Upcoming Christmas 2024 Titles?

I took a screenshot from this Instagram post and it seems like maybe these are some upcoming titles (either that or they're older titles I've never seen before). The black book toward the right end of the screenshot below the picture of the dude (is that Henry VIII?) looks like it may be To Kill A Mockingbird. The other two bring to mind The Nutcracker and whatever book Nanny McPhee may have been based on I'm changing my guess to Mary Poppins because that bird head umbrella rings some bells, but I'm probably way off as I haven't read either.

While I'm at it, let me finally get around to sharing this "sneak peek" page from the Summer 2024 magazine. I was going to crop this but I kept the bottom half as well because 1) I didn't realize until now that the Neil Gaiman short story collection was supposed to be an LE (and you know how I usually *cough cough* love those) and 2) I wonder if they're going ahead with it or scrapping the project.

>2 BooksFriendsNotFood: it appears that images didn't load correctly

Well, you intrigued me enough so I did some digging *cough *cough cropping:



That's certainly a new version of "To Kill the Mockingbird"! The other two – I am not sure...

All the Pretty Horses is being released in the Autumn collection in two days.

>3 drizzled: Hmm that's weird, I'm seeing the pictures on my end. Glad you were able to find it though!

And way to get more of the To Kill A Mockingbird book in the shot! No matter how many times I watched the video I never caught more than the spine with my eyes or fingers so you're just magical XD


>4 wcarter: Yep, that and Children of Dune are the officially announced and/or released titles.

>5 BooksFriendsNotFood: That's strange, indeed – I checked it both on the desktop and mobile site versions, and an issue with connecting to the imgbb prevents me from displaying the images.

You are definitely right about Mary Poppins. The orange scarf and the parrot umbrella are her key traits!

>5 BooksFriendsNotFood: Children of Dune

Ah, and based on the thread title I was hoping for A Very Atreides Christmas. I always cry at the part where Baron Harkonnen learns the true spirit of giving.

In case anyone else is having imgbb access problems, here is a link to the sneak peek from the magazine with an illustration from an upcoming "fantastical historical novel": https://imgur.com/a/Q0RunP5

>6 drizzled: And apparently the giant bag! Sweet, that's 2 out of 3 confirmed.

>7 Shadekeep: Would 100% read that alongside A Christmas Carol. 🤣

>7 Shadekeep: No book spoilers :)

So with an unquestionable Holbeinian likeness of Henry VIII, The Mirror & the Light? The cover also features a damask (or do I mean brocade or jacquard?) pattern background, akin to the two previous Igor and Marina designed Mantel covers.

The following two shots are from the left table of the Folio stand. A new To Kill a Mockingbird would also be tempting; the best capture I can manage of the Harper Lee:



The open book at the front also just so happens to look like the ceiling of Ilsa Hermann's library, i.e. The Book Thief LE:

>11 FitzJames: Such skill! You caught even more of the books to the right and bottom of the frame and I believe you're right about the Henry VIII book (which I didn't even realize was a book). It has a really nice cover. And you seem to be correct about the bottom book being The Book Thief LE as the black cover + silver headband looks like it fits.

I'm curious to know what that book further to the right than both The Mirror & The Light and To Kill a Mockingbird is. I'd love for it to be a thin Murakami. The spine has an image at the very top and then below it, what looks like horizontal writing which sort of matches the Murakami series spines with an image at the top and the author's name right below it. The slipcase also looks like it could have a curved edge and since the book seems to be displayed with the slipcase on, that seems to suggest that it has a design similar to the die-cut slipcases in the Murakami series, but this is all probably just wishful thinking.

>11 FitzJames: To the right you say? I did not even look for a title there, bear with.

It seems to be a dark, forest green colour, w. a device at the top of the spine. I think it is a Murakami you know (Wild Sheep Chase, is that you?). Hilariously small, and never clear in a single frame, but there it is:

(Edit: there is a faint line on the right of the name, if indeed the name it is, that gives me pause in thinking this is a Murakami, coupled with the fact that on the Murakami trio, 'Murakami' projects past 'Haruki,' yet these 'lines' finish at the same point.)



I can also give you more of the side of the slipcase, mid-twist from the previous clock. Never clear again, w. slight pattern visible to the green of the slipcase face, is the edge curved or straight? (I fear it is straight, but again, could not conclusively say):

>13 FitzJames: Yay!! That would make me very happy. And the slipcase is definitely green so if it's a Murakami, it makes sense that the book is also green.

Also you are SO good at this haha.

>7 Shadekeep: and all that delicious spiced wine.

The worst of not being able to leave things be (myself I mean, of course). The SE Complete Shakespeare, £200:



(Source, if so desired: https://www.instagram.com/p/C_xlBHAI4PJ/?img_index=14)

There were a lot of posts to wade through, but very few pictures or shots from the Folio stand. Most, like the following, were at too great a distance (but this was the best of the whole stand):

>16 FitzJames:
Very nice. Finally a standard edition of this 😊

>16 FitzJames: Wow. It’s a very similar look to the other recent Neil Packer SE The Divine Comedy. I worry it’s going to be paper bound also.

>18 assemblyman: You can see The Divine Comedy in the shot above with the stand at the absolute left of the right-hand table.

Once upon a time, nurse - complete with trolley - used to peddle these returned, perfect, or show volumes, at the end of year Faddict conventicle at the Old Folio Temple in Lundenwic.

>1 BooksFriendsNotFood: Thank you for sharing and >11 FitzJames: for your Holmesian penetration. The bindings of The N_____ or possibly M______ (Nutcracker as suggested above? - the volume to the left of Ms. Poppins), Mary Poppins, All the Pretty Horses, and Mirror and the Light all look very appealing and potentially shelveable. I wish I could say the same for To Kill A Mockingbird which looks quite hideous to my eye in black and glossy green. Perhaps I've not taken the right drugs but in my current state of mild to moderate caffeination I'll happily stick with my old 1990s copy.

I fear the standard edition Complete Shakespeare does looks paper-bound à la Divine Comedy SE, judging from the photos, though I personally much prefer to read Shakespeare in handy smaller editions in any case and can't imagine ever replacing the delightfully illustrated FS 'rainbow' series of Willy Wagpole's individual plays.

P.S. Edited to add that I'm not convinced that book to the left of nanny is The Nutcracker as I can't make out a Christmas tree, a soldier or a mouse - but the binding still looks great. I'm flummoxed as to what the title is.

Happy to see the last of Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell trilogy! Nothing else on my list, though interested in the teaser about the historical novel! The Christmas collection usually has some good stuff so fingers crossed!

>13 FitzJames: I certainly hope this is a Murakami. The thing that worries me a bit is that the text that would normally say "Haruki Murakami" was, in the three previous editions, printed in colour. Here, it seems to be gilt like everything else.

>23 ubiquitousuk: I noticed that too. The Murakami is by far and away a stretch, though is it gilt, or is it yellow? With so little to work with there is every chance that this green volume is no Murakami at all.

>16 FitzJames: Bravo! 👏

>12 BooksFriendsNotFood: >16 FitzJames: Thanks for your detective work! :)

>26 drizzled: And thank you as well! ◡̈

Has anyone read Erin Morgenstern's book 'The Night Circus'? If you have, do you think it could be a possible candidate for the mystery green and orange/pink cover featuring several idiosyncratic characters in the centre of the photo of the opening post? I've not read the book myself but since it's a fantasy title (so very likely on FS's radar) and begins with 'The N-----' I thought it worth asking here. I also gather there's some reference in The Night Circus to 'candy mice' and the odd bird-like figure top left on the front cover (best seen in the image at >11 FitzJames:) seems to have a white mouse dangling from its beak.

>28 cronshaw: I don’t think so - I have read the book, and I think that cover looks a bit too cartoony. I have no idea what else it could be! The Night Circus would be a good choice for FS, however.

>29 willraven: Ah, OK, thanks for responding so quickly with the feedback. It was a bit of a wild shot in any case!

>30 cronshaw: No problem! I had a better look at the cover and I think I’m leaning towards the Nutcracker despite a few elements being missing as mentioned above.

>16 FitzJames: The Shakespeare SE is very handsome! I do like the binding there, this might be an acquisition after all.

Has the “fantastical historical novel” been identified yet?

>33 betaraybill: I don't think so but my bets are on Fire and Blood

>33 betaraybill:
Could they be referring to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell? Because that falls right into that category.

Never mind. I just saw the photo they are hinting at....

I posted on the Folio Society Instagram feed to ask when Murakami number four is coming and they replied to say "Keep an eye out for more announcements coming soon".

I may have to cancel my fatwa against Folio Society after all...

>36 ubiquitousuk: 🤣🤣

Christmas Collection clues have been posted on Instagram.

Nine releases including the The Complete Shakespeare SE.

The remaining have the following emoji clues:

1. Crown / Bank Building / Italian Flag
2. Boxing Glove / POW
3. Woman's Hat / Woman's Purse / Umbrella / Music
4. Mirror / Lightbulb
5. Cruise boat / Ice cube
6. Ballet shoes / Peanuts / Hammer
7. Mockingbird / Gun
8. Wheat / Sheep / Runner
9. Witch / Calendar

Christmas 2024 FS Instagram Clues
1. 👑🏛️🇮🇹
2. 🥊💥 Fight Club? (A.Godhelm)
3. 👒👜🌂🎵 Mary Poppins.
4. 🪞+💡 The Mirror and the Light? (ubiquitousuk)
5. ⛴️🧊 Titanic Theme - A Night to Remember? (ubiquitousuk)
6. 🩰🥜🔨 The Nutcracker.
7. 🐦⬛️🔫 To Kill a Mockingbird (ubiquitousuk)
8. 🌾🐑🏃‍♂️ Murakami? - A Wild Sheep Chase.
9. 🧙📅

3 is definitely Mary Poppins
4 could be The Mirror and the Light
5 something Titanic themed? A Night to Remember?
7 To Kill a Mockingbird
8 could indeed be A Wild Sheep Chase, yay!

Did they say, when the titles will be announced in non riddled language?

>39 TonjaE: 2 - Fight Club?

>41 Ragnaroekk: October 2nd I think

When is the Christmas collection usually released? There are already a few books from the current catalog I can’t skip, so I might as well wait for it.

>44 bacchus.: Winter Collection 2022: Oct 5.
Christmas Collection 2021: Oct 12.
Christmas Collection 2020: Oct 14.

According to a FS Instagram post, the Christmas collection will be launched on Tuesday 15 October.

>45 A.Godhelm: >46 Dr.Fiddy: Thank you for the info.

9. A Night in the Lonesome October?

>48 mholt: Ah, I wish! With the Gahan Wilson illustrations as well.

I think it's a wizard unfortunately, so probably another YA fantasy novel.

>49 Shadekeep: I think it's Witch Week, the next Chrestomanci

>50 dyhtstriyk: Good call!

1. Emperor of Rome by Mary Beard? I believe their printing of Beard’s SPQR was fairly close temporally to the original publishing, as well. Would be a must-buy for me (I’m also hoping for Pax by Tom Holland soon, though Dominion was released somewhat recently).
5. Endurance by Alfred Lansing? The HMS Endurance/Shackleton expedition was in 1914, so maybe it’s a release for the anniversary. This also would be a must-buy for me.

And an Imgur link in case anyone cannot see the image directly on here: https://imgur.com/ZwOFYws

EDIT: I forgot to mention but according to Folio: "Also pictured is a new edition coming next year, keep an eye out for more info coming soon!"

>53 BooksFriendsNotFood: Ah! Thank you! I did wonder as to the tenth volume pictured, tho' without clue.

>54 FitzJames: My pleasure!

Mary Beard and Fight Club would be a instant ordering.

>53 BooksFriendsNotFood: Could it be The Odyssey LE?

>56 Ragnaroekk: That would be one hell of a mash-up.

Judging by the teased image, Mockingbird might not be black, but rather brown.

>59 FitzJames: Off topic, but thought this might be of interest to you:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article293268389.html

>44 bacchus.:
From an email that arrived this morning:
"We're excited to reveal that a core edition of The Complete Plays of William Shakespeare is part of our Christmas collection. Can you guess the rest of the titles before our big reveal tomorrow?"

And a Murakami it is!

Hopefully there will be a sale so I can get some of these. Us Canadians don’t stand a chance anymore.

Wildsheep Chase and the Rat Trilogy books are my favourite Murakami. I'm sorely tempted to pick it up, but alas once you have one Murakami you can't not have the rest...

Looking through them the tempting one for me is A Night to Remember.

I likely don't need yet another Mary Poppins but witll assess it when it drops.

I have a few other books in my wish list, so perhaps I can put together a bundle.

Bit of a surprise to see Mailer in the pile. Sort of like seeing Talese or one of the other docu-novelists of that period. Still, they also published a Terkel book, so such works are not outside their zone.

The Mantel book is suitably lovely! And I do like the SE Shakespeare, that's the one which will most tempt my wallet in this lot.

>67 Shadekeep: Yep, the Mailer book appears to be the one surprise that no one guessed.

But I'm in the same boat -- Shakespeare is probably the only day one purchase for me (love the design, but the apparent paper binding has me waffling).

>67 Shadekeep: >68 HonorWulf: As with The Divine Comedy SE I love the look of it but I suspect I will be put off by the suspected paper binding.

I would be interested in seeing the illustrations for To Kill a Mocking Bird. I've been meaning to start Murakami but FS wise it's getting to be a more expensive as they add to the series. Love the bindings on them. I'm surprised they rereleased Things Fall Apart and with the original logo rather than the standard FS stamp that they all have now.

>68 HonorWulf: >69 assemblyman: I can understand your concerns about the paper covers, particularly with regards to longevity. I will say the few paper covered FS titles I have so far are nicely done. But all the same you might want to keep them in a protective wrap for the long haul just to be on the safe side. (Which honestly isn't much different than what one would do with otherwise-bare cloth covers.)

EDIT: And I'll add that the paper covers don't give me as much pause as silk covers. I feel like I should wear curator's gloves before handling The Pillow Book...

>70 Shadekeep: I do buy the books to read and rarely have issues with cloth covers - the books continue to look new after reading. However, the paper bindings always develop minor imperfections when read no matter how careful I try to handle them. That said, Shakespeare is probably "one for the shelf", so I'm more likely to overlook it based on the strength of the design. (And, yes, the silk covers are a non-starter for me -- just seeing pictures of them drives me into OCD convulsions.)

>70 Shadekeep: I am a fan of some FS paper bindings but only on the covers. Those which have something like the Modigliani paper covers and cloth spines. I'm just wary of paper bindings to spines especially those on large books like this new Shakespeare SE. It's a personal preference though.

>72 HonorWulf: Aye, my cloth covers are generally in excellent shape, too. My concern there usually comes with the chance of abrasion when shelving and un-shelving them, less so in the reading. I try to be extra careful of those which aren't jacketed. (My collection is heavy on private press, and the coarseness of the cloth seems to vary much more broadly there.)

>73 assemblyman: Agreed, I have no issue at all with paper covers and cloth spines. I have a good number of private press books with marbled paper covers and cloth spines, for example. It's as you say, those with full paper wraps are a different beast, and that's where extra care is advisable.

No secret that I am a happy boy to see the Murakami series continue.

A Night to Remember is well worth a read for anyone with even a passing interest in the Titanic story. Very readable, and written at a time when many first-hand accounts could be drawn upon.

>67 Shadekeep: I am interested in the Mantel books but they are just so expensive! $150 each so I'd assume the final book will be the same for a total of $450 for the collection plus taxes and shipping. That's a lot of money for Hilary Mantel when I can just listen to it for free on my local library app when I'm exercising, doing dishes and mowing the lawn.

edit spelling

Mary Beard looks paper-bound as well, but we’ll see. The Shakespeare in cream paper is an expensive disaster waiting to happen from a materials standpoint. Achebe and Lee? Looks like an American set text release. I’m pretty sure they’re both reprints/re-releases as well? Wallet safe. At this point, I’m waiting for a release of a signed bookplate edition of the Mantel using sheets they’ve held in storage until now. How much is a recent release of a posthumous signed edition worth according to FS headquarters?

Very pleased to see a reprint of Things Fall Apart, which is a wonderful book, yet annoyed as I reread it in the Everyman edition just two months ago having given up on the Folio at a reasonable price.

So just the Murakami for me, and maybe the Mary Beard ...

>77 cwl: Both are indeed covered. The Achebe seems to be an identical reprint of the 2008 edition, which is overpriced in the secondhand market.

Can anyone who has read it comment on Achebe? It seems like an interesting read.

>79 bacchus.: It is good. It follows a paterfamilias of a tribe as he tries to handle all the problems that keep cropping up. Some very good twists happen.

It's short and flies by. The FS version has some nice illustrations.

Recommended. But it is the only Achebe I've read. Everyman has a 3-book omnibus of his I'm looking to get.

Looks like a nice collection.

I love "Witch Week" and "Mary Poppins." The binding of "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a very handsome upgrade.

"A Wild Sheep Chase" is one of the few Murakami I haven't read. Mailer is sure a surprise. I just borrowed "Emperor of Rome" from the library, so I'll give it a go this week.

Does anyone know who the author of "The Nutcracker" is? This is E.T.A. Hoffmann, right? Penguin Classics did a combo of Hoffmann and Dumas.

>81 PartTimeBookAddict: Yep, ETA Hoffman circa 1816. No word on the translation yet.

>82 HonorWulf: Looks great. Haven't read that since I was a child. It would be nice to revisit. Although the Penguin edition with the Dumas version (which I didn't know about) will probably get my money.

>83 PartTimeBookAddict: The irony, of course, is that The Nutcracker ballet is actually based on the Dumas version (who adapted the original Hoffman tale). The general plot is the same, but Hoffman's story is far darker in tone.

To celebrate the latest Mantel book FS have 15 first edition Mantel signed Wolf Hall copies for sale tomorrow at 4pm. It was up on Facebook. Could they outdo Dune?

>85 assemblyman: Is 15 a typo? Or is FS scraping the bottom of the barrel?

>86 bacchus.: No typo, 15 is what is advertised. I assume they are left over signed copies from a couple of years ago.

>87 assemblyman: You are probably right, that makes sense.

>80 PartTimeBookAddict: Thank you, I’m definitely tempted.

>85 assemblyman: Oh my, we’ve passed satire at this point.

Murakami, Shakespeare & Mary Beard will be my picks.
Folios SPQR by Mary B. was excellent quality. I hope Emperor will get the same treatment.

Is there anyone here in western Canada who’d wanna go in on splitting shipping?

>84 HonorWulf: Good to know. Thank you. I'm sure the version I read was some abridged, bowdlerized version. I'll go for the two version combo from Penguin, but first see what the FS copy contains.

Anyone know if the Shakespeare is clothbound?

>93 Inceptic: Don't believe Folio has officially released the specs, but it appears to be paper bound from the photos, which would match the treatment they gave to last year's Divine Comedy SE that was also illustrated by Neil Packer.

>87 assemblyman: £450 for the signed Wolf Hall sounds very enticing.

I’m sure the signed Wolf Hall were £200 initially.

Hurry hurry hurry - only ten left.

>95 assemblyman:
For a glued in signature sheet. That's sooooo freaking crazy...
I could do that myself and add 300% to my Folio books it seems ...😄

I just signed on to buy it, then saw it has over doubled in price, from when last on sale. 200 pounds last time, 450 this time. I am disappointed as I really wanted it last time but spending another 250 on something that was 200, just feels wrong.

Too late, they're gone, gone, gone.

And, madly, astonishingly, and frankly stupefying, they sold out by 4.10am.

I see a couple of cheaper ones up on eBay. I think they have been up there since the original release.

I have to keep repeating the quote "everything is worth what its purchaser will pay for it" to myself. In the voice of Leonard Nimoy.

I can't say I fault them for the price increase. It's not like they can ever get any more stock of this, and there are certainly enough bookjackers out there willing to charge just as much or more. Better that some of that go to the publisher this time. (Same attitude I had for Centipede's posthumously-released signed Ghost Story, which I did buy.)

>101 FitzJames: I suspect there was some “fear of missing out” at play, I had to resist the urge, even when surprised by the price. It was in my cart, everything ready to go and slightly panicked by the low number and knowing it would be sold out any second.

>103 A.Godhelm: absolutely. It did not help either that I had the Moonstone LE in my cart for 250, then Wolfhall SE (signed) at 450. Hence my backing away. I am sure whoever bought it will be pleased.

>105 Hamwick: I quite agree with you there.

Still, the previous record-holder for a 'signed standard' signature premium was £225, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, x100 copies, earlier this year.

The Mantel 15? Why, they absolutely blew that record out of the water (£450, unsigned £105), and so £345 is the signature premium (and gone in 10 minutes, after a decided pause of collective shock).

I am starting to feel that these signature copies, as well as some of the L.E.’s are a bit like bidding at an auction. They suddenly appear, you find out the price and you have a very short time to make a decision as to whether you want to pay that or not. I have done the occasional auction and I think in future I will treat these the same, by having in mind what I am willing to pay, as well as what I am not willing to pay, should help prevent FOMO.

I wonder if FS will start considering "finding" another 15 signed copies that were missed at the back of warehouse, now £650.

The first signed edition of Dune has appeared on eBay for £545, with the seller offering two copies available for those who may miss out.

When are they going to release a signed Year Round Things to Do?

Cheltenham Books is selling a first edition signed by Hillary Mantel for 70£. If I buy that together with the Folio Book iam at 220£. You will need a scissor , some PVA glue & can save alot of money for the same result.

The artist of The Nutcracker:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DArFovnKq2w/

>113 FitzJames: Whoaaaa ok wait I was looking through her Instagram and her art looked kind of familiar and…didn’t she illustrate Folio’s Phantom of the Opera?! (Also great sleuthing yet again!)

Editing to add that yes, yes she did: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMqvl0zn0OV/?igsh=MXhmam4xYTBnYWxsYw%3D%3D&img_i...

It's good to see the Achebe reprint, it's a beautiful edition, and it seems to be the only publication with a creative Folio colophon, the others are all branded with the dull corporate oval. I'm relieved that the Mockingbird cover looks perfectly hideous, an attractive binding could have been a forced purchase. The Nutcracker cover is appealing but it's not a title I need a Folio copy of (at least not at full price), so I'm safe for another season. Rebranded corporate Folio is saving me a fortune!

>115 cronshaw: It's funny how tastes differ. I never bought the old TKAM because I thought the cover was AWFUL, but I like this one and we will almost certainly be picking it up some time soon.

>116 Jason461: I'm not a particular fan of the binding design of the original edition, and long anticipating that FS 2.0 would reprint TKAM with new covers, I was all set to 'upgrade'. I didn't for a moment expect to prefer the stark orange cloth covers of the first edition to this new offering, but I do. Clearly it's a highly subjective matter, but I marvel at the unattractiveness of the new binding design!

And funnily, I thought the new To Kill a Mockingbird strikingly beautiful.



The artist:

https://www.instagram.com/natesweitzer/?hl=en

Edit: I say! Folio never printed an edition of The Catcher in the Rye in 2022 unless I am quite off my crumpet... (Ah! Apologies all, it was a thesis project designed in the style of Folio (and/or Beehive), but not an actual Folio. Still! Two years later, and illustrating a Folio for real—someone noticed.)

https://theaoi.com/entries/nate-sweitzer-the-catcher-in-the-rye/

https://natesweitzer.com/catcher-in-the-rye-cover

>118 FitzJames: Definitely in the eye of the beholder. I think it's the garish (probably metallic foil going by Folio's recent trend) green on dark brown that jars for me. All the odder since mockingbirds are black, grey and white.

>119 cronshaw: I do like the design of the motif but agree that another color (or non-color) would have probably been aesthetically superior. Plus a monochrome palette is evocative of the theme in a number of ways.

The slipcase game is REALLY strong in this collection: https://www.foliosociety.com/usa/christmas-signup?om_campaign=omme_c147e631-fec_...

>121 BooksFriendsNotFood: It is the Dumas Nutcracker. The Titanic slipcase is really good. First time FS put words on the back of a slipcase? A la Suntup and LEC?

The cover of "To Kill a Mockingbird" now has depth and style. It's a much more elegant design than the orange one. I love the green and black.

>122 PartTimeBookAddict: Bummer! In their initial reveal post on Instagram, they said it was Hoffman. That said, Dumas is the more commercially viable version, but I had more personal interest in the road less traveled.

I like the image on the cover of To kill a Mockingbird, but find the green quite jarring and unsuitable. Since I ordered the Suntup edition, I'm not planning on buying a second one, though, so it doesn't really matter.

>118 FitzJames:
Took me from high to low, your post at first glance. Regarding the Salinger.

>125 User2024: I'm afraid I very much followed your trajectory too. Salinger! Oh...

Did anyone perchance happen to notice this still in the Folio behind-the-scenes Christmas Collection video?



...and cropped, G. R. R. Martin's Fire and Blood:

>127 FitzJames: Eagle eyed catch.

WOOOOW 🤩

>129 Ragnaroekk: That's the 'Historical Fantasy' book of the magazine. Wonder why it didn't come out in the Christmas Collection.

>130 dyhtstriyk:
Maybe as a surprise 🤔
I love G.R.R. Martin, but iam really not sure why he always has to open a new project instead of finishing the once he has. That guy is over 70 ? Years old and iam really not sure whether we will ever see the second Fire of Blood book or the last 2 Game of Thrones cycle books.

I would love to see GoT in fine press, but since nearly every book has over 1000 pages and currently 5 books (planned 7) are available, this would be very brave to do...

I have the GoT Folio set, but iam not a big fan of some of the portrait illustrations. It seems like the Illustrator and I have read a completely different book/description of the characters.

>131 Ragnaroekk: yeah, the same reason I don't buy any ASOIAF special edition. Like... I've seen boxed sets of the five books, obviously without space for more and I think... why would someone bother to get a boxed set of an incomplete (and likely forever incomplete) story?

>131 Ragnaroekk:

The last two books will almost certainly be written...just not by him. Or at least, not completely by him. He won't finish them but there's too much money for everyone involved to simply walk away. The publisher will hire someone to wrap things up and that'll be that. So basically, when he dies, expect book 6 within 3-12 months.

>133 treereader: While I'd not bet against this, GRRM himself has come out against someone else finishing his work (though that might also just be a middle finger to the question since it's often put in the form of 'hey you'll be dead soon'). Sanderson finishing Robert Jordan's books is always brought up in this context and people seem to have accepted and even liked that solution, but Robert Jordan also prepared for it and there was a manuscript and notes. His own blessing was given. None of that seems true here, in fact the problem from the horse's mouth is that he doesn't know how it comes together yet. His barebones outline has already been used for the TV show and was a damp squib, he's so mad about how the TV projects worked out he's writing angry and regretful blogs about it. Had to retract the one about the ongoing show.
I guess I'm saying it's a tougher nut to crack than a 3-12 month turnaround from a ghostwriter.

Winds of Winter will definitely see publication in one form or another, but I'm highly skeptical that we'll ever see the final 7th book...

Nice reel from the official Instagram account showing each of the upcoming volumes briefly rotated:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBG9pcrtIcE/

More informative than some of the still images since one can better see the texture and reflection on the foiling.

And here we are, up but coming soon (given we are ~20 minutes early):

https://www.foliosociety.com/row/the-complete-collection

And now the new collection only:

https://www.foliosociety.com/row/new

Shakespeare with printed cloth instead of paper just shot to the top of my list.

>138 HonorWulf: I am wondering whether the Shakespeare volume we saw on the Instagram video from the September fair was a pre-production unit bound in paper. The cloth finish makes it a highly interesting option!

>138 HonorWulf: Yes. I had consigned it to the no pile assuming it was paper like Divine Comedy. Now I'm tempted.

I quite like To Kill a Mocking Bird. The illustrations are very attractive.

>140 assemblyman: The latest Folio blog post:

https://www.foliosociety.com/row/blog/in-the-studio-for-to-kill-a-mockingbird-wi...

Fyi, I just ordered Shakespeare and got this in email:

"Please note Shakespeare: The Complete Works will be dispatched from 29th October. All other books will be sent immediately, with Shakespeare: The Complete Works following at no additional shipping cost."

Placed my order:
A Night to Remember
Mary Poppins
Witch Week
The Nutcracker
The Mirror and the Light

I'll be keeping the Nutcracker and handing over the rest to my husband to gift me for birthday (late November) and Christmas. I was really hoping a SE of Poe and The Book Thief would have been available. Hopefully soon. I'm excited!

>141 FitzJames: Thank you.

I wonder if Shakespeare is printed in Abbey Pure. That may just sway me to buy it.

Very tempted by the Shakespeare, though I already had the LEC set and the Everyman set so I think I will at least hold off and maybe one day order it when I need a pick me up. I’ve also made the necessary resolution to slow down book buying as I have nowhere to add another bookcase (would be the 17th!)

Is the new modus operandi to have an increase every time there’s a new collection? +5GBP on most volumes, +10GBP on Foundation trilogy; FS made sure to empty my cart this time, making it harder to track them down. By the time I get used to the previous price increase, a new one comes along. See Edit 2

Edit: Things Fall Apart not available yet

Edit 2: Mea culpa - I was on the ROW site :) Apologies to FS! Wouldn’t be able to get over another increase. All good!

The collection looks good. Will probably order "A Night to Remember" at some point.

On the description of "Witch Week": "This Folio edition was created with the Jones estate, staying true to Diana Wynne Jones’s original vision." What does this mean? Why does it make me feel they've re-written something?

>148 PartTimeBookAddict: 'On the description of "Witch Week": "This Folio edition was created with the Jones estate, staying true to Diana Wynne Jones’s original vision." What does this mean? Why does it make me feel they've re-written something?'

Maybe they just showed the estate the illustrations before publication. Why assume the worst?

This is how rumours start. Folio, be a bit more informative maybe?

Like that'll work ;-)

>148 PartTimeBookAddict: Usually that just means the estate was involved with the art and book design approval process, which may or may not have been a licensing requirement.

Has anyone read The Fight? I loved the documentary When We Were Kings which is about the same subject matter, but haven’t read the book, so am seeking guidance on whether it’s a good read.

I know Taschen has also done an abridged version of this book with Neil Leifer’s photographs (and Howard Bingham’s as well), also in a square-ish format, though a couple inches larger, and which is available on Amazon for half the cost of the FS version (though I don’t know how abridged it is). Anyone have any experience with the Taschen version?

Edit: Turns out a selection from The Fight is in the LOA volume At The Fights, which I have, so I may read the excerpt, but I’d still be interested in others’ opinions on the book.

>149 Cat_of_Ulthar: They don't mention anything like that on any of the other Wynne Jones books. It seems glaringly out of place. Have they put a disclaimer like that on any other book release before?

Why assume the worst? Because in the time we live in all companies have gone insane. A good indicator of that is when they start this Orwellian doublespeak.

>152 PartTimeBookAddict: For the previous book (The Magicians of Caprona), the website reads: "Developed closely with the author’s estate, this sorcerous edition comes bursting with six vibrant illustrations by series artist Alison Bryant.".

>153 HonorWulf: Ok. Fair enough. That one is down in the editor's notes and I didn't scour through the full page.

Hopefully it's just marketing speak that they're using the highlight the provenance of their production.

There's been some strange marketing verbiage lately, like how some of their books are "sized".

>154 PartTimeBookAddict: Yeah, starting with this year's Fall collection, they appear to have moved the Editor Notes from beneath the fold to the top, which is why they're standing out more.

>152 PartTimeBookAddict: Most people are actually quite nice, you know, or so I find ;-)

>156 Cat_of_Ulthar: This is apropos of what? I find most people to be nice as well.

>157 PartTimeBookAddict: apropos of the comment I was replying to (152), or so I thought. I am frequently wrong, though ;-)

>158 Cat_of_Ulthar: Oh, ok. I wasn't talking about people, but rather corporations.

>148 PartTimeBookAddict: I heard there was a recent edition where they “modernized” the name of the class from 2B to something else. Hopefully, FS isn’t following that, although it doesn’t really matter

Unless I'm missing something, the only differences between the SE Shakespeare and the LE are cloth instead of linen and silk covers with gilded text block edges, unlimited instead of limited to 1,000 copies, unsigned instead of the illustrator's tipped in signature, 43 instead of 40 illustrations, and a price of $280 instead of $1,500. The whopping price difference of $1,220 (actually closer to $1,350 taking into account sales tax) for these "extras" doesn't seem warranted from a purely economic point of view and the fact that the LE has three less illustrations (a "minus") is baffling (were these just left out of the LE by accident or newly done for the SE?).

I'm happy that people can get this at a great price but am disappointed that FS does not release the SE at the same time as the LE, which is what other quality/fine presses do, so one can make an informed decision about which to buy. I might still have gone for the LE but maybe not.

I don't recall other instances where the SE was so nearly the same quality as the LE (but again maybe I'm missing something). The SE of the South Polar Times, Moby Dick and PKD were bargains but the product was clearly inferior to the LE. In any event, congratulations to those who (fortunately?) missed out on the LE and can now own this great edition at a reasonable price.

>161 amp123: The build of the slipcase and the paper used (Munken Pure vs ?) are another couple of factors, but the SE seems like a great deal. Same too with the Gormenghast SE.

>161 amp123: I could be wrong here. But I expect Folio, as a British company, to be especially attentive to the quality of British publications, such as Shakespeare. The relative non-difference between the LE and the SE is peculiar. For the LE price they could have bound everything in leather or did the whole thing Letterpress. But, I would think that cloth would be expected for Shakespeare, especially considering that they are binding multiple plays into single volumes, so the bindings will get a real workout.

how come i don't see Things Fall Apart in the store? am i missing something?

>164 Korius:
Long out of print and now expensive on the secondary market.

>164 Korius: The reprint was announced with the Christmas Collection, but (crucially) has been noted as coming in 2025 by Folio.

>151 jsg1976: Without doubt one of the greatest sports books ever, probably one of the finest non-fiction titles I've read full stop. Mailer can be patchy, but when he hits the spot (eg here, or in The Executioner's Song) the results are impressive. He was there, he captures the magic of Ali's person and personality, the momentus but also crazy nature of the event itself, and he gives Foreman much more of his due (iirc) than subsequent accounts (including When We Were Kings) which were so focused on Ali that Gorgeous George (himself an incredible champion, let's not forget) becomes a bit of an extra.

Overall some lovely designs but not many titles I feel I need to get (especially at ROW new prices). I'd like to complement my FS Every Man For Himself with A Night to Remember, but £90... ouch. I'm glad they've completed the Mantel trilogy as I will get those at some point as a set. Otherwise will definitely upgrade my creased Penguin edition of The Fight. It's a pity I've no interest in Murakami as a writer as they are all nicely done volumes.

This yet another Murakami a friend of mine would have loved to buy if only the illustrations weren't so awful. I completely agree with her taste there, to be honest. Nutcracker is also pretty awful. There used to be times when I bought completely unknown-to-me books from FS because the illustrations were gorgeous and interesting. These days there's been more than one book I've stayed away from because of the illustrations. It's quite a change.

>169 SF-72: same re: staying away because of illustrations, but for me it's the McCarthy, Song of Achilles, Elfland's Daughter, and a few others. I personally love the Murakami illustrations.

>169 SF-72: >170 abysswalker: I also like the Murakami illustrations; they are thought-provoking. But I also tend to pass on books I might like because of their illustrations, especially now with today’s prices being less forgiving.

>170 abysswalker:
>171 bacchus.:

To each their own, naturally. The previous staff's taste in illustrations was definitely more along my lines than the one's today, as a rule. There are always exceptions. Considering their prices today, it's definitely better for me that so little appeals these days.

>161 amp123: Production and pricing differences aside, I think the more curious issue is that these new SE's are aesthetically more attractive, imo, than their LE predecessors, especially with Peake and Shakespeare, which is often the case when the design artist gets a second whack at it.

>167 ian_curtin: thanks! Looks like I’ll be picking this up in one format or another.

Printing info courtesy of our friends at Facebook:

A Night to Remember - Gomer Press (Wales) w/ Arena Rough paper
To Kill a Mockingbird - LEGO SpA (Italy) w/ Abbey Wove paper
A Wild Sheep Chase - LEGO SpA (Italy) w/ Abbey Wove paper

Note: A Night to Remember comes with a giant map of the Titanic in its own protective sleeve.

The new Folio Magazine is also out and does not contain a discount code.

I keep getting advertising emails from Folio society = buy this amazing new edition, but no incentive cough e.g. free delivery.

I know we can only speculate, but does anyone remember when last year's free delivery up to Christmas started?

>176 Anmara: Last year, the shipping promotion launched with the collection on Oct 10th. And it was free shipping on orders over £200 or $300. A bit skeptical that we'll see one given how stingy Folio's been on discounts this year.

>177 HonorWulf: There was a free delivery weekend at the start of November last year so maybe something like that may pop up sometime before Christmas.

>178 assemblyman: Yeah that was the MISSYOU promotion that was supposed to be for lapsed customers, but the code ended up working for most customers. Not sure Folio will repeat that again, but we can certainly hope so!

>161 amp123: looks like the SE of the complete plays is also on Munken Pure paper, which reinforces the argument that the SE is great value compared to the LE.

I love the slipcase for the LE though (probably the best slipcase I have in my collection), and its binding is very unique. But I'm not sure if I'd have bought the LE if this SE had been available at the same time...

I thought quite hard about buying the Shakespeare LE when it was released, but held my hand on grounds of function: I have the FS letterpress versions of the fifteen or so plays I want to read most often, the single-volume New Oxford Complete for reference, and an older FS multi-volume set for the plays I want to read only rather occasionally - before going to a performance, for example. £1000 seemed too much for this last usage, however attractive the set, so I decided against replacing my 1998 set. The SE version at £200 however seemed altogether a better deal, and my copy from the Christmas release has just been delivered. It’s a very nice piece of work, and a great bargain in my opinion - only the binding and slipcase seem to be significant variations from the LE, and the binding is attractive in its own right, a very smooth cloth thematically decorated. As with the LE, the layout is double column, and the typeface fairly small, as you’d expect in a quite compact set, but the readability of the Caslon type on the Munken paper is really fine.

The slipcase is good-looking and very stout, so stout at top and bottom that it doesn’t fit the 30cm shelf I had identified for it based on the book dimensions. The set came with four leaves of protective paper between the books and between books and slipcase. I suppose they are intended to protect the bindings as the books are slid in and out, but I‘d find it too much of a nuisance to keep them in place during regular use. Whether the bindings will wear or not without the protection is anyone’s guess - I wouldn’t have thought so. I don’t keep my letterpress plays in their enormous solanders, and I think I’ll set this slipcase aside - the books will then sit on the intended shelf, and will be looser than in the slipcase, so the question of protection will be irrelevant. Normal use of the slipcase will be fine I think, and I may change to that if space issues change.

The other books from my order from the Christmas release came earlier - the Mantel and Murakami books. The sets of these two authors are among the best things the FS has done in recent years, well worth the premium price.

>181 affle: Thanks for the detailed review. I am tempted as I would like a nice Shakespeare set and the price seems reasonable. I'm not sure of the three volume double column format for reading though.

>182 assemblyman: I have the 1988 six-volume edition, which doesn't have the double column format and is a much easier read for it. I'd bet that copies could be found for a reasonable price.

>183 coynedj: I have the 8 volume blue set from the '90s. Also very nice size and text layout.

>183 coynedj: Yes you are probably right. The 1988 set was the one I had my eye on before this release and suspect it might be a better fit for my needs.

The Shakespeare set is very tempting, but, given the double column layout, I think I'll stick with my earlier set. Slightly easier to handle and read too by the looks of it.

Unusually for me, I was looking forward to a new edition of a previously produced classic, To Kill A Mocking Bird - the fencing on the original edition has always jarred with me - and the new illustrations are very attractive, but brown and green? Ugh (the new version of Silent Spring was equally so!). Spoiled it, and so another earlier edition stays safe on my shelves. It does seem most times lately with 'upgrades' that I prefer the older style - maybe a sign of my own ever increasing age?

After a thin but rich vein of beautifully produced historical travel books, looks as if that side of things has, at least temporarily, dried up. A pity, as that was the one area that remained almost compulsive buying. Otherwise, there's ever fewer books of interest. The Mantels are beautiful, but too expensive - my standard trade hardbacks will have to do.

>181 affle: ' the Mantel and Murakami books. The sets of these two authors are among the best things the FS has done in recent years, well worth the premium price.'

Quite agree. I was a latecomer to Wolf Hall (despite Huxley's efforts) but, having recently acquired the trilogy, I have to say that they are absolutely beautiful. As are the Murakami volumes.

The 84 page 2024 Christmas Catalogue is now up on the FSD wiki and available for download for those who do not have a copy.
It has numerous pictures of mysterious women holding a book behind their back for some reason.
Please be aware that the prices are in ROW Sterling, NOT UK prices.
Go here to access the relevant part of the wiki

>188 wcarter: Thank you!

Also, on a curious note, the ROW price for the Shakespeare is listed as £230 in the catalogue, not the £220 the website has.

>188 wcarter: The 84 page 2024 Christmas Catalogue is now up on the FSD wiki

Well done Warwick!

Shakespeare arrived safe and sound and I absolutely love it. Massive book with solid production that makes for an incredible art piece -- my mind is already thinking about a new glass bookcase to display those wonderful Neil Packer characters on the spine. Hands down my favorite purchase of the year.