This set of 60 volumes is a great acquisition for any person who is truly interested in classic or academic literature (well with the Canon wars, I suppose I have to say "traditional academic"). The format is dense and double columned, but that allows some interesting works to be included (quite an impressive swath of the literary panorama). Some of the works I found astonishing to be included in a set of supposed "essentials" were: the extremely long Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (down side: this edition has the notes on the back), Huizinga's The Waning of the Middle Ages, and the biography of Samuel Johnson. I've found the translations pretty solid, at least they're not 'hideous' as one reviewer says, and since they are translations more or less renowned I don't think this part was overlooked by the editors.
Definitely the lowest point of the selection are the scientific works, not only illegible in most cases, but useless also. It would have been a thousand times better to include The Sleepwalkers by Arthur Koestler than the voluminous tome of works by Copernicus, Kepler and Ptolemy; maybe in the next edition they will do that (hopefully it will be made some day). Also regarding the selection, I find it agreeable that philosophical and more "historical" works are as represented as the 'aesthethic literarure' genres. I don't read much poetry, but some literary fiend could be appalled by the lack of modern poets. But this is a selection after all and, like the case of poetry, 20th century literature needs to be complemented in any household where the set is actually read.
Maybe these books will seem flawed to other readers, but I'm quite happy with them.
ISBN-13:
978-0852295311
ISBN-10:
0852295316
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