Saturday, 21 July 2012

Virago Modern Classics: Coming Of Age Collection

Wow - little reading has been going on in Verityland of late, and thus even littler blogging on my Virago Venture, but a parcel from Virago is just the thing to whet my appetite and lead to a blog post!  These beautiful hardbacks with dreamy covers are part of Virago's Coming of Age Collection released at the start of August which I think would make wonderful presents.

The blurb that came with the books says "Virago Modern Classics has broken ground with its beautiful, collectible, limited edition hardbacks of perennial favourites*...now Virago Modern Classics has created a unique set of hardbacks - a collection of six modern classic coming of age stories, for adult, and young adult readers alike, beautifully bound and with stunning custom-designed and interlinked jacket artwork by New York based illustrator Mira Nameth.  These are gorgeous books intended to be collected, enjoyed, cherished and pressed into the hands of other readers, whatever their age.  Each has been selected for its striking depiction of a time, a place, and of a young woman on the cusp of adulthood"

The titles are:
Slammerkin (Emma Donaghue)
Invitation to the Waltz (Rosamund Lehmman)
My brilliant career (Miles Franklin)
Tipping the velvet (Sarah Waters)
The river (Rumer Godden)
I know why the caged bird sings (Maya Angelou)

Invitation and My brilliant were already VMCs, the rest were not, although the authors were already Virago ones.

I've read all but the Rumer Godden novel (and Invitation to the Waltz has to be one of my favourite books ever), but as she is an author who I have greatly enjoyed in the past, I am very much looking forward to picking up The river.

[Oh and Virago collectors may be interested to know that these titles don't seem to be numbered]



* absolutely, they are things of beauty which I have written about here
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5 comments:

  1. Karen K.21 July 2012 at 16:29

    Pretty! I've only read Slammerkin and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, but I just got Tipping the Velvet from my library. I've seen the movie My Brilliant Career but it was years ago, I should probably read the book someday.

    I think there's a blogging event about Rosamond Lehmann next week, but I can't remember who's hosting it. It might be time for me to read Dusty Answer.

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  2. CharmedLassie21 July 2012 at 20:02

    Those are stunning. I'm tempted to replace my copies of Slammerkin and Tipping the Velvet!

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  3. Kaggsy22 July 2012 at 11:05

    Miss Darcy is hosting the Lehmann week here:

    http://missdarcyslibrary.wordpress.com/2012/05/26/rosamond-lehmann-reading-week/

    And don't those books look lovely!

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  4. Ali Mal24 July 2012 at 15:39

    HmmMmm! Look gorgeous. Unfortunately, I've read most of them.

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  5. Willa25 August 2012 at 18:05

    I read Slammerkin a few years ago and I really enjoyed it even though it was quite an emotional read for me. These editions look fantastic.

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