In his final essay for Vanity Fair, the late Christopher Hitchens wrote of Charles Dickens, “He loved the idea of a birthday celebration, being lavish about it, reminding people that they were once unborn and are now launched. This is bighearted, and we might all do a bit more of it.” Timely words, as today marks the long awaited Dickens bicentenary. If Dickens did indeed relish an extravagant
Masterpiece Classic begins an extraordinary celebration of Charles Dickens with a bold adaptation of Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist on February 15, and continuing on February 22. Hosted by Laura Linney, Masterpiece Classic will also air new productions of Little Dorritt, The Old Curiosity Shop, and an encore of David Copperfield. As the perfect literary companion to these Dickens classics, we recommend The Nonesuch Dickens editions!
Bill Eichenberger, book editor of the Columbus Journal-Dispatch, recently spoke to Peter Mayer about the publication of The Nonesuch Dickens:
"Peter Mayer, owner of Overlook Press in New York, purchased the rights to the Nonesuch catalog in 2005 and decided it was high time to revisit the definitive Dickens. The publisher recently released
nine books −−available individually or in two sets. Mayer spoke recently with The Dispatch by e−mail:
A: We issued Nonesuch Dickens first in a group of six and now with an additional three, and we have organized our publication to coincide with the BBC television shows, which are broadcast on the
PBS Masterpiece Classic series, hosted by Laura Linney. (The series will run from February to May on PBS.)
Q: Is the Nonesuch Dickens an investment?
A: Well, it's probably a good investment to buy these books; they generally appreciate in value. Of theoriginal books published by Nonesuch, the edition that was limited to 877 copies, based on recent auction prices, is about $5,000. However, the Nonesuch Dickens is the most readable and beautiful edition available.The books are bound in leather and bound in linen. I love paperbacks, but this is one for physical book lovers as much as readers.
Q: Why does Dickens endure, do you think?
A: I think the thing about Dickens is he is a brilliant storyteller who creates characters who are truly unique. They appear on his pages, but they are so famous −− whether it's Pip,
Oliver Twist, Scrooge or
David Copperfield −− that they enter our lives. But underlying it all was Dickens' extraordinary social concerns, and, therefore, the books are loved all over the world.1
Q: Do you feel a responsibility as a publisher to keep great books in print?
A: Well, every publisher hopes his books are read, not only in the season they are published but as part of a backlist. Dickens is quintessentially backlist, as there are other editions available, in paperback, etc. What we realized as we embarked on the Nonesuch project is that we had to make the books truly brilliant examples of the bookmakers' art, and because they are hardcover they have to be so beautiful that they represented good value for the money.
Q: What other gems will you publish from the Nonesuch catalog?
A: We are thinking of publishing the Nonesuch Shakespeare and the Nonesuch Bible. These books cost a fortune to produce, so we really have to take our time when we embark on these projects.
We have a winner! Lisa Williams, professor of literature at Ramapo College of New Jersey and author of Letters to Virginia Woolf (from Hamilton Books) has won THE NONESUCH DICKENS BOX SET from the drawing at the Indie & Small Press Book Fair last weekend.
Launched in 1937, the twenty-four volume Nonesuch Dickens was the most complete and handsome collection of the novelist's work ever created. Seven decades later, The Overlook Press is proud to publish these volumes produced to the specifications of the original Nonesuch design. Employing modern printing technology, each book in the revived Nonesuch Dickens replicates the enduring editorial and design excellence of its inspiration. The Nonesuch Dickens Six-Volume Box Set contains: Oliver Twist, Bleak House, Christmas Books, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, and Great Expectations together with Hard Times.
A happy day for word nerds worldwide.
Three volumes of Dickens could be enough to take me through the rest of this winter. Please enter my name for a chance to win. Thanks!
I heart Dickens.
Renewed our interest in Dicken with Jane Smiley's wonderful literary biography. While in NY for the holidays we stumbled upon the magnificent Morgan Library exhibit. <br /><br />Thus, we decided to revisit the Dickens classics this year in honor of the 200th year. So winning this beautiful editions would be just perfect. <br /><br />Thank you for hosting this post and giveaway.
Brother, can you spare a gorgeous Dickens set?
I saw Marley's ghost and it scared the Dickens out of me!!!
As I walked through Lincoln's Inn Fields tonight, London was cold and overcast by evening's light, and I thought of Charles Dickens and his 200th birthday. I had just come from seeing a lawyer for the indigent, of which I seem to have become one. She told me that the case I had been putting together for five years, regarding losing my teaching position after being harassed by a line
PS: I just posted the long post above under anonymous, and my email is [email protected]
I was just coming to look and see if there were to be any new volumes of the Nonesuch Dickens coming out. And now I know. Woohey!<br /><br />Email is a gmail.com account with the username of wyrmisweb<br /><br />I know that won't stop many spambots, but maybe it will buy me time. heh.
My aunt was a genuine Dickensian fan, and instilled her love of his work to all her family. I would love to win these!<br /><br />bbeell (at) windstream (dot) net
I would love to win!
A wonderful treasure. Many thanks for this great giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
I have been reading and appreciating Dicken's writing for many years. Thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
The name Charles Dickens makes me salivate like Pavlov's dog. But not in a creepy way.<br />Julieintheskywithdiamonds(at)verizon(dot)net