Yes, it’s true—at BookPage, sometimes we get really, really excited about what has arrived in the day’s mail (see our fervor over the new Penguin Classics here).
Today the mail gods brought us a set of the latest Olive Editions from HarperPerennial—Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon.
Packaged in bright orange, purple and green (respectively), these paperbacks are billed as “small enough to fit in your pocket” and retail for only $10 a pop. I might argue that you’d need a pretty big pocket for the thick Fast Food Nation, but hey, fast food is inherently heavy.
HarperPerrennial launched their Olive Editions last year with the release of special edition novels by Michael Chabon, Jonathan Safran Foer and Milan Kundera. Both sets of books are billed as “limited editions” and while the Olive Editions website is very hip, it is not terrible informative.
I’d love to know when the next Olive Editions will be published—and what titles will be included. If you’d like to win our set of the 2009 Olives (which, I should mention, go on sale today), leave a comment by Friday, Nov. 6 at noon. Tell us what you think of the Olive idea or what books you would like to see Olive-ized. Good luck!
I think this is a great idea. The books look super modern and hopefully they’ll convince people to pick ‘em up and read them.
Oh these are just wonderful! I think the size would make them ideal to stash in my bag when I’m travelling… hard to tote around a large novel. Also great to have in my purse for those hours I seem to spend in waiting rooms and such for appointments.
I would love it if they Olive-ized Margaret Atwood’s classics “The Handmaid’s Tale” or “The Edible Woman”.
Special editions give a boost to both me and those around me. I’m sometimes asked what I’m reading when the book itself looks out of the norm.
M
Thanks for linking to us. The olive reader is actually the blog for all of Harper perennial, not just the olive editions.
Hey Erica! Sorry about that. Is there a specific blog or website for the Olive Editions? I guess the name threw me…
Nope, nothing specific for the olive editions. The olive is our logo, so a lot of harper perennial stuff is olive-related
The Olive Editions are cute & flashy. I concur with Wendy’s idea of Atwood titles (Cat’s Eye!), and would also like to see “The Grass is Singing” by Doris Lessing … and maybe “The Magus” by John Fowles.
I think these are a great idea for having something to read on the train or bus. I’d be interested to see some titles by Jose Saramago.
I love anything that can get people to read the classics. If new packaging fets the job done I’m all for it.
Anything that might attract more people to picking up a book is a great idea.
I love the new covers and would be tempted to pick up the book just because of them.
So pretty. I’m always tempted by a good looking cover, although I know not to judge by one.
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I love that the books have bright cheerful covers, and are small enough to tote in my pocket or purse. They sure would make waiting for appointments much more fun!
It’s editions like this that remind me what I loved about reading the book the first time around. And what books I need to move up in my list of To-Be-Read. And there is something wonderful about seeing something you live printed anew, printed differently. It makes me think again about the idea, the story, the character.
These are gorgeous! They’d be such a wonderful addition to anyone’s library.
I’ve been meaning to read Fast Food Nation for years! Now I’d finally get the chance! Whoever wins these will be one lucky person.
It’s a fantastic idea. Smart packaging means portable travel and good reads. You started with three excellent titles and I love the colours! Good job, Harper Perennial!
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