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/lit/ - Literature


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13741368 No.13741368 [Reply] [Original]

Penguin vs Oxford for classical texts?

Want to read more ancient history stuff, but which publisher should I go with? I've always bought Penguin since Oxford seems to have less notes. Is this generally true or does it depend on the book/translator?

>> No.13741388

>>13741368
Oxford is easily superior hate to say dude. Penguin has, generally, lower quality translations because they don't have as much money as Oxford

>> No.13741437

>>13741368
Depends, watch out for abridgments from both and keep an eye out for better editions than either one from them. Do your research trust me.

>> No.13741443

>>13741368
>or does it depend on the book/translator
It does. Sometimes Penguin has the best translations, sometimes the worst. More often than not they have a mid-tier translation that just about no other publisher uses.

>>13741388
This is true too, there are some exceptions (Count of Monte Cristo comes to mind), but Oxford generally gets the better ones.

>> No.13741453

>>13741368
It really depends. I just alternate between the two.
>>13741388
lmao wrong, they're part of the richest publishing house

>> No.13741463

>>13741388
>Penguin
>not as much money
errrr no

>> No.13741569

>>13741388
What? Penguin Random House is massive. There is no difference between Penguin Classics and Oxford World's Classics. They both put out trade-paperback classics at the same price point; they both hire scholars to write an introduction and to provide notes; and when the work is a foreign one they both eschew the public domain and buy modern translations. I could name ten translators who have worked with both series. In particular cases one might prefer one or the other, but in general there is no difference in quality between them.

>> No.13741660

I'd stay away from Penguin with philosophical works

>> No.13741988

>>13741368
It depends. Oxford is usually a safer choice, but they're quite cucked at times ( I refuse to buy any of their greek dramas, for example ).

>Want to read more ancient history stuff, but which publisher should I go with?

Honestly? Learn Ancient Greek and Latin, and buy Loeb volumes. I'm not a linguistic genius but I'm having a blast with learning both.

>> No.13741999

Oxford generally has more modern translations so if you prefer that go with them. Ofc modern does not always equal better its really case by case.

>> No.13742001

>>13741988
Why don't you like their Greek dramas? I have their entire 'Greek Tragedies in New Translations' series and I have found it to be better than most English translations.

>> No.13742015

>>13742001
Edith Hall's forewords gave me cancer when I borrowed OWC's greek dramas for a class I had.

>> No.13742028

>>13742015
The intros are usually hit or miss, especially with the plays. You should check out the New Translations series I mentioned, it's got introductions composed by experts that don't try to inject contemporary nonsense

>> No.13742057
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13742057

>>13741368
Is this a good edition of the Greek plays?

>> No.13742061

>>13742028
I'll check them out, thanks.

>> No.13742062

>>13742057
Haven't read it, but Harold Bloom praised it.

>> No.13742193

>>13742057
>translations by women
I'd pass, Anon.

>> No.13742208
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13742208

>>13742193
Based.

>> No.13742228

>>13741368
Penguin has better footnotes. In Penguin they are numbered and at the bottom of the page. Oxford editions have unnumbered end-notes that are annoying to make use of.

>> No.13742245

>>13742228
Depends on the book. My Penguin Dubliners has endnotes while my Oxford Paradise Lost has footnotes. Both are numbered.

>> No.13742557

It has less to do with the publisher and more to do withe translators. I had read both good and bad translations by both Oxford and Penguin. Penguin tends to be more consistent, that's my two cents. I also like the aesthetics of their covers and their black, orange, and white color scheme.

>> No.13742715

>>13742228
my penguin don quixote and book of disquiet both use endnotes

>> No.13743227

>>13741453
>>13741463
>>13741569
Alright, I made a mistake. I was thinking about Barns And Noble. I got Penguin mixed with Barnes And Noble.

Still I personally prefer oxford, but Penguin covers are so plain and simple and perfect.Oxford has good covers too. Kinda odd how Oxford is white and red while Penguin is white and dark blue.

>> No.13743272

>>13743227
>Penguin is white and dark blue.
I thought it was black??

>> No.13743288

>>13743272
Alright, I admit it, I made another mistake. It is indeed white and black.

>> No.13744800

>>13741988
I did 3 years of Latin at Uni and still suck at it.

t. OP

>> No.13744806

>>13742061
no you won't

>> No.13744815

>>13744800
I can related. I studied Japanese for three years at college, but I didn't have a good grasp of the language until I started studying the underlying mechanisms of it instead of just being told how to conjugate verbs and memorize words and whatnot.

So just stick with it and it'll eventually click.