The Norton Facsimile: The First Folio of Shakespeare

Rating:
Summary: The Nortn Facsimile-a work of art
Review: I have many prestigious editions of Shake-speare. While I enjoy them all, I am particularly fond of this volume. It is first and foremost a paragon of scholarship, though I admit that it is perhaps of limited interest to many in some of its aspects. Dealing with the many variants found in the various printings of the First Folio, it might seem rather dry in some respects. Simply put, it is a First Folio made up of facsimile copies of the best pages of all First Folios available, and there are numerous pages dealing with the detective work involved in the assembling of the work. It is perhaps best worked with the Norton Texual Companion to Shakespeare. Yes, it is large,maybe somewhat unwieldy,and the style of type is unusual to read by today's standards, but in the presentation it is a work of art. It is the closest you'll ever get to owning your own first Folio, perhaps a 'better Folio'. I enjoy reading and owning finely made books. This volume, 'The Norton Facsimile', is about as finely made as a book is likely to get. It is beautifully bound and slipcovered in red, and the book in its entirety is a pleasure to own and to use. For those who care for such things, it is also very impressive sitting on a bookshelf.