Happy Birthday William Shakespeare
Lord Polonius: What do
you read, my lord?
Hamlet: Words, words, words.
Hamlet
(2.2
199-200)
The Folio Society has been preparing for William Shakespeare's 450th
birthday since 2006, when the renowned British fine
books publishing house embarked on an ambitious project to print every tragedy, comedy and history in a large format, limited edition collection.
The entire
canon, including poems and sonnets, is now complete and color-coded by genre in
individually numbered volumes. Zerkal deckle press paper, Moroccan leather
binding and typeset in letterpress on hand-marbled paper, these books are a
sumptuous tactile experience.
The series is a feast for
the eyes as well; Shakespeare's words stand alone, elegant and unobstructed by
small margins and notes because the texts and commentaries are now in separate
volumes. This affords readers the delight of reading Shakespeare
unencumbered by visual clutter.
Each page meets the Folio
Society's rigorous standards for quality and craftsmanship. These gems are also
attractively priced at $545 per volume. Such beauty is fleeting - only
three hundred copies of each volume exist. What better way to celebrate the Bard's birthday than by enjoying his work in such a wonderful manner.
