Amazon.com Review Amazon Exclusive: Editorial Director Elda Rotor on Classics That Never Go Out of Style
Dear Amazon Readers:
Penguin Classics is pleased to publish three new Penguin Classics Deluxe editions of Wuthering Heights, The Scarlet Letter and Pride and Prejudice, with covers designed by world-renowned fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo.
With Penguin's history of excellence in book design and following the success of our continued series of award-winning deluxe editions with covers by leading graphic and comic artists, we wanted to explore another inspiring world of design for Penguin Classics. Roseanne Serra, our art director for this series, which we call in-house the Couture Classics, had the vision of inviting fashion illustrators to create specially commissioned art work. My first choice of an artist to ask was Ruben Toledo, whose work I have admired since I was a student combing through pages of the earlier incarnations of Paper and Details magazines. I always found his drawings of women dressed in the latest styles to be so imaginative, whimsical and surreal, that they could be characters out of beloved novels.
Ruben agreed to draw these three covers, each in a different medium of ink, watercolor or pencil, because he was attracted to the idea of creating covers for a younger generation of Penguin Classics readers and to promote literacy. They are "not your mother's Bronte" as Glamour tagged the set. Our hope is that these vibrant covers will entice general readers and students with an interest in design to delve into the stories that inspire these artistic creations. We hope that book lovers, those that cherish the old-school feel of a physical book, who love book design, fonts, and the all-around aesthetics of a beautiful book, will want all three.
Cathy and Heathcliff, Hester and Pearl, and Elizabeth and Darcy are the literary muses for these covers, and readers will enjoy Ruben's interpretations of these classic characters plus the mood, texture, and scenery inspired by them. From front to back cover, extending even to the French flaps, each cover represents a refreshing representation of the classic work through Ruben's unique artistic sensibility.
The fun of these covers is that they reiterate that classics are relevant for every generation, especially the latest one. Liesl Schillinger for the New York Times blog identifies the fun in seeing the aesthetics of today's youth embodied in Toledo's art: "Was Heathcliff--the wild child of Wuthering Heights--a 19th-century emo boy? Can you picture Jane Austen's Lizzy Bennet as a Regency gossip girl, and Darcy as her Mr. Big in knee breeches? And what about Hester Prynne--was she Nathaniel Hawthorne's idea of a colonial yummy mummy?" Nylon first blogged about Toledo's series, and the tongue-in-cheek challenge to judge a book by its cover: "While his surreal take on the Yorkshire moors or his Technicolor vision of Hester Prynne might not change the actual details of the plot, they certainly add a stylish edge to book club mainstays."
I've heard that people love the Wuthering Heights cover because it exudes the same dark Gothic sexiness of Twilight's Edward and Bella. (How perfect that Bella herself reads Wuthering Heights for advice on her own love life.) Toledo's details capturing Cathy's persona are mesmerizing, and the chic mysteriousness of Heathcliff peering above his collar captures the perfect bad-boyfriend tone.
The stark black and white Pride and Prejudice cover in silhouette is precise yet witty. (I love the chair on the back cover.) Ruben has a little extra for readers of Pride and Prejudice with a frontispiece of extra “accessories” for the cover's characters.
But my personal favorite is The Scarlet Letter cover. I love the gossiping women, who extend to the French flaps of the cover, emphasizing the size of Hester's scandal. For the font-crazed, Ruben creates various fonts of the letter "A" tacked along the fence. The rose bush, a classic image that appears in 19th-century illustrated editions, is the perfect anchor to this modern interpretation. Look at the ravishing Hester entangled by the mark she must wear on what might be a cashmere sweater dress with an utterly intimidating Pearl in tow in what could be Wolford baby tights. With such alluring images, who wouldn’t be compelled to read these novels?
What went through Ruben's mind in creating these covers? Ruben discussed his process with Women's Wear Daily, "I did approach each story as abstract images--visual quotes from a dream. As I read, I was playing the animated movie in my head. These masterpieces are all so well written."
We hope you enjoy all three books. We hope they spark your imagination and stir up passion for the classics, for Penguin Classics, so timeless and trend-setting, they never go out of style.
Best wishes, Elda Rotor Editorial Director, Penguin Classics
Product Description
The story of Cathy Earnshaw and the wild Heathcliff as they fall in love on the Yorkshire moors spans three generations and is seen through the eyes of the narrators Lockwood and Nelly Dean. Emily Bronte tells of the passion between Cathy and Heathcliff with such vivid intensity that her tale of tragic love has gripped readers for over 100 years.
Book Description Cambridge Literature is a series of literary texts edited for study by students aged 14-18 in English-speaking classrooms. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is edited by Richard Hoyes, Head of English and Media Studies, Farnham College, Surrey.
Gorgeous HardcoverMarch 21, 2010 EJH So beautiful! The cover art work for this book (and series) are amazing. I enjoy the classics anyways but the beautiful cover makes it so much more of a luxury experience. Don't hesitate to add these books to your collection.
This is a flawed masterpiece...February 19, 2010 BookAddict(Miami, Florida) 0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have to say that my opinion of this book has changed little since I first read it, back in high school. Basically, I don't like it. I did give it two stars though, because I have mixed feelings about it. In fact, the total dislike I felt for it the first time has mellowed somewhat. But not by much.
I consider it a masterpiece, albeit a flawed one. The prose style is definitely the work of a great writer. I also admire Bronte's deftly drawn, very realistic character portraits, especially in the case of the Earnshaw servant, Joseph. There are even touches of humor in his idiosyncratic personality.
What I dislike most about the book is the fact that it is NOT a love story -- not really. The author doesn't present a tale of "forbidden- love-that-wins-out-against-all-odds". Nor does she present an impossible love that DOESN'T win out against all odds. The relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff is sketchy at best. When Catherine makes a fateful and totally illogical (given her love for Heathcliff) decision to marry for money, Heathcliff doesn't put up a fight, doesn't try to win her hand. This despite the fact that he's a very determined, passionately forceful character. This is quite evident in his behavior toward Hindley Earnshaw, for example. No, instead, Heathcliff simply disappears for three years, then unexpectedly returns, now mulishly intent on seeing the woman he lost to a man he has always looked upon with utter contempt.
This book is more the story of Heathcliff's revenge on the descendants of those who have wronged him. The story then takes a very frightening turn, as this man literally becomes an unfeeling monster -- except for his totally consuming obsession with Cathy. The rather convoluted events that ensue take precedence over the so-called "love story", despite such memorable quotes as "Oh, God! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!"
Heathcliff even abuses the woman he eventually marries. This, too, is part of his vengeful scheme.
Catherine Earnshaw is not that endearing herself, although she never descends to the depths of evil Heathcliff seems to love wallowing in. She is a very self-centered creature, however, as well as rather callous about other people's feelings. Although she confesses to the housekeeper, Nelly Dean, that she (Catherine) and Heathcliff are "one", she persists in her decision, not considering for an instant the effect it might have on the man she claims to love.
I was under the impression that a fiction writer was supposed to make the reader sympathize with his/her protagonist(s). In this regard, this novel is a total failure.
Something kept me reading until the very end, strangely enough, and I do believe it was Bronte's masterful writing style, as well as her characterizations. Also riveting is the way the story is told -- there is a narration within a narration.
To sum up, the greatest value I found in this book was the beauty of the prose style, as well as the penetrating, psychologically disturbing insights that shine through in the characters' often contradictory, self-defeating behavior.
A love story it is not, at least not in the sense that "Romeo and Juliet", "Jane Eyre", and The Twilight Saga are. And speaking of the latter, I really can't understand Bella Swan's fascination with this book, since Heathcliff is most certainly the very antithesis of Edward!! Jane Eyre's Edward Rochester would have been a far better source of romantic inspiration for Bella. Also, he and Edward Cullen share the same first name. Why Stephanie Meyer chose Heathcliff instead is really puzzling to me.
You know you need another copyFebruary 19, 2010 Aerialgirl(Australia) I don't feel like I have to go on about 'WH' being the pinnacle of romantic writing and the shivers it gives me, the fact that Kate Bush turned it into a hit single - cause that's not why you buy THIS. THIS is a beautiful, stylized illustrated cover that carries between in one of the best novels ever written in English. And a nod to all goths, fantasists, Sylvia and Courtney fans who really love it. Thankyou, Ruben Toledo! If you thought this was to cool, may I also suggest The Illustrated Jane Eyre (Penguin Illustrated Classics)Dame D'arcy and Charlotte Bronte in one package..it's all too beautiful.
Interesting re-packaging of this classic to appeal to teens.February 5, 2010 Lorraine(CA) 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I especially enjoyed the add-ons at the end. Teens will find this fun and interesting.
Love it, hate itFebruary 5, 2010 A. Cahill 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I both love and hate this book. I've read it twice and every time it breaks my heart.It's wonderfully written and a must read for anyone that hasn't had that pleasure yet.
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