I have a Kindle, which I adore. But, nothing will ever entirely replace hardbound books for me. I love books as decor objects. My current favorites are the Penguin clothbound classics.
This is a series of classic literature with special cloth covers designed by the fabulously talented Coralie Bickford-Smith. The covers have a minimalist design, but each does an amazing job of using imagery that is somehow relevant to the specific title.
Each book also features a pretty ribbon bookmark and a thoughtfully written introduction explaining some of the author’s background or the history behind the story.
My goal is to someday own all of the wonderful books in the clothbound classics series, but I’ve been buying my favorites as our budget permits just to build a lovely home library that I hope my son will someday enjoy as much as I do. Many of the titles in the clothbound classics series are for teens and adults, although I would highly recommend adding the clothbound classics versions of Little Women and Alice in Wonderland to your wish list.
Penguin clothbound classics are beautiful when displayed as a set, but even just a single book would make a nice gift for a friend or family member. When I give books as gifts, I often like to write an inscription in the front or include some sort of note about why I selected that title for the recipient.
I have not been able to find Penguin clothbound classics in a store near me, but Amazon.com does carry many of the titles online. The titles can also be purchased directly from the Penguin Books website, but the cost of international shipping is probably going to make this option unaffordable for many.
photo credit: Penguin Books
