you're right. I moved back across the pond before the Laithwaite's sales so no comments on those, but I'm happy to report that every time I stopped by the Eagle St shop it was a very civilized scene, even around the Naughty Trolley. Only on a few occasions was I forced to knock out a tweed-clad gentleman with a pipe to grab the desired edition off the Trolley.

But seriously, >218 ironjaw:, I think you would have really enjoyed the dMR (I have not experienced the older MRs, perhaps you would have loved them even more). The atmosphere was more tweed than death metal, I think, with majority of customers being regular people somewhere in between. I was the guy with a tweed jacket over metal T-shirt.

Btw, perhaps counter-intuitively, the Naughty Trolley, at least in its last years, did not have wheels and wasn't really a trolley. It was a short two-sided bookcase standing in the middle of the room by the armchairs.

>221 elladan0891: the Naughty Trolley, at least in its last years, did not have wheels and wasn't really a trolley

Another illusion shattered ...

>220 folio_books: yes, indeed, you're right. Sadly, I came aboard the ship after Eagle Street had already shut its doors. But I was happily in time to catch the last couple of pop-up sales. I believe Laithwaite's has now shut the shop too, so even if the pop-up sales came back post-COVID (which I doubt) they would probably have to change location. Shame, because letting my girlfriend visit Borough Market was always a convenient excuse to take the train to London on pop-up sale day.

>120 santiamen: Thanks for this suggestion. I did email and call, but they were so swamped with the sale that they didn't get back to me for a couple days, and by then it was too late to change anything. I did actually place another order to make better use of the sale and my discount, but I'm going to call this a learning experience. From now on, I'll probably mostly wait and order several books at a time during the sales, including full price books, to get better shipping rates.

FYI, when someone did call me back it was on a Saturday and she was really nice, so they are clearly trying to get back to everyone a timely manner.

>224 goldenotebook: Similar to your story I tried to amend an order by adding a book too late but they let me skip shipping on the second order to accommodate. Just an fyi for future reference.

Gentlemen: indeed so. I visited Eagle Street on the last day and for the first time before it closed its doors. I was hoping for more but alas it was less than what I expected. Although I did see a gentlemen in a smaller reddish covetable car, Morgan? maybe picking up some limited editions and driving away with style. That was some entrance. The naughty trolley was there of course but contained all those books that I already had so nothing for me. I do sometimes walk past Eagle Street to reminisce.

>222 folio_books: interesting the one that I saw was actually pushed in front of me but these were the last days of the dMR. Now that I remember books were brought in on the trolley and placed on the shelf

The dMR in 2014...

>228 InVitrio: Nice share! Look at all those fairies.

>221 elladan0891: Why was it referred to as the Naughty Trolley? Did it have a top shelf?!

You can even see a photograph of the trolly itself here: https://nicelocal.co.uk/london/business/the_folio_society_head_office/.

>231 ubiquitousuk: You can even see a photograph of the trolly itself

So is it that thing with the clipboard attached?

>232 folio_books: Yes. If you scroll down the page, there's a larger picture which shows the trolley more clearly.

>230 ThisLifeIrl: Historically, I guess - I'm sure at some point it was an actual trolley.

In its heyday, there was actually more than one trolley. I can remember being there when the vultures had almost picked the first trolley clean and another was wheeled in. It was like feeding time at the zoo.

24 left on Parades End. Likely to be gone over the next couple of days

>235 boldface: that’s probably the best explanation of what I’ve experienced, Jonathan lol

>234 elladan0891: Thanks elladan0891 but why was it "naughty"? I'm sure it's probably me just being dense.

>236 PrestigeWorldWide: 24 left on Parades End

19 left on Parade's End. I just succumbed, having lurked on this thread a while too long. I would bet that all the copies will be gone today.

>238 ThisLifeIrl: It tempted you to do thing you shouldn't do ... such as blow your month's income on Folio Society books...

>228 InVitrio:
That looks suspiciously like a complete set of O'Brians in the right hand end book case, and all those Fairy books on the bottom shelves on the extreme left - that'll rub some salt into some wounds!

I used to love dropping in when visiting - really miss it, although my wallet doesn't, as it was a massive enabler.

>241 Willoyd: and the Andrew Lang’s at the lower left

The books were in alphabetical order by author, with sets at the back-right. And of course limited editions in their own separate space under the window.

I went to Eagle Street a few times, the last time was the day before it closed for good just before Christmas in 2016.
picked up quite a few books, new in slipcase for £5 each.
I also remember the sales from a few years ago when I got camus the outsider for I think £6, and heart of darkness for £7.
the standout this time in the sale is parades end, at that price you can't really refuse it. I've not read it as yet but its meant to be a classic and the production is very good, even if the illustrations might not be to everyone's taste.

oh and the first LE sale, where I truly went down the FS rabbit hole and bought my first two: Faerie Queene and Just so Stories for if I remember right £350 each. I'm on the fence about London and New York in this sale, and enablement on offer?

Parades End is going fast, 2 left.

Tis gone!

My order:

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
The Greatest Benefit to Mankind
The Aztecs
Stranger in a Strange Land
Mythical Beasts

Am I doing this correctly?

I ordered:
Essays
Poems for Christopher Robin
The House at Pooh Corner (not on sale, but few copies remaining)
Winnie the Pooh (not on sale, but given the above it had to be included)

Then, suffering from non-buyers remorse, I put in a separate order for:
Parade's End
The Secret Agent

>249 JohnRokesmith: Yup. You got the bug. Welcome to the club. ;)

>249 JohnRokesmith:

"Am I doing this correctly?"

Played it like a Stradivarius. Bravo!

>251 dlphcoracl:

Excellent, thanks dlphcoracl and AnnieMod. Now to find a way to hold out until the summer sale. I'm sure checking this board regularly will do the trick.

>252 JohnRokesmith: Do you also believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy? It is slightly more likely for them to come visit you together than for you to resist that long that early (although it IS possible I've been told - we are yet to see someone managing but... there is always a first time) :)

Oh - and welcome to the group and to Folio...

(Psst - anyone taking bets on this one?) :)

>253 AnnieMod: I managed to avoid buying anything in the sale and recently earned my 30 day chip.

>254 kdweber: You had been here forever though. He is new... :)

>253 AnnieMod: Thanks for the kind welcome. I'm not worried; I'll fine provided that they don't release any new books.

>242 ironjaw: and the Andrew Lang’s at the lower left
Those are the Fairy books!

>98 Kainzow: Just a final question, does anybody know if the Selfish Gene is still relevant today? 🤔
This retrospective from Nature could help you:
https://www.nature.com/articles/529462a

>258 David_Mauduit: Thanks for sharing. Enabled.

Amazing haul!

Non-sale:
All four Tolkein books
His Dark Materials
Dracula
Rebecca
Persian Fire

Sale:
Montaigne Essays (a beautiful volume which really calls to me predilection for books as art)
Guns Germs

Really looking forward to getting stuck in.

My wish list is looking a little barren and I wonder whether anyone has any ideas on when FS would announce its new 2022 releases?

Just a word of caution for those with OCD that the new edition of Selfish Gene does not feature the same Folio Society monogram on the spine as previous prints and so if you intend to complete a collection of Dawkins' other books, or start collecting the others, they will, annoyingly, not match.

>261 wongie: Yet another example of Evolution creating diversity via the selfish genes governing the mechanism of cost-cutting?

>261 wongie: >262 English-bookseller: on that note :) has the mutated reprint transposed to China?

>263 bacchus.: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lywSZvPbqLkaS506hNRXrVwWRxNzPKN2C6il83PD...

It has.

The new wrapping material is hilarious and also painful physically and mentally to unwrap. It seems to do the trick and is recyclable so I'm okay with that.

>265 PrestigeWorldWide:
I think the new wrapping looks far more prestigious and up-market than mere shrink wrapped plastic.
It will also stop resellers wrapping old editions in shrink wrap and claiming they are unopened mint copies.
I like it a lot.

Ah I was talking about the barbwired cardboard they were using in place of bubble wrap. Should have been more clear.

>267 PrestigeWorldWide: Yes! Usually my orders come with that stuff just wrapped/tucked around the pile of books in the box (and it works very well). But for my sale order, they'd wrapped each of the three books individually with the wrapping, and then stacked them together vertically and put them in the box, with the books/wrapping completely filling the space, I don't think there was a spare millimetre. So by the time the parcel reached me, all of the books were so firmly interlocked together by the wrapping, they just formed one solid lump of Folio that refused to be moved from the box. Got them out in the end but almost cut my hands to ribbons, that barbwired cardboard (love that description - very apt!) is lethal in that sort of arrangement! I'll never complain about tight slipcases again ;)

First sale order:

Guns, Germs and Steel
De Profundis
Tommy
The Selfish Gene
The Alchemist

I could have added The Folio Book of Science, but decided against it. I may still go back to it and add some other books on my wishlist to save on shipping cost.

Then today morning I placed a second order, this time for Babar. My first and possibly last LE!

All in all, a heavy hit on my bank account, haha! I'll probably not order any other book until the next sale or until a book I fancy is selling out.

After looking at everything in my order, based on binding alone I would say I am most impressed with Essays and the Selfish Gene! Both look incredible.

>248 ultrarightist: looking forward to your review of Mythical Beasts.

Can Limited Edition books be ordered with New Year's Sale book and shipped in the same parcel or......

Are all Limited Edition books always shipped separately from the more general FS Sale riff-raff?

>272 dlphcoracl: The shipping cost is always separate. However, if you order a LE and standard edition(s) at the same time (or even in separate orders on the same day or even a day or two apart), you can email customer service and they will remove the shipping cost from your SE order. I've done this before. Now if you are asking whether or not they will be shipped together in the same box, I don't know but I'd highly doubt it.

>272 dlphcoracl: I ordered two LEs and two SEs in the sale. They all came in one box.

>273 punkzip:
>274 behemoththecat:

Thanks for the info.

Finally heeded my own advice, i.e., if you are thinking about acquiring a book for greater than 48 hours, JUST BUY IT !!, and ordered the Wilfred Owen Limited Edition. Having acquired the other two books in this series (Edward Thomas and Rupert Brooke) it simply made sense to complete the set, especially since this one is probably the best of the lot.

>275 dlphcoracl: Astonished you hadn't picked that one up sooner

>273 punkzip: if I had known it, I'd have placed an order for The Folio Book of Science :/

The only reason I didn't go for it is the shipping was too much. I thought I could drop it in my cart with the Babar LE, but then I saw the shipping cost...

Oh well. I hope it stays around for the next sale. :)

>276 gmacaree:

Frankly, so am I. Sometimes a Lethal Brain Cramp (LBC) hinders my selection of fine and private press books.

A little note of warning to those new and seasoned collectors out there to be on guard when opening folio books. Folio used to shrink wrap it’s book in plastic (I much prefer this) but recently I’ve received the James Bond novels wrapped in a slightly stiffer tissue paper affixed with sellotape that’s rather strongly adhesive.

The result when tearing it open the sellotape stuck to the paper side cover of the slipcase and tore a part of the picture out

>279 ironjaw:

I don't get it. Was the tape already stuck to the slipcase? Or did it accidentally adhere to the slipcase while you were unwrapping?

Some of their packers will affix the tape directly to the slipcase. I’m not sure if it’s ever been fedback to them to stop.

Why keep a butler and unwrap yourself? When he's finished pressing the Press let him apply the gentle setting to the Folio tape and remove the remaining goo with Googone.

James Bond lived a very dangerous life so it was predictable that he would come to a sticky end...

>280 adriano77: the latter when unwrapping so be careful

>283 English-bookseller: Classic!

>274 behemoththecat: "I ordered two LEs and two SEs in the sale. They all came in one box." This is surprising as if you add 2 LEs to your cart you are charged a separate high shipping cost for each, as well as the SEs. Of course you could email or call customer service as I mentioned and get the shipping cost reduced but most people may not know this. Seems like a good way to piss off customers.

Here is another shipping hint. During the sale, I bought a bunch of SEs. Later in the day, I decided I wanted one more SE book. I called the order line and asked if I could add it to my previous order and was told that was not possible as the order was already being processed. So I called again and hit the customer service button. They told me no problem, we will just ship you that one book as a separate order and waive the shipping cost. So a lot can be done to reduce shipping costs if you go through customer service, rather than the order takers.

Picked up Guns, Germs and Steel on sale. Pretty happy with the purchase.

I definitely ordered way too many titles this time. This is it for a long time :D

Sale:
The Folio Book of Science
Essays
Guns, Germs and Steel
The Mask of Command
The Alchemist

Non-Sale:
Dracula
The Book of the New Sun
The Godfather
A Feast for Crows
Jurassic Park
The Lost World

>279 ironjaw: As per my post about the unfortunate event with my recent order, I would like to share my recent phone call with Folio’s customer service. I received a call from a lovely lady that without out made me feel very welcomed and appreciated. She was sorry to hear about my ordeal and offered to replace my book. All I can say is that Folio has great customer service and knows how to deal with customers. I’m happy spending my money on them. Oh and a little note, some new releases are coming up next month in Feb or early in March.

>289 ironjaw: Thanks for the update. I too have had these kinds of positive experiences. I like to think that taking care of its customers pays-off for Folio in the long one, once one accounts for propensity to purchase again in the future and for the value of word of mouth.

My first FS order in over a year:

Sale:
The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England

Non-sale:
The Road
Best Short Stories (Dostoevsky)
The Master and Margarita
Middlemarch

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by Middlemarch. The pictures on the FS website don't quite do it justice, it's definitely better than I was expecting. Although it's still not my favorite shade of green, it has a slight metallic shine to it which I find gives it a more premium look. It's also bigger than I was expecting. I assumed it would be around the same size as East of Eden and Dune, but it's actually a fair bit larger.

I just received my order, and among the new books I got Essays. I am so impressed with the quality as others have mentioned. It definitely sets it apart from the rest.

I too have really enjoyed the quality and content of Montaigne's Essays - such a great surprise. I wonder whether anyone has any similar recommendations past or current?

>293 Priyesh2022: I was just as impressed. But then, a look at its original price is enough to tell you why its so amazing.

Generally, the more expensive the book, the higher it is in quality. Of course there are exceptions. That being said, most of the books selling for £75 or more tend to be exquisitely produced. I have in mind Anansi Boy, American Gods, Dune, etc etc.

>294 Kainzow: thank you! I have just added Dune to my basket!

>293 Priyesh2022: My personal pick from the current £75 crop would be Kafka on the Shore, which I like even more than my copy of Dune (although Dune is indeed great). From the back-catalogue, I'd highlight the Call of Cthulhu (although used prices reflect its appeal).

In case you're interested, I have reviews of two of these books here:

https://ubiquitousbooks.wordpress.com/2021/11/06/dune/
https://ubiquitousbooks.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/the-call-of-cthulhu-other-weird...

>296 ubiquitousuk: I don't know if I ever read your blog before, but I enjoyed the review of the SE Dune. So, thanks!

>296 ubiquitousuk: really well drafted and comprehensive reviews! I enjoyed reading them. I’ve always been ok the fence with regard to Kafka as I haven’t read any Murakami and not use it’s sensible to pay £75 with no previous experience with such a unique author. I am a big Lovecraft fan on the other hand but sadly missed out on what looks to be a ravishing example of bookmanship! I hope they reprint one day!

>298 Priyesh2022: Ask them to reprint :D
I've already sent them my request. The more the better.

>293 Priyesh2022:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/334040#n7571061

I love Dune; I think it has one of the most striking binding designs and is, overall, an excellent production. I highly recommend it. However, Dune and similar books mentioned above are not in the same league as the Montaigne. Dune is a well designed and executed standard edition. Other than the design, nothing really stands out - standard paper, regular buckram binding. If you want something extra special à la Montaigne, you need to check other Fine editions, such as the 2010 edition of Beowulf (quarter leather; superb cloth - textured, soft, lovely sheen; striking gold-stamped front board design; very, very thick paper; every single page is framed by various viking-like motifs; gilded top) or the 2012 Rubaiyat (supple Nigerean goatskin and crushed silk binding, nice thick paper, nice illustrations, gilded top, slipcase with a pasted illustration).

>301 elladan0891: I'd add Piers Plowman to that list.

>302 ultrarightist: Yes, I'd also recommend it along with a number of other Fine editions such as any book from the quarter leather/silk boards series (Walden, 3 volumes of the Divine Comedy, Faust, Jerusalem, Paradise Lost, Apocrypha), the David Roberts set, the Baburnama, etc. I just chose Beowulf and Rubaiyat as two examples. I'd also rank them a notch above Piers - Piers has a gorgeous leather/cloth binding, but paper is not as thick and luxurious (understandably so as it's a longer work and the volume is fat as it is already).

FS produced a number of excellent Fine editions over the years. One thing that makes it a bit complicated is that the category is not defined strictly and while some books such as Beowulf or Montaigne are very firmly in it, there might be debate about some others.

As for the currently in print books available direct from Folio that have a little extra umph, off the top of my head I'd point to The Tomb of Tutankhamun, The Aztecs, Twelfth Night, If Not, Winter, Outlaws of the Marsh.

>303 elladan0891: Twelfth night is kind of cheating given that it's basically a £300 Letterpress Shakespeare book in disguise. But great call! If you want to experience letterpress printing and limited edition grade paper, that's an incredibly affordable way to do it.

>301 elladan0891: True!
Dune cannot compare with Essays, but I think that is reflected in the difference in price. If Beowulf was in the current catalogue, it probably would be selling for way more.

I also think that Dune was among the first book in the £75 series. Since then, there have been many other books added in that range, and Folio has been giving more attention to them over time. Take the Gaiman novels for example. Or The Call of Cthulhu. Or Japan. Or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? It's as if they've understood that books hitting that range need to feel more special than the rest.

>303 elladan0891: really informative! Thank you!

>303 elladan0891: near the end of last year, I picked up a copy of the three volume bilingual Chaucer from the 1986. Printed on laid paper, quarter leather binding, impressive collection of scholars and illustrators involved, some rubricated text, modern translation. Seems up there on the high end of standard. Given some gilding, a fancier case, and a number, I bet this could be an LE had it been released now.

>303 elladan0891: Good choices. I fully agree with your list. I'd add the two-volume Anglo-Saxons set to the list of editions with some extra oomph.

>307 abysswalker: Given some gilding, a fancier case, and a number, I bet this could be an LE had it been released now.

Yes indeed, that's one of my favourite non-LE editions. Beautiful book.

>307 abysswalker: mine is an 1989 reprint and has Elan Cream Wove paper according to the colophon. The leather looks like it *could* be bonded leather (tho I’m far from an expert and could have it completely wrong - it’s not nearly as nice as the LE Pepys though IMO). Is this a case of the reprint being somehow a downgrade (or at least different from the first edition)? I agree with you that it’s the high end of standard though, but i’d expect nicer leather for an LE…

Anyone making a last dash for the final day of the sale?

Oops, hit the post button too soon. Should have added that I agree with the comments about Essays - mine arrived a few days ago and it's an absolutely stunning book. I've taken it from the bookcase several times already, not to read as my backlog is still quite huge, but just to look and admire it.

I'll also add some more encouragement for Essays as this sale draws to a close. I was nudged to buy it and I nudge you in turn. Fantastic production that already has a pride of place on my shelves.
Guns, Germs and Steel was also a cut above the usual.
While not on sale, True Grit is down to the last 99 copies and it's a wonderfully illustrated edition (and great novel) for a (for FS) low cost.

>311 ThisLifeIrl: Finally ordered The Greatest Benefit to Mankind. No idea why I waited until the last day; it had been on my wishlist ever since wcarter and wdripp recommended it half a year ago. For anyone else making a last sales dash, it's now down to 93 copies.

Also agree with everyone's recommendations for Essays. Got it in the last sale and it is indeed of standout quality.

Just beating the FS Sale deadline, I added the following:

1. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
2. Working by Studs Terkel
3. The Age of Gold: The California Gold Rush and the New American Dream by H.W. Brands

Incidentally, I am pleased that several FSDers followed up on my somewhat strident post (and several posts from other FSDers) on January 6th (>134 dlphcoracl:) recommending Montaigne: Essays, Guns Germs and Steel and The Greatest Benefit to Mankind. These are exceptional books at exceptional prices that represent the best of what the Folio Society does.

Ended up buying a few along with Antarctica. Mostly True Grit and some of the historicals I had been mulling over. The other factor is the upcoming Taschen sale, so I'm trying not to go too deep on one sale at one time.

(edit, True Grit wasn't one of the sale ones, I was mistaken on that on the list I bought)

I have been debating Babar for about an hour today, it's one of those ones that looks amazing, but I'm thinking it would mostly sit on the shelf after an initial read and I wouldn't often revisit it. I have it in the cart, but just keep pondering and never pulling the trigger.

>316 Drylnn:

When is Taschen likely to have their sale?

>317 Jobasha: Someone posted a flyer on the FB group, apparently 27th - 30th.

>318 Drylnn:
Great! Thanks

I got Montaigne in this sale as well and add yet another glowing endorsement to a high quality production.

>296 ubiquitousuk: I'm subscribed to your excellent youtube channel, but I didn't know you had a blog. Bookmarked!