I am a proponent for collecting multiple editions of the same book – even unread books. My Jane Austen collection is particularly – ahem – stacked, and among the few of her titles I haven’t read, Persuasion stands three paperback spines across.
The first is my Penguin Classics edition, which features the top half of a striking portrait on the cover (the portrait is of Pierre Guérin by Robert Lefèvre, both of whom were French painters).
The second is my Barnes & Noble Classics edition – the small version. I love these editions (I have a couple other books in this edition) because they are great for marking up/annotating, they easily fit in a bag, and they’re pretty sturdy. The cover features Mary Cassatt’s painting Mrs. Duffee Seated on a Striped Sofa Reading.
The third is a Signet Classics edition, which is my favorite of the three. This used little book is just so charming, and I have a copy Northanger Abbey in this edition too, so that makes this version even more special to me and my shelves.
Have you read Persuasion? Is there one book that takes up a lot of space on your shelves, because you can’t help yourself when you see a new edition? Do you have a list of editions you wish you could purchase right now? Share your joys and wants in the comments.
