THE FOLIO SOCIETY

'Fog everywhere . . .'

Bleak House(1852-3) is a devastating satire on the evils of the English legal system and the state of Victorian society. A young couple arrive in fog-bound London as claimants in Jarndyce and Jarndyce, a suit that has dragged through the Court of Chancery for so long 'no man alive knows what it means'; meanwhile, a chance discovery sets a Machiavellian lawyer on the scent of scandal in the aristocracy. Populated by an astonishing cast of characters - ghoulish lawyers, pompous baronets, love-sick clerks, irresponsible philanthropists, wretched crossing-sweepers, homely detectives, penniless scriveners - and distinguished by some of Dickens's greatest, most allusive writing, Bleak House moves beyond the exposure of particular abuses to portray a whole society in need of 'spontaneous combustion'.

The Novels of Charles Dickens

Dickens was a one man powerhouse of creativity. For ordinary mortals just one of his many jobs would have been sufficient, (let alone a family of ten children). Yet despite his tours and editorial responsibilities, he wrote fifteen novels, three works of nonfiction and numerous shorter works. No wonder he should be called 'the great inimitable'.

From his pen flowed a seemingly inexhaustible series of characters who have enchanted generations of readers, whether we laugh at his comic creations or suffer alongside his heroes and heroines.

When the first serialisations of Bleak House and Oliver Twist appeared, readers thronged docksides and railway stations waiting for them to be unloaded. Today, the popularity of Dickens for TV series suggests his appeal is as strong as ever. It is Dickens's exceptional eye for character and voice, which keeps the books fresh, even though the milieu of workhouse and industry has changed. Mr Pickwick remains as funny as when he first stood to deliver his lecture on the Theory of Tittlebats and young Pip trembling on the Kent marshes as the escaped convict looms out of the mist, just as compelling an image.

Commissioned Introductions: by leading lights in the academic and literary world such as Patrick McGrath (Barnaby Rudge), A. N. Wilson (Pickwick Papers), John Ezard (Martin Chuzzlewit) and Dickens's acclaimed biographer Peter Ackroyd (Bleak House, Oliver Twist and Edwin Drood).

Original Illustrations: Dickens himself worked closely with his illustrators, suggesting corrections to preliminary sketches. We gain insight into his own vision of the characters in these delightful plates made by such renowned illustrators as George Cruikshank, Marcus Stone and 'Phiz'.

Favini Paper: specially made in the Rossano mill near Venice to match the cream colour of the original, it is a pleasure to handle. High quality, with no show-through, this acid-free paper is designed to last for generations.

Ribbon Marker: woven in burgundy grosgrain. Pages are sewn in blocks of 16 to create a perfect round for the spine. Not only is this handsome, but it allows the book to open flat.

Gold Finish: the top edge is gilded while the spine and cloth sides are blocked in 23 carat gold with a blind-blocked rule to perfect the cloth and leather join.

Separate Titling Labels: made from sheepskin leather placed in a blind blocked Impression Craft Binding: lined with muslin, not paper, while special non-warping boards and endpapers add strength and durability for a sturdy but elegant binding. For books of this quality, we use a small craft bindery in Germany which has been established for 125 years.

Quarter-bound in Leather: this leather is finest Nigerian goatskin, dyed to a beautiful rich burgundy Victorian shade which shows off the natural grain.

Elegant Typeface: Bulmer is an early 19th century typeface, familiar to readers of the first editions of Dickens and specially selected for its readability.

When the Nonesuch editions were published in the 1930s they were the most handsome Dickens collection to have been produced. The set was sold at a staggering 56 guineas (around £2,500 in today's money), but it was loved by critics and readers, becoming a by-word for quality in book production. This Folio Society series is based on the Nonesuch edition, and has been crafted to extraordinarily high standards using the finest quality materials.