I am delighted by my summer rereading of Jane Austen, admiring the details in books I had previously considered slight. The advantage to reading them back-to-back is noticing the deepening of her characterization as she hones her style over the years. And I realize that not all of the books are comedies, though all have comic elements.

But for the moment, as a preamble to observations on Jane, let’s chat on a shallow note about the pros and cons of different editions. I am not exactly a collector, no rare 19th-century editions here, but I have at least two different copies of each of my favorite Austen novels. It is a treat I allow myself as a “by-God-yes-I’m-a-bibliophile!”

Austen Sets & Partial Sets

I always begin with Penguin, my favorite publisher of classics. I love the charming designs of the seven-volume Penguin Clothbound Classics set of Austen. The paper is creamy and thick and the books are durable. The pages do not tan as they often do in paperbacks. I do not have a complete set, but certainly appreciate those I have.

I am also a Penguin paperback fan. You can acquire the black-spined Penguin paperbacks of Austen separately and build your own set more cheaply than with hardbacks.

THE PENGUIN ADVANTAGE: attractive book, with scholarly notes, introductions, and appendices in hardcover and paperback.

THE WORLD CLOUD CLASSICS SET. I am drawn to the bright covers of these “paperbacks” with vinyl-plastic flexible covers. The prices are reasonable, about $16 each, and you can buy them as a set (the cheapest price I’ve seen is $45). N.B. They look gorgeous, but I have not handled them personally, only seen them in photos. Caveat, emptor!

WORLD CLOUD CLASSICS ADVANTAGE. Design and cheapness.

THE HARPER MUSE JANE AUSTEN SET. This is my favorite Jane Austen set. I love the covers, which feature lacy laser-cut art, and the books are the perfect size, with just the right amount of heft. There are no illustrations but notable quotes are highlighted on pages of their own. What I’m saying is that I like the utilitarian design of the books. Nothing fancy on the pages, just the interaction between the text and the reader.

! THE HARPER MUSE ADVANTAGE: Lovely, unusual covers, no-frill pages, perfect print size.

THE MARJOLIN BASTIN EDITIONS. This series of three of Austen’s novels, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma, features bright floral covers and illustrations of flowers by Marjolin Bastin. She is much admired by vloggers. The drawback: I had expected illustrations of the scenes and characters.

THE MARJOLIN BASTIN ADVANTAGE. Lovely design and illustrations, and these books lie open flat, like an oversized Moleskine notebook.

THE FOLIO SOCIETY COLLECTION. The beautiful Folio Society Austen set can be bought one book at a time, or one can splurge on the complete set. They are expensive, but unwieldy if you read in “the horizontal position. They are expensive, $75 per book, but it is a treat to have such a well-made edition.

The illustrations are gorgeous, often with a modern Gothic look, and I have enjoyed the introductions by novelists. Sebastian Faulkes explains his unique take on Darcy in his introduction to Pride and Prejudice: he comes right out and says how cruel Darcy is to Elizabeth. Fans don’t necessarily want to hear this, but Darcy is indeed more than aloof in the beginning.

THE FOLIO ADVANTAGE. The beautiful design and illustrations.

Do you have any favorite editions of Austen? There are so many.