so i discovered today that my school's library have pretty much the entire set of the everyman's library hardbacks, all which are basically untouched and untattered.
what does /lit/ think about the everyman's library editions? pic related, it's the one i picked out first, it's the P&V translation which i hear so many mixed reviews about but if it's bad and i want to try another translation i'll just go and buy the book.
Don't fall for the memes OP, I read the P&V translation as well and loved it immensely. Translations are oftentimes more about personal taste. No perfect translation exists and each one has its pros and cons. People on here just claim P&V is awful because they're some of the most recent translators for these classics and they have received immense praise. Sure, maybe they've been given too much praise, but the backlash they reveive on here is blown way out of proportion compared to the praise they get.
I think you should go for it before anyone else posts in this thread and if you don't like it then go for Magershack, his translations are usually good even though I'm not as familiar with him compared to P&V.
Avsey is better.
Then use Maudes for Tolstoy. They are good.
Read their Tacitus.
>>7795597
P&V sucks
Learn Russian comrade.
>>7795577
>what does /lit/ think about the everyman's library editions?
I've checked out a couple of them at a library and desu I don't really know what the big deal is. I guess they look nice on your shelf if you own them. Is that why people like them?
>>7795696
Good production quality.
Look nice.
Good font.
>>7795696
They're just oogd quality hardbacks. Personally when it comes to certain books that I know I'm going to re-read and keep around for a long time, presumably forever, I go with Everyman's or Modern.
>>7795577
Everyman's are bound nicely, so the quality of the book itself are nice.
As for the contents, it varies. I think other publishers sometimes use better translations, so it's a case by case basis. Also, other publishers may include better notes, include essays with the work sometimes, and so on. Everyman's is usually pretty bare bones as far as extras, which you may or may not prefer.
As for P&V specifically, you'll hear a lot of opinions both ways. Personally, I don't like P&V, I find they leave out minor nuances in their translations or seem to 'miss the point'. Just google around and find some example passages and see what you like best.
I've read the Brailovsky revision of Garnett that's currently published by Modern Library. It was very good. I find that many revisions of Garnett's work to be excellent as well. For example, the Matlaw revision of Garnett of Brothers Karamazov is the best translation in my opinion. I think it's important to remember how much praise Russian literature has gotten over the last century or so, and the majority of that praise was based on Garnett translation since it was the main translation for so long.
>>7795778
I just thought of something else about the quality of Everyman's:
They had a weird period a few years back where some of the printers they outsourced to changed their bindings to glue. There was a lot of customer complaint and Everyman's looked into it and changed things back to sewn. So if you buy used, be careful about that. All of mine are sewn and I personally never ran into a glued, but some are floating around out there.
Just something to keep in mind.
>tfw no everyman GR
OP here, they're also (usually) cheap to say they're hardbacks, which is nice to know since i won't have access to them free forever, plus they're pretty as hell. the only issue i'm having so far is that i'm having to flick to the back for footnotes which is a pain in the arse because there's a lot but i'm not sure whether that was the translator's or the publisher's decision.
thanks for the tips on translations too - i think i'll stick it out with the P&V translation on the idiot and see how i like it, if i really enjoy it i'll probably stick with it but if it ends up being okay or just good i'll look around at other translations before picking another dostoy
>>7795810
Thats hilarious, his face on the cover actually looks very fitting
>>7795577
The bookstore I go to recently stocked their classics section with Everyman's. I'm trying to pick up as many as I can before they go back to Penguin or some shit.
>>7795577
I own Ulysses andWuthering Heightsfrom everyman's library.
They smell nice.
