The knave of hearts [Hardcover]

Louise Saunders (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1993

Louise Saunders, talented wife of legendary editor Max Perkins, teamed with one of the most popular illustrators of all time to create this unforgettable fable. Known for his beautiful coloring and humorous touch, Maxfield Parrish's work is iconic — and The Knave of Hearts is his ultimate achievement. Filled with 22 colorful images and lavishly finished with a full-color endpaper painting, this hardcover edition is a collector's classic to treasure.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898155207
• ISBN-13: 978-0898155204
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,784,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Knave in Name Only, July 30, 2009

By 

Brent R. Swanson "coffee shop inspector" (Crooper, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Knave of Hearts (Calla Editions) (Hardcover)

The last time I held a book this beautiful I was holding a first edition of "The Knave of Hearts," and holding it just as carefully as you should hold a book with a $3000 pricetag. Brokenheartedly, I returned it to its shelf, hoping that someday a reprinting would be published that would do justice to the original. That "someday" has arrived.

This beautiful edition from Calla is likely to become as much an heirloom as the original. The dimensions are practically identical to those of the first edition. The book is printed on 80# Utopia II Ivory Matte Cover, a thick paper with clothlike texture and the perfect medium for twenty-three of the most sumptuous paintings that Maxfield Parrish (or any other artist) ever created for book illustrations. The complete text of Louise Saunders' beguiling "closet drama" of the misunderstood knave is here as well, and the endpapers feature Parrish's "Romance" in one of the few reproductions I've seen that isn't so dark that the human figures are obscured. Indeed, the pictorial reproduction is top-notch throughout, perhaps a shade better than in the original edition.

There have been several artbooks showcasing most of the "Knave" illustrations, but this book finally brings the whole package to today's readers and Maxfield Parrish admirers. The price is a bargain and its contents are an embarrassment of riches. But don't be ashamed to buy it as a gift for yourself.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous reproduction of an out-of-print classic, September 21, 2009

By 

Bob Nolin (Bethel Park, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Knave of Hearts (Calla Editions) (Hardcover)

As a fan of Maxfield Parrish, I was intrigued to see that a publisher had brought out a facsimile edition of "The Knave of Hearts," a book I knew of only by the illustrations found in books about MP. This edition is just astonishing. I've never seen such heavy-weight (80#!) pages. This is a truly heirloom-quality book. If you buy one for small children, make sure to order a backup! You'll want it for when they get older. Bravo to Calla Editions!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite, a classic to be treasured for years to come!, June 5, 2010

By 

Z Hayes (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Knave of Hearts (Calla Editions) (Hardcover)

I've been collecting books for some years now, and among my favorites are the Calla Editions. Being an ardent fan of fairy tales, folk tales and fables, the Calla Editions fulfill my craving for beautifully-illustrated books and imaginative tales. I finally purchased "The Knave of Hearts", the result of the successful collaboration of Louise Saunders, wife of Scribner's editor Max Perkins and renowned illustrator Maxfield Parrish.

Parrish's works are particularly interesting because of the beautiful coloring used and the element of humor in the illustrations, a touch of whimsy that delights and enchants. "The Knave of Hearts" was the last children's book that Parrish illustrated and it is a work of pure beauty. The book is over-sized, 11 1/2" by 13 3/4", 40 pages in length, and features 23 color plates with full-color endpapers. This is an unabridged republication (thank you Dover!) of the edition originally published by Charles Scribner & Sons, NY, in 1925. A must-have for collectors and those who love beautiful books!