Walden by Henry David Thoreau – STEEL 2022
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1wcarter
Walden by Henry David Thoreau – STEEL 2022
A PICTORIAL REVIEW
STEEL BROTHERS
LIMITED EDITION
No. 566 0f 1000 copies
Foreword by Corrine H Smith.
4 full-colour illustrations by Matt Steel and 12 black and grey illustrations by Benji Haselhurst.
Map of Walden Pond.
54 selected prose poems extracted from the text and printed on different coloured papers.
Printed in Germany by Memminger in five colors on Munken Lynx premium uncoated paper.
Full-color green patterned endpapers, different front and back.
Bound in off-white pure organic cotton from Bamberger Kaliko with two-colour foil-stamped text on front, back and spine.
Sewn binding with rounded spine.
Full-color green pattern printed slipcase, bound in pure rayon from Bamberger Kaliko.
Black head and tail bands.
Black cotton ribbon bookmark ribbon.
24.8x18.4 cm.
352 pages
US$110
A philosophical treatise on life written while Thoreau lived in a self-built cabin on Walden pond 30km West of Boston in the mid-1840s.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the this series can be viewed here.
A PICTORIAL REVIEW
STEEL BROTHERS
LIMITED EDITION
No. 566 0f 1000 copies
Foreword by Corrine H Smith.
4 full-colour illustrations by Matt Steel and 12 black and grey illustrations by Benji Haselhurst.
Map of Walden Pond.
54 selected prose poems extracted from the text and printed on different coloured papers.
Printed in Germany by Memminger in five colors on Munken Lynx premium uncoated paper.
Full-color green patterned endpapers, different front and back.
Bound in off-white pure organic cotton from Bamberger Kaliko with two-colour foil-stamped text on front, back and spine.
Sewn binding with rounded spine.
Full-color green pattern printed slipcase, bound in pure rayon from Bamberger Kaliko.
Black head and tail bands.
Black cotton ribbon bookmark ribbon.
24.8x18.4 cm.
352 pages
US$110
A philosophical treatise on life written while Thoreau lived in a self-built cabin on Walden pond 30km West of Boston in the mid-1840s.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the this series can be viewed here.
2dlphcoracl
This is another inspired choice by >1 wcarter:.
I do not remember how I stumbled upon this edition but it is quite special - or so I think. It is a combination of a super-deluxe Folio Society book and a Thornwillow Press book. As with the finest non-LE Folio Society editions, it was printed and bound by the German duo of Memminger MedienCentrum AG and Josef Spinner Großbuchbinderei GMBH. It instantly reminded me of a Thornwillow Press book because one of the Thornwillow Press hallmarks is Luke Ives Pontifell's uncanny ability to present classic works which have already appeared in fine & private press format with an unusual twist or book design insight.
This edition is actually advertised by Matthew Steel as The New Walden and it is just that. Steel began working on this edition in 2015 and it was introduced in a failed Kickstarter campaign in 2016. He has worked continuously on this project since then, constantly rethinking and refining it with regard to book content, i.e., the presentation and modernization of the Walden text, book design, and choice of materials. Steel describes his raison d'être for this edition in the following links:
https://mattsteelmakes.com/index.php/work/the-new-walden/
https://steelbrothers.shop/products/the-new-walden
The book is also reviewed briefly and described in the following link:
https://www.visualistapp.com/blog/new-walden-matt-steel
As you look through wcarter's photographs, the care, thought and attention to detail in this edition is apparent. This was clearly a labor of love for Matthew Steel, one he became personally invested in. The quality of materials used in both book and slipcase as described in the colophon is further evidence of this.
From a book collecting standpoint, despite its enduring popularity I cannot think of a truly distinctive or deluxe private press edition of Walden. The best of the lot is probably the Limited Editions Club edition published in 1936, distinguished by the suite of photographic illustrations taken at Walden Pond by famed photographer Edward Steichen. However, aside from Steichen's photos it is an ordinary quality George Macy LEC book.
Even if you already own a copy of Walden, this Steel Bros. edition is worth acquiring although it is not printed letterpress. It is so user-friendly and intelligently designed it will quickly become your reading copy of Walden, as it has become mine. It can still be purchased from Steel Bros. for only $110 (link below), the cost of a slightly better-than-average Folio Society book and this is far superior to those FS editions.
Highly recommended.
https://steelbrothers.shop/products/the-new-walden
I do not remember how I stumbled upon this edition but it is quite special - or so I think. It is a combination of a super-deluxe Folio Society book and a Thornwillow Press book. As with the finest non-LE Folio Society editions, it was printed and bound by the German duo of Memminger MedienCentrum AG and Josef Spinner Großbuchbinderei GMBH. It instantly reminded me of a Thornwillow Press book because one of the Thornwillow Press hallmarks is Luke Ives Pontifell's uncanny ability to present classic works which have already appeared in fine & private press format with an unusual twist or book design insight.
This edition is actually advertised by Matthew Steel as The New Walden and it is just that. Steel began working on this edition in 2015 and it was introduced in a failed Kickstarter campaign in 2016. He has worked continuously on this project since then, constantly rethinking and refining it with regard to book content, i.e., the presentation and modernization of the Walden text, book design, and choice of materials. Steel describes his raison d'être for this edition in the following links:
https://mattsteelmakes.com/index.php/work/the-new-walden/
https://steelbrothers.shop/products/the-new-walden
The book is also reviewed briefly and described in the following link:
https://www.visualistapp.com/blog/new-walden-matt-steel
As you look through wcarter's photographs, the care, thought and attention to detail in this edition is apparent. This was clearly a labor of love for Matthew Steel, one he became personally invested in. The quality of materials used in both book and slipcase as described in the colophon is further evidence of this.
From a book collecting standpoint, despite its enduring popularity I cannot think of a truly distinctive or deluxe private press edition of Walden. The best of the lot is probably the Limited Editions Club edition published in 1936, distinguished by the suite of photographic illustrations taken at Walden Pond by famed photographer Edward Steichen. However, aside from Steichen's photos it is an ordinary quality George Macy LEC book.
Even if you already own a copy of Walden, this Steel Bros. edition is worth acquiring although it is not printed letterpress. It is so user-friendly and intelligently designed it will quickly become your reading copy of Walden, as it has become mine. It can still be purchased from Steel Bros. for only $110 (link below), the cost of a slightly better-than-average Folio Society book and this is far superior to those FS editions.
Highly recommended.
https://steelbrothers.shop/products/the-new-walden
3jveezer
Ordered a microsecond (relative to my being 60'ish) after I saw this post. No brainer for me. Love me some Thoreau.
5dar.lynk
>1 wcarter: Thank you for sharing, ordered as well.
6Matthew_Steel
>2 dlphcoracl:: Wow! Thank you for this lovely review. Between >1 wcarter:'s detailed photos and your glowing remarks, I'm blown away. I'm traveling for work right now, and I was so moved that I felt compelled to call my wife and read it to her.
Thrilled to hear you're enjoying the book – especially that it's become your reading copy of Walden.
I noticed the Visualist review seems to have fallen on hard coding times, but they have a two-part review on Medium that's much easier to read.
Part 1:
https://medium.com/@visualist_app/walden-for-the-modern-age-reviving-a-classic-w...
Part 2:
https://medium.com/@visualist_app/walden-for-the-modern-age-preserving-a-legacy-...
Thrilled to hear you're enjoying the book – especially that it's become your reading copy of Walden.
I noticed the Visualist review seems to have fallen on hard coding times, but they have a two-part review on Medium that's much easier to read.
Part 1:
https://medium.com/@visualist_app/walden-for-the-modern-age-reviving-a-classic-w...
Part 2:
https://medium.com/@visualist_app/walden-for-the-modern-age-preserving-a-legacy-...
7kermaier
>2 dlphcoracl: In addition to the 1936 LEC Walden, there's the beautifully understated Heritage Press edition from 1939. It's printed letterpress on good paper, with lovely wood engravings by Thomas W. Nason, in a very handy cloth-bound, small octavo presentation.
Other than the HP, I have a decent edition from Peter Pauper Press, but it's not in the same league as this Steel Bros. production.
Other than the HP, I have a decent edition from Peter Pauper Press, but it's not in the same league as this Steel Bros. production.
8kdweber
There's also the Lakeside Press (1930) edition (1000 copies) designed & illustrated by Rudolph Ruzicka, part of the 1926 RR Donnelley famous Four American Books promotional campaign.
Memminger Mediencentrum AG also did the Folio Society edition (2009) with photographs by Herbert W. Gleason, bound in 1/4 leather with silk sides by Lachenmaier (Reutlingen, Germany).
Memminger Mediencentrum AG also did the Folio Society edition (2009) with photographs by Herbert W. Gleason, bound in 1/4 leather with silk sides by Lachenmaier (Reutlingen, Germany).
9dlphcoracl
>8 kdweber:
I had forgotten about the Folio Society (2009) edition and it is a beauty, clearly in their deluxe category. It is considerable larger and bulkier than the Steel Brothers edition and it does not read as well, but it is a viable option. The historical Herbert W. Gleason photographs of Walden Pond, taken shortly after Thoreau departed Walden, are a beautiful addition that helps the reader understand how and where Thoreau lived.
I had forgotten about the Folio Society (2009) edition and it is a beauty, clearly in their deluxe category. It is considerable larger and bulkier than the Steel Brothers edition and it does not read as well, but it is a viable option. The historical Herbert W. Gleason photographs of Walden Pond, taken shortly after Thoreau departed Walden, are a beautiful addition that helps the reader understand how and where Thoreau lived.
10Maretzo
I have just received the Steel Edition, and it is very good. As good or even better than a Folio Society.
Thanks to wcarter!
Thanks to wcarter!
11IainFyfe
>10 Maretzo: ditto. There’s a lot more to it, with the inline references and the prose poems on coloured paper, than you find in many of the Folio Society editions these days. I got number 990 so if you’re on the fence, I wouldn’t wait. Thank you Warwick!
