The LoA edition of Robert Frost has to be up there among the greatest books of all time. Having a single, authoritative volume is so much more accessible than hunting through the infinite universe of anthologies.
Also, I imagine that without the LoA collections, dozens of Henry James stories would be lost to history!
Looking through anthologies hoping to find "In the Home Stretch" instead of the umpteenth reprinting of "The Road Not Taken" is, I imagine, something akin to hunting for a very rare Magic the Gathering card.
Of course the internet helps immensely, if you know what you are looking for; but the book's the thing for when you don't know quite what you want beyond "Robert Frost you haven't read yet".
I wonder if we're reluctant to do this because we've always felt we don't need to canonise ourselves with a library like this, whereas other nations like America feel the need to distinguish their own identity through their great novels and literature. I'd personally love it. I think you'd be a good person to have on the editorial board!
Print quality (and of course design) would be paramount. The obvious choice at the scale required—Oxford University Press—have disqualified themselves, I'm afraid.
Brilliant idea. As we live in the age of the novel, fiction requires less attention than the prose writers you mention, who are almost all deserving of far greater appreciation than they generally receive. I dislike the term non-fiction (why describe something by what it isn't?). We have fiction, drama and poetry; why not simply label it as The Library of British Prose? Such a series would not only highlight neglected writers, but could give impetus to a renaissance in prose style. I would think the attention ought to be on the very best, and on casting a wide net, rather than the comprehenise approach of the Library of America series.
Great idea. If there are a number of Irish writers included, as you suggest, it may be better to have a more inclusive name. Coming up with neutral term can read a bit lame, witness "these islands". Therefore the more prosaic, but inclusive "Library of Britain & Ireland" might be the simplest.
The Irish writers named here were all alive when Ireland was part of Britain, I believe, and it might be too complicated to start separating them out, nor do we want to include Ireland more broadly, so, for example, James Joyce might not count, depending on how you draw the line, but Swift obviously does
Actually Ireland has never been part of Britain. It was part of the United Kingdom of Britain & Ireland. Since Irish independence (complex timeline over 20 years from Free State to Republic), the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland. These are the terms defined by London, not by the Irish.
The library of Alexandria was a polyglot. With that said, each nation should hold precious the language that made it. A library of Syria, Kyrgyzstan, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, let all the tongues be recorded, and be well met.
The LoA edition of Robert Frost has to be up there among the greatest books of all time. Having a single, authoritative volume is so much more accessible than hunting through the infinite universe of anthologies.
Also, I imagine that without the LoA collections, dozens of Henry James stories would be lost to history!
Exactly so!
Looking through anthologies hoping to find "In the Home Stretch" instead of the umpteenth reprinting of "The Road Not Taken" is, I imagine, something akin to hunting for a very rare Magic the Gathering card.
Of course the internet helps immensely, if you know what you are looking for; but the book's the thing for when you don't know quite what you want beyond "Robert Frost you haven't read yet".
Absolutely it’s a great book
I wonder if we're reluctant to do this because we've always felt we don't need to canonise ourselves with a library like this, whereas other nations like America feel the need to distinguish their own identity through their great novels and literature. I'd personally love it. I think you'd be a good person to have on the editorial board!
I think there’s some truth to that yes. Thank you!
Library of America is not an official organ of the United States, but an NGO.
I feel bankrupt in worldly ways, but “My mind to me a kingdom is.” The Library of Britain is a wonder-filling ideal!
Yes!!!!
This is an excellent idea.
Print quality (and of course design) would be paramount. The obvious choice at the scale required—Oxford University Press—have disqualified themselves, I'm afraid.
yes exactly, they need to be really splendid items
Helen Hanff would approve of your final paragraph.
LOVE her
I much prefer the inline notes of Norton Critical Editions to the PIA flip-to-the-end notes of Library of America.
Sign me up, Edmund!
Brilliant idea. As we live in the age of the novel, fiction requires less attention than the prose writers you mention, who are almost all deserving of far greater appreciation than they generally receive. I dislike the term non-fiction (why describe something by what it isn't?). We have fiction, drama and poetry; why not simply label it as The Library of British Prose? Such a series would not only highlight neglected writers, but could give impetus to a renaissance in prose style. I would think the attention ought to be on the very best, and on casting a wide net, rather than the comprehenise approach of the Library of America series.
a pocket book of The Anatomy of Melancholy would be very good too
Yesss
Oh yes!
What's wrong with Barbara Tuchman?
Nothing but she’s hardly Herman Melville
Thank goodness! I enjoyed the Tuchman books I’ve read but not Herman Melville
Melville’s era is now a distant mirror. (I hope you like literary puns)
Very good
Great idea. If there are a number of Irish writers included, as you suggest, it may be better to have a more inclusive name. Coming up with neutral term can read a bit lame, witness "these islands". Therefore the more prosaic, but inclusive "Library of Britain & Ireland" might be the simplest.
The Irish writers named here were all alive when Ireland was part of Britain, I believe, and it might be too complicated to start separating them out, nor do we want to include Ireland more broadly, so, for example, James Joyce might not count, depending on how you draw the line, but Swift obviously does
Actually Ireland has never been part of Britain. It was part of the United Kingdom of Britain & Ireland. Since Irish independence (complex timeline over 20 years from Free State to Republic), the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland. These are the terms defined by London, not by the Irish.
The library of Alexandria was a polyglot. With that said, each nation should hold precious the language that made it. A library of Syria, Kyrgyzstan, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, let all the tongues be recorded, and be well met.
I was asking because I have a few of her books still to read.