My report on the Folio Society.

In November I posted some questions under the subject "Experiences
with the Folio Society?" and got some interesting and useful replies
-- thanks. (Message-ID: )

David Loftus said "I suspect more than a few of us would appreciate a
report from you in a couple of months" and I said I'd try to remember.
Here's my "report" (really just a list of observations). (I've set
Followup-To to rec.arts.books because that's the group I read, but if
anyone wants to keep it going in both groups, it's fine with me.)


For a total of £160, I got Carroll's Alice (2 vols), Legends of the
Ring, The Genius of James Thurber, the Oxford Companion to Music and
the British Myths set (3 vols), as well as the four Pevsner guides
(retail value £90). Both shipments were very well packaged.

I think this special offer was a good deal for me because I'd
eventually have bought at least three (£70 worth) of those Pevsner
guides anyway. (Their retail prices are £20 or £30 and the up-to-date
editions are occasionally available second-hand for £15 or £25).


I have a lot of books (and a constant shortage of bookshelf space) but
generally collect for content (reference books and things I want to
read) rather than for appearance, fine bindings, etc., and I buy a lot
of secondhand books. I'm not interested in collecting books for
speculation or investment. The Folio Society editions are *really*
nice and I enjoy handling and reading them -- but I do feel obligated
to take precautions to take good care of them when I get them off the
shelf (and I wouldn't put them in my rucksack to read on the bus).

I've noticed that all the Folio Society's own books (as opposed to the
reference books they also sell) come in slipcases. Has this always
been the case? I have two FS books without slipcases that I bought
secondhand -- so the previous owner lost them? Also, why don't they
have ISBNs?

I'll probably buy some more of their books, but I'm a bit afraid of
developing an expensive habit. I've also spotted one that will make a
good birthday present.