Standing like an island amid the sea of paperbacks and new releases from celebrities, is the Folio Society. Based in London, this organization is half publisher, half book club, and was founded in 1947 on the principle that books should be beautiful to the eye as well as captivating to the mind.
The Folio Society's formula for success is publishing books with exceptional typography, illustrations, paper and bindings. Their books are designed to be immediately collectible - certain editions increase in value after appearing on the rare book market. The Society sources new introductions from literary experts to accompany classic texts - from George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm to Neil Gaiman's American Gods - and uses skilled designers and master printers to produce memorable fine books. Fiction and non-fiction is published and you will be familiar with many of the classic titles and authors.
These books are often housed in beautiful slipcases. Sets and multi-volume editions are commonplace. The Folio Society takes a famous book and finds an expert to write a fresh introduction. It publishes books that are already winners - some of them like The Wind in the Willows and The Canterbury Tales have become iconic - but adds much more to the look and feel.