The Penguin Classics Book

Description

A complete and wondrous guide to all of the Penguin Classics, from the Creative Editor of the series Penguin Classics is the largest and best-known classics imprint in the world. From The Epic of Gilgamesh to the poetry of the First World War, and covering all the greatest works of fiction, poetry, drama, history and philosophy in between, this reader's companion encompasses 500 authors, 1,200 books and 4,000 years of world literature. Stuffed full of stories, author biographies, book summaries and recommendations, and illustrated with thousands of historic Penguin Classic covers, this is an exhilarating and comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to explore and discover the best books ever written.

Henry Eliot is the Creative Editor of Penguin Classics. Before joining Penguin he organized various literary tours, including a mass public pilgrimage for the National Trust (inspired by William Morris), a recreation of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales which raised money for the National Literacy Trust, a Lake Poets tour of Cumbria and a quest for the Holy Grail based on Malory's Morte D'Arthur. He is the author of Follow This Thread and Curiocity (with Matt Lloyd-Rose).

Beautifully designed and lovingly compiled * The Spectator * Smartly illustrated with original cover artwork-ideal for glancing over dearly loved literary companions, as well as for discovering gaps to fill . . . This is a fascinating survey of how our nation's literary tastes have altered over the years and makes us wonder anew at what constitutes a 'classic'. -- Emily Rhodes * Country Life * The perfect gift for bibliophiles * The Arts Society UK * I can't imagine a better or more beautifully presented reference for a book-lover -- Waterstones.com review