Sense and Sensibility: The Winchester Austen

Cambridge, U.K.: Worth Press, 2008. This Winchester Austin edition of Sense and Sensibility is a lovely collectible for any Austen admirer. The edition is named after the city of Winchester, near which Jane Austen spent most of her life and where she is buried in the cathedral. The book is in Fine, unread condition. The book is bound in a simulated black leather known as Skivertex. The book comes with only half a dust jacket, which was mainly for the purpose of providing a bar code and advertising the set. (The other Austen novels were also published by Worth in a uniform binding.) In addition to the simulated leather, the book features a die-stamped gilt Austen signature on the front panel and the title in a metallic blue. These title colors are also used on the spine. In addition, the book has rounded corners and an elastic strap sewn into the rear panel to be used as a bookmark. The book also features illustrated color endpapers, the complete text in a modern, readable typeface, bright, non-acidic paper, four critical introductions by Austen scholars, a color timeline of Austen's world, a color map of Austen's England, and other illustrated appendices with vignette color illustrations. The text runs 335 pages, with a preceding 55 pages of extras, including an illustrated color cast of characters. The book measures 5 3/4 by 8 7/8 inches. . Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. Illus. by Samuel Grimm (endpapers); Hugh Thompson. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.