From previously out-of-print hidden gems to future classics by blockbuster authors, Malvern bookseller Tamuz celebrates deluxe and delightful special editions.
In celebration of their 90th anniversary, Penguin have republished 90 short titles in their signature Penguin Edition format, a lush matte-white paperback binding, with a striking single colour for the whole collection – this year, it’s red, in recognition of this series’ theme: a love letter to 90 years of Penguin.
Featuring fabulous typography and bold graphic design evocative of the different eras in which Penguin first published these authors, the Penguin Archive range includes poetry, essays, philosophy and oodles of the very best in literary fiction.
These slender volumes are a great opportunity to dive into a new author, share a favourite with a loved one, or just slip a little slice of inspiration into a pocket or bag to take on your travels. But be warned, neither the cover (nor the reader!) may be the same afterward.
More and more publishers are producing books like this, with delicate covers in a lush matte finish. From Fitzcarraldo’s iconic Yves Klein Blue and crisp white, and Giramondo’s design award–winning series featuring thumbprints (like Hasib Hourani’s stunning rock flight) and intricate prints of leaves (like Grace Yee’s award-winning Chinese Fish), to Penguin’s iconic Archive range, there’s something tactile and sensory about these books.
However, as anyone who’s tried to carry one in an overstuffed bag will know, these covers don’t always spell pristine longevity… but what they do reveal, in their scuffs and marks, is the dance for two that happens between a reader and a book – more than other kinds of finishes, a matte cover tells the truth about whether you’ve actually read the book! Not for those seeking a bookshelf of leather-bound tomes, matte finishes are the kinds of books that are meant to be read and re-read, lent, annotated and loved. Sure, you can take an eraser to them to try and mask the fingerprints and scuffs, but we think there’s something special about a book that shows you couldn’t put it down, and proudly wears the marks of having been carried, read and enjoyed.
Somewhere between the delicate matte paperbacks and heavy-duty hardbacks (more on them later!) are clothbound books, which feature a cloth-covered hardcover without a dustjacket. We’ve talked about Penguin’s Clothbound range in our blog post about classics, and since then, Coralie Bickford-Smith has reached a major milestone: 100 titles in the range, with The Fall of the House of Usher publishing mid-November, this year. There’s something striking about these full-pattern designs which feature only the author’s name and the title: these books don’t need a blurb, or quotes from other famous authors, they speak for themselves as part of the canon of great literature.
The titles come in a huge range of colours, with contrasting foil prints on the covers and spines – a beautiful detail which should be handled with extreme care if you want to keep it pristine, or it will show the same tactile signs of the readers’ presence as the paperback Penguin Archive.
Far from the sensitive finish of matte paperbacks is the opposite end of the spectrum: deluxe, heavy-duty hardbacks, built to stand the test of time. While these books may not fit in a bag (and can be a strain to the shoulder that carries it!) they are capable of surviving more than repeat reading in (mostly) pristine condition.
While special and collectors’ editions often have different covers with new art, one of the publishers doing something truly unique is Harper Muse, with their Painted Editions range. These limited edition hardcovers are published in lots of four, each lovingly brought to life on a full-colour, embossed cover by artist Laci Fowler.
Fowler’s paintings often feature iconic locations from the novels and use three-dimensional textures to further enhance the depth of the scenes. With illustrated pages sprinkled throughout, colour-coordinated ribbons and stunning gold edges, you can see why this range was initially called the ‘Pretty Editions’!
So far the range includes Little Women, Jane Eyre, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Frankenstein and Anne of Green Gables, and there's more to come in October (just in time for Christmas) including Great Expectations, Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice.
Some books have such beautiful cover designs that two boards aren’t enough real estate for all the art. This is where a slipcase comes in – not only are they an opportunity to celebrate that design over at least four full-size surfaces, but they protect the precious book within an open-sided case. A few of our favourites include The Little Prince, or the Sarah J. Maas juggernauts A Court of Thorns and Roses and Throne of Glass, which also includes ribbon bookmarks, new interior page designs, metallic endpapers and a new map of Erilea.
Giving you a sneak peek before you’ve turned to the first page, some publishers produce covers with specially designed holes in them that reveal inset designs on the endpapers, like the newly-released 20th anniversary edition of Never Let Me Go. Then there are books that go even further than that, like In My Heart, a charming picture book on big feelings, which features a cut-out in the slip case another in the cover, and another smaller heart on every page cascading all the way through the book (and into the middle of your heart).
For more special editions that aren’t just for grown-ups, check out the hilarious classic Wombat Stew, or fellow Australian icon Alison Lester’s most timeless titles like Imagine, My Farm, Are We There Yet?, and, of course Magic Beach.
Or there's the fun shiny foil–covered special editions of Julia Donaldson’s classic picture books in celebration of big milestones. If shiny Gruffalos aren't your thing, check out the hardback teeny weeny little Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House Library edition of The Gruffalo, with gilt edges, art originally hand-painted by Axel Scheffler and words handwritten by Julia Donaldson! For more lilliputian literature, check out the pocket-sized Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
Sometimes, special editions may feature insights from the author’s estate, like the 50th anniversary edition of Slaughterhouse Five, never-before seen photographs like The Happiest Man On Earth, or new annotations from celebrated scholars, like the 100th anniversary edition of The Great Gatsby.
There are also some special editions that include extra items like posters and prints that you can frame and hang in your home. Welcome to Country is one of these, a picture book by Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin, which includes a beautiful print by illustrator and descendant of the Pairrebeenne/Trawlwoolway Clans Lisa Kennedy. Or there’s Mem Fox’s classic Possum Magic, which includes a special 40th anniversary art print by illustrator Julie Vivas.
Some special editions are an opportunity to get your hands on previously hard-to-find versions of books, like the special slipcase edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland featuring illustrations by the joyful and quirky Tove Jansson (of Moomins fame), or the 150th anniversary version with illustrations by the great painter Salvador Dalí. If you’re looking for unique illustrations and interactive elements, look no further than MinaLima, who create lush 3D versions of classic titles like The Wizard of Oz and Snow White.
Covers aren’t the only place where a designer’s skills can shine: there are the edges of the pages to consider too! Sprayed or painted edges (so called because they used to be painted by hand) feature a printed design only visible when the book is closed and all the pages stand together again.
Sometimes painted edges create uniformity in a series, like the 2025 Deluxe Editions of Suzanne Collins’ first four Hunger Games novels (available as a box set or individually) which feature the same leaf designs each in a different colour to match the books’ covers. Another series using sprayed edges to great effect is the Murder Most Unladylike series for middle-grade readers. The first book in the series features a 10th anniversary painted edge with silhouetted figures, and the rest of the series use bold single-colour sprayed edges.
Other favourite painted edges include the incredible space-themed Three-Body Problem, which also features a gilt embossed dust jacket and full-colour illustrated endpapers; and The Poppy War, by R.F. Kuang, which has the only kind of flames we like seeing anywhere near a book, subtly flickering up the painted edges. If you need balance on your bookshelf, Kuang’s follow-up, The Dragon Republic, features a soothing water-inspired design on the painted edges.
Kuang’s highly-anticipated latest book, Katabasis, is part of a new trend we’ve noted where big releases by celebrated authors simultaneously drop both a paperback edition and a hardcover special edition, ensuring there’s an accessible price point for readers without the need to wait, and an option for collectors and gifting.
And fancy sprayed and painted edges aren’t just for fantasy and children’s books! Romance bestsellers are getting in on the action too, like the gorgeous science-themed edges on The Love Hypothesis, or the new series from Penguin, Vintage Collector’s Classics, which feature themed edges mimicking traditional endpaper marbling – the romance titles even include a little heart hidden in the bubbles.
So whether you’re looking for a special edition to admire and treasure, or a new-to-you classic reimagined with a tactile and interactive finish, we have plenty of titles to discover!
