Collecting Chiltern Classics

Chiltern Publishing is a relatively recent publisher, issuing their first books only in 2018, but they are already strongly achieving their mission to create beautiful editions of the classics. The famous 1800s “peacock edition” of Jane Austen’s  Pride and Prejudice is a clear inspiration for their designs.

The books are on the smallish side (think pocket book) – reflecting the size and format of the original books when they were printed in Jane Austen’s time. They all feature wonderfully detailed and textured covers, sparkling gilt edges, creamy pages, and are robustly made with strong stitched bindings. They feel surprisingly weighty in your hards (due to the quality materials) and are a real joy to read. I highly recommend them.

They usually release 8 new volumes a year (with the line-up typically including at least one children’s book and one speculative fiction in the mix of classic literature titles). Several of the volumes are also available in bundled ‘gift packs’ which include the book along with a notebook bound in a matching cover. All the books released from 2018 through to 2021 are listed below. Additional titles that have been mentioned as likely to be in future releases include: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Call of the Wild, The Jungle Book, Black Beauty, Heart of Darkness, The Secret Agent, Phantom of the Opera, The Scarlet Letter, Kidnapped, Oliver Twist, Moll Flanders, and Gulliver’s Travels.