Books mentioned in this post were received for review consideration from the publisher. No other compensation was received, and all opinions expressed are my own.
Here’s a video showing some of my favorites among the newest publications by the Folio Society, which I hope might interest you as gifts for your loved ones this season — or a fabulous way to treat yourself!
A summary of the seven featured titles can be found underneath the video, with links to more information from Folio. And for more beautifully illustrated books from all genres (including history, science, religion, travel, and philosophy, as well as fiction, poetry, and children’s books) please visit foliosociety.com.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin – I reviewed this landmark science fiction novel recently here. One of the last projects Le Guin worked on toward the end of her life, approving the illustrations by David Lupton, who also illustrated A Wizard of Earthsea for Folio.
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh – A new edition of one of the great classics of the twentieth century, with two-color woodcuts by Harry Brockway.
How To See Fairies by Charles Van Sandwyck – An homage to Arthur Rackham, these are short tales, poems, and vignettes previously printed privately by the author/illustrator, now available to all in a gorgeous deluxe format.
The Selected Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes – Winner of the annual Folio/House of Illustration competition, this selection of ten of the greatest and most famous Holmes stories features atmospheric illustrations by Max Löffler.
The Folio Book of Children’s Poetry – A charming collection of assorted children’s favorites, from classic and modern authors. The poems are arranged alphabetically by title, which makes for some interesting juxtapositions.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck – A very well-thought-out and designed edition of Steinbeck’s short but powerful novel, with dramatic color and black-and white illustrations by James Albon, including a wrap-around illustrated slipcase.
Middlemarch by George Eliot – One of the monuments of world literature gets a monumental new edition, in honor of the centenary of the author’s birth. Illustrator Pierre Mornet contributes insightful portraits of the unforgettable cast of characters, and critic A.N. Wilson introduces the novel that most profoundly “understands misunderstanding.”
The Emerald City Book Review Archive 
I was just looking at some Folio Society books online. They really would make great gifts. I enjoyed your show and tell, it is a better way to view the selections. I particularly like the version of Middlemarch. I like the lime green.
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Thanks, I’m glad you liked the video. I do think it helps to give a fuller impression.
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These are beautiful!! Now I want to know how you get sent books from Folio. Holy wow. I’ve bought some of their books in the past as extreme congratulatory gifts to myself, haha.
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I am very grateful to have the honor of reviewing these! I’ve bought many myself over the years as well… one of my favorite indulgences.
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Wow. I read Middlemarch in paperback and it was huge. But I like the green color. It suits Dorothea as I think of her.
The Brideshead Revisited illustrations made me want to re-read/rewatch it.
Those are all some beautiful books. I agree, showing them in video format allows you to present them to us in all their glory. 😀
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Middlemarch is so huge! It would need a stand to read it comfortably. With some of these Victorian chunksters, I wonder if they should be published in parts, as they were originally. I think MM was in eight books.
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Nice video! I enjoyed seeing the details of these gorgeous books. That Middlemarch edition looks like a textbook…albeit a beautiful one. I’m going to start off 2019 with Middlemarch and if I read that addition my reading time could double as a workout. 😉
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Very true. Perhaps a YouTube video devoted to exercises to be done with such weighty books would be in order.
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