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/lit/ - Literature

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9728881 No.9728881 [Reply] [Original]

Are Penguin Classic's spines really shit?

>> No.9728885

>>9728881
All the gossip about Penguin classics is mostly false. I mean, they're not Everyman's Library but they're fine built paperbacks.

>> No.9728905
File: 181 KB, 805x264, spine-side-by-side.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9728905

They can end up looking like pic related.

>> No.9728932

>>9728905
Can confirm that this is not the case unless you bend like crazy - which would fuck up any paperback. Some books are more susceptible to this issue, but still that extent of damage will only be present if you're a monkey.

>> No.9729081

>>9728881
If you treat them nice they will be fine, like most paperbacks

>> No.9729101

>>9728905
The image on the right looks fine... or am I missing something?

>> No.9729104

>>9729101

No, it's just a normal book.

>> No.9729887

>>9728881
They're nice cheap paperbacks but the thicker the book, the more likely the spine will crease. Saying that, that goes for most paperbacks unless if they have a nice thicker spine. Plus, it's not likely to fall apart like some anons say unless if you're really not looking after them. My most creased and heavily read Penguin classic paperback is still a functioning book that holds together well.

>> No.9729918

>>9728881
>Translations of Caesar, Huysmans, Goethe, Baudelaire, Seneca and Kierkegaard
You are doing it wrong. Either read the untampered texts or skip those authors until you have learned their languages.

>> No.9729936

Yeah, they suck. Oxfords don't snap anywhere as easily (or visibly) as Penguins. My Oxford copy of War and Peace never cracked when I read through it because the spine is so much more durable than the Penguins.

>> No.9729966

>>9728881
They're harder to read in comfortable positions without bending the spine. But you get what you pay for. If you really want the book to outlive you and have it look new even with multiple readings, just get a better one.

>> No.9730263

They're fine, much better than Vintage Classics that is for sure.
>>9729918
>the translating is difficult meme
end yourself

>> No.9730280

I honestly don't know why people shit on penguin. They're just cheap editions with at least some quality with introductions ect

>> No.9730443

They're not top quality spines, but unless you're a fucking mongoloid they aren't going to be an issue.

>> No.9732118

Can some post their read/loved Penguin classics so I can see what I'm in for?

>> No.9732222
File: 581 KB, 5312x2988, Penguins.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9732222

>>9732118
I never buy new books; these are all purchased from flea markets, thrift stores, or garage sales.

All the Penguins you see here have been read at least twice, with the exception of BG&E. They all look the same as when I first got them. With my experience, it leads me to question how the fuck some people read their books to the point of ripping the spines in half.

>> No.9732280
File: 3.51 MB, 4032x3024, 20170708_213905.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9732280

>>9728881
The translations aren't bad but they wear out quicker than most. Here are my copied which I carried around in a backpack for a semester each.

>> No.9732298

I'll take that over the deckled edges and gimmick covers they have for Moby Dick, East of Eden, etc

>> No.9732302
File: 33 KB, 320x145, IMG_0621.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9732302

>>9732298
By gimmick covers I mean faux dust jackets for paperbacks

>> No.9732312

>>9732222
so you are pro pengu?

>> No.9732313
File: 118 KB, 640x879, 1459268245364.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9732313

>>9732280
>the translations aren't bad

>> No.9732332

No
Who gives a shit

>> No.9732339

>>9728881
fine as any other paperbook

>> No.9732340

>>9732312
As long as you don't treat them—or any other book, for that matter—as doormats, they're perfectly good books. If you're a linguistic purist, however, do be wary of their translations.

>> No.9732358

>>9732340
what translations do you disapprove of? Genuinely curious.

>> No.9732367

>>9732313
Not that anon but their Ovid is good and their Gilgamesh is apparently one of the best translations. I'm sure many of them are outclassed though.

>> No.9732372

>>9728881
Penguin classics are the classic paperback book. readily available, good translations, etc. the durability factor is OK but that comes with most paperbacks desu

>> No.9732380

>>9728881
they're fine

>> No.9732385

>>9729887
The Count of Monte Cristo?

>> No.9732394

>>9732298
I agree

>> No.9732499

>>9732313
Mostly they're hit or miss. I hated the translation of Zamyatin but really enjoyed Musa's Dante. /lit/ falls for the meme that all Penguin translations are bad too often.

>> No.9732540

>>9728885
this. I have

>odyssey from the 90's
>dubliners from '78
>portrait of the artist from '96
and
>the republic from '85

they are all in very good condition, the worst looking one is portrait, and it only has minor spine 'damage', way lighter than >>9728905

>> No.9732608

>>9732540
pics or it didn't happen

>> No.9732621

>>9732540
but those aren't the "black classics" which release started in 2002(ish)

>> No.9732645

>>9732358
Not that anon, but they notoriously screwed over Borges' friend Norman Thomas Di Giovanni, who worked with the man himself to make faithful English versions, in favor of a hack called Hurley so they wouldn't have to pay Giovanni royalties.

>> No.9732660
File: 22 KB, 310x475, 17717.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9732660

>>9732645
ok I see your point. I really didn't have any problem with their translations until you pointed this out. Hurley is definitely a hack. di Giovanni is great, but sadly pic related is all that I could acquire for Borges at a solid price. It's still pretty good.

>> No.9732691
File: 2.23 MB, 3840x2160, IMG_20170709_020535.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9732691

>>9732608
dont have the odyssey nearby, and cant tell if anything can be seen due to shit cam

>>9732621
true

>> No.9732762

>>9732691
Just post your entire collection it looks great
im being serious

>> No.9732790
File: 292 KB, 2000x1125, peng.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9732790

>>9728881
>Are Penguin Classic's spines really shit?

No. The type could be larger, and the paper a bit whiter against the text. The spines are fine though. Overall I think they're a quality product and worth the money.

>> No.9732891

>>9728881
They are meant to be shit by design.

>> No.9732970
File: 1.81 MB, 750x1334, IMG_4121.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9732970

Not for nothing , there are better translations when it comes to philosophical works , especially German , but everything else is fine it looks good , the text and annotations are ok , if you are studying someone specific always go with a better translation if you must , other than that preference .

>> No.9732978

>>9732970
based penguin bro

>> No.9733146

>>9732790
I remember you, you have not read any of those so your opinion is kinda worthless.

>> No.9733298
File: 459 KB, 500x579, 1420966697439.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9733298

>>9732970

>> No.9733312

A lot of my books are penguins from different ranges because they're really cheap and they look nice enough. The penguin classic's spines wear but mine are all still readable.

>> No.9733322
File: 678 KB, 2560x1920, IMG_20170709_120250.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9733322

>>9728881
The black spines of Penguin hold up well enough, they only seem a real issue with larger paperback books, like the English verse in pic related (pages have also started falling out), but I doubt this is peculiar to Penguin books.

>> No.9733588

Need to think a little more deeply lad about the Penguin Classic as an object. Why do people buy them?

Its not a fault, its a feature.

>> No.9733590

>>9732970

>Hitch-22

Hey look it's teenage me

>> No.9734143

>>9728881
The worst thing about these is having to wade through twenty shitty pages of introduction by some random who spoils the entire book for you. Give me the purity of just opening a classic book and being met by its first words.

>> No.9734177

When I'm finished reading a paperback usually the cover page has came off, the spine has broken and some, if not all, of the pages have come loose. That's the whole point of reading "physical" books, to brutally manhandle them, not to have them sitting all shiny and presentable on a shelf somewhere

>> No.9734190
File: 2 KB, 91x92, thinks.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9734190

>>9728905
>>9732222
ngl penguin classics look aesthetic af when damaged.
also nice digits
>>9732118
Only penguin classics i have are Master and Margarita translated by the good ol' P&V and On The Aesthetic Education of Man by Schiller who are both nice.

>> No.9734286

How does Penguin compare to Vintage? I'm talking content-wise as well as the paperbacks themselves.

To me, Vintage books look cheaper even if they're about the same price as Penguins where I live.

>> No.9734522

>>9732790
>not one damaged spine
How many times did you read them?

>> No.9734527

>>9732970
Are you the "I'm pretty gay about penguin classics" guy?
Has one ever fell apart? Do they crease after x amount of reads?

>> No.9734539
File: 11 KB, 201x250, 35ee20259b2f9bce08fe512ca16780b6--batman-party-superhero-party[2].jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9734539

>>9732970

>> No.9734814
File: 294 KB, 1180x1204, 1488823713268.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9734814

>>9733146
>>9734522
I treat all of my books with great care, especially the Penguins. I have read two from that shelf and am working on a third. (You) can't tell the difference between read and unread.

Deny your ape nature, philistines.

>> No.9734951

>>9734814
Only two??? What the fuck

>> No.9734968
File: 34 KB, 432x432, IMG_2720.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9734968

Basically, my question is: Are the black spines viable for multiple rereads without falling apart? Many of the penguin classics are very important books I want to read more than once or twice.

>> No.9734975

>>9734968
Was wondering this too

>> No.9735057

>>9734527
They do crease very fast , but the crease maintains its color unless applying 1. friction on the crease itself , 2. Bending it on the same crease for a while , many of mine are developing the white crease surprisingly , it would be the small novels that crease more 150 pages or less

>> No.9735066

>>9734968
No, nor are they meant to. They're targeted toward students who mark up the books for assignments and throw them away afterwards.

>> No.9735068
File: 2.19 MB, 1692x932, collec.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9735068

>>9732762
nothing special, really, just one small shelf with some cheap editions, some translated words and some brazilian literature

>2 ulysses because one is translated (the best translation to portuguese, wanted to see what it would be like translated)
>2 divine comedy, one in english (b&n) and one portuguese with the original italian text by side
>2 bibles, one KJV (b&n too), other the considered one of the best translations to portuguese.

>the quality of those pictures
embarassing

>> No.9735074

>>9735068
translated works*

>> No.9735076

>>9735066
Then why do they have such great translations? (McDuff)

>> No.9735080

>>9734968
You shouldn't be getting trade paperbacks for that.

>> No.9735084

>>9735066
This just a meme. If you take care of them, I'm sure they'll be readable for decades.

>> No.9735088

>>9735080
Then how should one reread Dostoevsky?

>> No.9735095

>>9735084
No. The reason why they're beloved by some is that you barely handle them and they get dog-eared fast. Perfect for bookshelf threads where you want other posters to think you actually read the books.

>> No.9735109
File: 69 KB, 720x960, IMG_2721.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9735109

>all this shit talk about Penguin Classics, which contained my most favorite titles
>I better treat them like newborn children

>> No.9735117

>>9735095
Then I reiterate, how should you read classic works? Penguin Classics are really easy to find but since you hate them what do you suggest?

>> No.9735120

I like them. Buy one; see if you like it. It's not that fucking hard.

>> No.9735144

>>9735117
It's not a matter of hate. One buys Penguin Classics for convenience and cost, not durability. Hardcover alternatives do exist.

>> No.9735197

>>9735144
Such as?

>> No.9735246
File: 130 KB, 433x727, dis.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9735246

>>9735197
Go to Amazon, look for format Hardcover under the title you want.
If not specifically look at
Everyman's Library, LOA for the lower price range, Easton Press and Folio for the higher price range. You realize the types of novels where you're not going to see a hardcover is a paperback original?

>> No.9735262
File: 1.87 MB, 470x573, smuggiest.gif [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9735262

>>9734951
Who are you, my boss? Yeah, only two completed from that shelf. The only time I can devote to reading is at the end of the day when I'm fucking exhausted. Roman histories are for pleasure, not work -- it's not a priority. And I'm re-reading other shit anyway. Deal with it poorfaggot.

>> No.9735289

this thread is an embarrassment, y'all sound like you 'collect' paperbacks

>> No.9735299
File: 625 KB, 811x1300, foo.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9735299

Tired = Penguin Classics
Wired = Pulp the Classics

>> No.9735352

funfact - breathing near a penguin classics causes foxxing in the pages.

>> No.9735366

What kind of fucking spastics are you people? How are you destroying a book just by reading it, control your fucking hands ffs

>> No.9735400

>>9735289
>lol fuckin libraries 'collecting' books haha what losers

>> No.9735405

>>9735352
whats that?

>> No.9735428

>>9735405
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxing

l2gogol

>>9735289
If someone wanted to start a shelf dedicated to one subject, why NOT make it out of paperbacks? What are you, some kind of elitist?

>> No.9735487
File: 1.52 MB, 3264x2448, IMG_0801.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9735487

Barnes and noble classics have a way better spine. I read all of Dorian Gray and you could barely tell it was touched

>> No.9735620

The spines are bad, but the real reason you should never buy them is the paper. 3-4 years and it's piss-colored.

>> No.9735747

>>9735620
that does not affect the reading though

>> No.9735782

>>9735620
i actually like the look of paper like that

>> No.9735799

>>9735352
is this true or sarcastic?

>> No.9735803

>>9735620
the yellowing of paper has literally 0 effect on the reading experience.

>> No.9735839
File: 53 KB, 256x256, thinking-face.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9735839

i like it coz you can read them twice and they look like you've spent 10 years in a cave endlessly going over every line of it

>> No.9735845

>>9735839
this isn't true. if you take care of them they'll look fine

>> No.9736085
File: 929 KB, 1516x462, cscscs.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9736085

i don't know if its the quality of the book or just coincidence, but almost every big paperback stays intact when I finish reading it, while small paperbacks get very fucked up.

>pic related in still in page 440/580 in moby dick and its already screwed up
>divine comedy, read the whole thing and still looks brand-new

pretty much every single small (but thich) paperbacks I read gets fucked up, while big books like 2666 and infinite jest remain intact

excuse the shitty quality

>> No.9736208

>>9736085
what the fuck are you people doing to your books gotdam

you don't have to break the spine to hold these things. open book at 45 degree angle. hold the left page parallel to your face, then hold the right page parallel to your face. continue until sleepy.

>> No.9736255

>>9736208
thats exactly what I do with big books friendo. but with small books it doesn't work that well.

>> No.9736622
File: 300 KB, 1500x714, classic penguins.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9736622

>>9728881
No worse than other paperbacks, usually. I sometimes take a thick black marker and touch up a really battered spine (like a few of these).