I find Your obsession and inspiration for Everyman Library editions and Smyth sewn bindings (and all of the other elements of book production for that matter) exhilarating and comforting. I feel the same way in your opinions, Pontus!
It might seem like a minor thing to people who rarely read books, but the smyth-sewn binding is really important for book lovers. It not only makes your books last a lifetime, but it also makes reading them more enjoyable as a physical act since they open perfectly on any page you want.
I just checked my Everyman’s Library collection and every one of them has a sown binding. I have only been collecting them since the beginning of 2022…..even one that only is 220 pages is sown. Greetings from Canada!
A shame that such an estimable imprint has decided to cut corners. Especially since Smyth sewn signatures is one of the most important aspects of a book lasting all your life. In a environment where publishers are becoming cheaper, I suppose we can still be thankful that EL's longer books are still sewn. I sure plan to keep their edition of Montaigne for life.
All books, both short and long, do have smyth-sewn bindings now, but in previous years (2013 and earlier) they (Random House and/or Knopf Publishing) decided to use glued bindings on books with 320 pages or less. I'm sorry if I did not speak clear on that point, but Everyman's Library books that are printed and produced today do have smyth-sewn bindings (until proven otherwise, which I hope wont happen!) :-)
I had a Everyman copy of 1984 that was glued and bought - after I came across the same online discussion as you - a new one two years later which is sewn.
All my EL books are sewn, and I currently own 64 of them. Even the thinner ones such as The Heart of Darkness have smyth sewn binding. I guess I have been lucky. I was aware of this issue and I have seen some glued bindings at bookshops, but the ones I got online was sewn, fortunately.
At least with EL, most books are sewn. With Penguin Clothbound Classics, all books are glued, which is ridiculous at those prices! The Penguin Clothbound Classics printed in India are a rare exception because they do have superb sewn binding, but I think they only did the Sanskrit texts that way.
This is an eye opener, I have been a blind admirer of EL for years and have over 60 of their volumes. It is sad if they too resort to this cheap and dirty gimmick. Random House is now in the Penguin group. Penguin have been gluing their books , so this is the effect of that bad association. After viewing this video, I checked my collection of EL books. Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and The Analects are the two of the standard size volumes which have been glued. Shakespeare's Sonnets escaped this brutal measure as it was an older edition. Unfortunately, their entire collection of Pocket Poets is glued. Now that I know, I will not buy such volumes again from EL. Thank you so much for this informative video.
My EL copy of "Meditations" has the same issue. It's glued. I ordered it via online. However, thankfully, it's the only glued Everyman's Library book out of scores in my possession, including recent releases. But had I realised sooner about "Meditations", I'd have bought any paperback edition instead.
Very informative! Thank you! Can you please do a video on how to make plastic book jacket covers/book covers? I have a few books I would like to protect and a video would be very helpful!
Wow. I'm surprised Random House gambled on their buyers not noticing the drop in quality on the binding... Good thing you noticed and that they are willing to replace faulty copies. My EL books are sewn, but I'm not as big of a fan as you are Pontus so my collection only has 3 EL books in it ;-)
Its not a matter of the publisher (US or UK), it is a matter where the book is printed. If it is printed in Germany by GGP media, with its title in first title page in red letter, it is sewn binding; if it is printed in US by Berryville Graphics, with its title in first title page in black letters, it is glue binding. At least it is my experience with my current collections, and unfortunately for me I can't seem to find a Germany printed 1984 by George Orwell, because it is a massively demanded book in US because of school requirement.
@@PontusPresents They all arrived in great condition thanks. With sewn binding! Even animal farm which is very short. They were made in Germany, I don't know if that makes a difference.
Certainly. I purchased everything they have in print by George Orwell, A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and The Trial by Kafka. I'm currently reading The Trial and really enjoying it.
yes, thank you. I would have never checked my books had I not been subscribed for this video. It's kind of odd just how different this copy is from the rest and your video on bindings helped to confirm my suspicions.
@Pontus Presents do you know if there is a UK version of Three Volume War and Peace, i used to borrow the us knofp version from the library and am now ready to buy. I really fear getting a glued version. Anyone who bought the book please also let me know.
Is there a way to know the contents of a book from the collection? They don't always specify them, I was interested in Poems and Prophesies of William Blake, but I can't find its contents anywhere.
Thanks for your video! I bought a couple of the story collections (Christmas Stories and London Stories) plus a collection of poetry (Coleridge) and they are glued, but on top of that they are also print-on-demand, i.e. digitally printed and so the text is fuzzy and looks like it has been done on a home inkjet printer. I am so disappointed. They are from 2014 published by Knopf and printed by GGP. I am too scared to order any more Everyman’s now. Has anyone else had this issue with print quality? What is the point of having hardcover bindings and acid-free paper and beautiful page design if you’re just going to glue the bindings and print digitally? I don’t get it.
Cost cutting and bad quality in hardbacks is worse in the UK than the United States. It must be economies of scale because US companies normally love cost cutting but a US hardback will be more likely to be sewn binding and printed on acid free paper. I found UK hardbacks are on the whole awful: bad paper that browns after a few years and then horrid crackly gummed bindings which means they will not lie flat.
Hi, may I ask where you order your Everyman's Library editions from? I am confused at their prices on Bookdepository (for example the Brothers Karamazov was 33 euros last time I checked there, and the normal price is around 15 euros). Why is this so? Also, about the pocket poets, I love reading poetry in small editions, and I think they are perfect on look and form, do you think the glued binding will eventually fall apart, or do they last a good time?
Hi there! I get my EL books from two Swedish online bookstores (Bokus and Adlibris). The reason why Book Depository set those high prices is probably due to the book being close to selling out (not really a honest thing to do, in my opinion). As for the pocket poets editions: the quality is not great, and I do think that the binding definitely will break down if used heavily or wrongly. So try to be careful when handling them and never open them up more than necessary if you plan on keeping them intact. Hope that helps! :-) Happy weekend!
Some of your everyman's library books don't have the dust cover.Is it because you bought them used? I find they look nicer without the cover.I've bought a few used in very good condition at abebooks.com.
I find Your obsession and inspiration for Everyman Library editions and Smyth sewn bindings (and all of the other elements of book production for that matter) exhilarating and comforting. I feel the same way in your opinions, Pontus!
It might seem like a minor thing to people who rarely read books, but the smyth-sewn binding is really important for book lovers. It not only makes your books last a lifetime, but it also makes reading them more enjoyable as a physical act since they open perfectly on any page you want.
I just checked my Everyman’s Library collection and every one of them has a sown binding. I have only been collecting them since the beginning of 2022…..even one that only is 220 pages is sown. Greetings from Canada!
A shame that such an estimable imprint has decided to cut corners. Especially since Smyth sewn signatures is one of the most important aspects of a book lasting all your life. In a environment where publishers are becoming cheaper, I suppose we can still be thankful that EL's longer books are still sewn. I sure plan to keep their edition of Montaigne for life.
All books, both short and long, do have smyth-sewn bindings now, but in previous years (2013 and earlier) they (Random House and/or Knopf Publishing) decided to use glued bindings on books with 320 pages or less. I'm sorry if I did not speak clear on that point, but Everyman's Library books that are printed and produced today do have smyth-sewn bindings (until proven otherwise, which I hope wont happen!) :-)
I had a Everyman copy of 1984 that was glued and bought - after I came across the same online discussion as you - a new one two years later which is sewn.
All my EL books are sewn, and I currently own 64 of them. Even the thinner ones such as The Heart of Darkness have smyth sewn binding. I guess I have been lucky. I was aware of this issue and I have seen some glued bindings at bookshops, but the ones I got online was sewn, fortunately.
That's very fortunate. Hopefully we can avoid future glued bindings from EL! :-)
I’ve ordered my first EL book after watching your video, thanks
Great video, thank you for the information. Please keep us updated if you come across more of these kind of shenanigans.
I checked all my EL books and even the thinnest one (notes from underground) was not glued but rather sewn! I purchased that book 6-7 months ago.
At least with EL, most books are sewn.
With Penguin Clothbound Classics, all books are glued, which is ridiculous at those prices!
The Penguin Clothbound Classics printed in India are a rare exception because they do have superb sewn binding, but I think they only did the Sanskrit texts that way.
This is an eye opener, I have been a blind admirer of EL for years and have over 60 of their volumes. It is sad if they too resort to this cheap and dirty gimmick. Random House is now in the Penguin group. Penguin have been gluing their books , so this is the effect of that bad association.
After viewing this video, I checked my collection of EL books. Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and The Analects are the two of the standard size volumes which have been glued. Shakespeare's Sonnets escaped this brutal measure as it was an older edition. Unfortunately, their entire collection of Pocket Poets is glued. Now that I know, I will not buy such volumes again from EL. Thank you so much for this informative video.
Glad I could help!
My EL copy of "Meditations" has the same issue. It's glued. I ordered it via online. However, thankfully, it's the only glued Everyman's Library book out of scores in my possession, including recent releases. But had I realised sooner about "Meditations", I'd have bought any paperback edition instead.
Very informative! Thank you! Can you please do a video on how to make plastic book jacket covers/book covers? I have a few books I would like to protect and a video would be very helpful!
Sure, I can do that! I just need to get some archival film but it is video I have thought about doing before. :-)
Wow. I'm surprised Random House gambled on their buyers not noticing the drop in quality on the binding... Good thing you noticed and that they are willing to replace faulty copies. My EL books are sewn, but I'm not as big of a fan as you are Pontus so my collection only has 3 EL books in it ;-)
I just ordered 8 EL books for myself
I've ordered my first EL edition, Brave New World. I hope it's good!
Its not a matter of the publisher (US or UK), it is a matter where the book is printed.
If it is printed in Germany by GGP media, with its title in first title page in red letter, it is sewn binding;
if it is printed in US by Berryville Graphics, with its title in first title page in black letters, it is glue binding.
At least it is my experience with my current collections, and unfortunately for me I can't seem to find a Germany printed 1984 by George Orwell, because it is a massively demanded book in US because of school requirement.
Is this still accurate? I just bought a copy of Pale Fire and I really couldn’t tell. (But it is published in Germany)
My 1984 arrived this afternoon and thank God... it was printed in Germany. Yes, it's sewn binding! ☺️✨
I have a couple of the story collections printed by GGP and they are glued AND print-on-demand (separate comment complaining about this above!)
I have "Farewell to Arms" from 1993 printed in Germany but it is glued, so that dosent realy apply
Pontus, thanks for the info, glad to know
My copy of Mozart: Letters published by Knopf is glue bound!
Wish I had seen this video yesterday, I just ordered half a dozen books of theirs!!!
To be fair, the quality is usually pretty good, so don’t worry unnecessarily!
@@PontusPresents They all arrived in great condition thanks. With sewn binding! Even animal farm which is very short. They were made in Germany, I don't know if that makes a difference.
I’m glad to hear that! Can I ask which books you purchased? :-)
Certainly. I purchased everything they have in print by George Orwell, A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and The Trial by Kafka. I'm currently reading The Trial and really enjoying it.
I have some 30 Everyman's library Books, after scanning all of my copies I can confirm that not all of knopf's versions are sewn
My 'Gulliver's Travels' edition is also published by Knopf. Do you know which year your glued books were printed?
I only found one out of my entire collection and it was printed in 2005
Interesting. Thanks for checking!
yes, thank you. I would have never checked my books had I not been subscribed for this video. It's kind of odd just how different this copy is from the rest and your video on bindings helped to confirm my suspicions.
Pontus, buy the smythe sewn binding, replace the dust jackets and send back the glued one. Boom.
It would be a smart move, wouldn't it? ;-)
Sweet thumbnail for the vid also
At the drop of a hat, I return books. Damaged even a little? Returned. Glued instead? Returned.
Hopefully this issue has been sorted out.
@Pontus Presents do you know if there is a UK version of Three Volume War and Peace, i used to borrow the us knofp version from the library and am now ready to buy. I really fear getting a glued version. Anyone who bought the book please also let me know.
Is there a way to know the contents of a book from the collection? They don't always specify them, I was interested in Poems and Prophesies of William Blake, but I can't find its contents anywhere.
Wow. I didn't know they did this! I checked my knopf ones and both of my Orwells are glued! Very disappointing.
How can I know where they were printed if I buy on Amazon
Thanks for your video! I bought a couple of the story collections (Christmas Stories and London Stories) plus a collection of poetry (Coleridge) and they are glued, but on top of that they are also print-on-demand, i.e. digitally printed and so the text is fuzzy and looks like it has been done on a home inkjet printer. I am so disappointed. They are from 2014 published by Knopf and printed by GGP. I am too scared to order any more Everyman’s now. Has anyone else had this issue with print quality? What is the point of having hardcover bindings and acid-free paper and beautiful page design if you’re just going to glue the bindings and print digitally? I don’t get it.
My pocket poems books from them are glued. Wondering if all the books in this pocket category are. Do you have any of those?
I think all pocket poems are glued sadly. . . I used to own two of those and both were glued.
@@PontusPresents yes, that’s so sad
I have Midnight's Children, an Everyman edition from 1995 and it looks as if it's glued.[almost 600 pages]
Cost cutting and bad quality in hardbacks is worse in the UK than the United States. It must be economies of scale because US companies normally love cost cutting but a US hardback will be more likely to be sewn binding and printed on acid free paper. I found UK hardbacks are on the whole awful: bad paper that browns after a few years and then horrid crackly gummed bindings which means they will not lie flat.
Hi, I used to buy non-fiction EL books in the 1990s before they became too expensive in the Philippines.The books are Smith sewn.
Which publisher (us or uk) is more likely to use glued bindings?
From my experience and others: US (Knopf publishing).
Hi, may I ask where you order your Everyman's Library editions from? I am confused at their prices on Bookdepository (for example the Brothers Karamazov was 33 euros last time I checked there, and the normal price is around 15 euros). Why is this so?
Also, about the pocket poets, I love reading poetry in small editions, and I think they are perfect on look and form, do you think the glued binding will eventually fall apart, or do they last a good time?
Hi there! I get my EL books from two Swedish online bookstores (Bokus and Adlibris). The reason why Book Depository set those high prices is probably due to the book being close to selling out (not really a honest thing to do, in my opinion).
As for the pocket poets editions: the quality is not great, and I do think that the binding definitely will break down if used heavily or wrongly. So try to be careful when handling them and never open them up more than necessary if you plan on keeping them intact.
Hope that helps! :-) Happy weekend!
Just got the border trilogy and it’s glued.
thanks for the info man
Some of your everyman's library books don't have the dust cover.Is it because you bought them used? I find they look nicer without the cover.I've bought a few used in very good condition at abebooks.com.