Freebies

[caddyman]

Having missed the Times free book on Monday, I was happy enough to pick up Freakonomics on Tuesday, The World According to Clarkson yesterday and Jane Austen: A Life today.

Someone has clearly gone for an eclectic collection.

The blurb on the back of today’s offering tells me that the author, Claire Tomalin, is Britain’s premier biographer. Odd then, that she is so unknown. I wonder what Elizabeth Longford and Alison Weir have to say about that?



I must say, though, joshing apart, that these are really nice (stylish) paperback volumes, published by Penguin in their classic no-nonsense style, colour coded by genre: Light Blue for ‘big ideas’, Green for mystery, Orange for ‘fantastic fiction’, Pink for distant lands, Dark Blue for real lives and Purple for viewpoints.

Comments

[v0lutes.livejournal.com]

I bought a book on Penguin design history, it's beautifully made but I haven't had the time to really pick it up and start reading it.

Also, I'm in love with Reclam Books, those little pocket books from Germany. They also have a color coding system for their books and have remained that way since the beginning I think. They used to sell them from vending machines! And they also had a complete collection of their books sold with a special bookshelf made just for them.

I'm a sucker for that kind of organization I guess.

[fencingsculptor.livejournal.com]

I agree I love the vintage style of Penguin paperbacks. Albert gave me the world according to Clarkson yesterday.

I thought about starting to collect certain classic Sci Fi and crime novels , but managed to stop myself before it became another black hole into which I might pour my meagre earnings....

They'd look lovely on a shelf though....

*wanders off to evil bay*

[keith-london.livejournal.com]

Tomalin - the name rang a bell. I checked my LJ - yes, she wrote an award winning biography of Pepys ("Whitbread Book of the Year 2002 - as mentioned here).