I’ve recently become aware of an interesting phenomenon that I have decided to dub “Classics Favoritism.” While all men may be created equal, literary works are not, and this has become apparent in the misguided distribution of redesigned book covers.

So many of us book lovers find joy and inspiration in beautiful redesigned covers of our favorite classic novels. I must admit, my obsession with lusting over fresh Classics began the moment I laid eyes on the F. Scott Fitzgerald beauties by Coralie Bickford-Smith. I mean, come on! If that doesn’t say opulence and jazz, I don’t know what does.

Since that day, I’ve scoured each and every publishing website to find new, beautiful covers to decorate my shelf. But the more I looked, a sad realization dawned on me. What am I supposed to do with 10 COPIES OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE? Does Little Women end differently in the pretty Penguin Threads edition, or does Beth live in the Mr. Boddington version? While I can appreciate purchasing pretty books, at what point does it become excessive? These words generally never come out of my shopaholic mouth, but I really got to wondering.

Why not branch out from the Jane Austens of the world? I will say though, the Leanne Shapton Jane Austen collection is GORGEOUS:

Maybe this rant is coming from a place of jealousy that my favorite classic, Gone With The Wind, isn’t one of the lucky ones handed a new cover every 6 months. Even so, I believe I have a valid argument, supported by photographic evidence below. I invite you to gaze upon a couple collages of Classics that seem to find themselves lucky enough to get all of the cover redesigns. I will begin with Little Women:

This book is one of my favorite children’s classics, and I’m also a HUGE fan of its musical theatre adaptation. I own the Penguin Threads edition of this novel, and it is one of my prized possessions without a doubt! The other two shown above, Mr. Boddington for Anthropology and Anna Bond’s Puffin in Bloom covers for Rifle Paper Co., are equally gorgeous, and fill me with the knee-jerk reaction of an impulse buy waiting to happen. It was coming down from that high that actually inspired this post!

Pride and Prejudice. What is there to say about this work of art that hasn’t already been said? I read it in high school, and (here comes unpopular book lovers opinion time) didn’t particularly enjoy it. It required a book report and hideous video project, in which I played Mr. Darcy because I was the “theatrical one.” I haven’t be able to force myself to read it again as an adult, but buying one of these pretty versions (Mr. Boddington, Penguin Classics Couture Deluxe Edition and White’s Fine Edition) might help!

Other lucky classics include novels by the Bronte Sisters:

Wuthering Heights

Jane Eyre

In the end, I will probably still end up with multiple versions of these beloved classics. I’ll be the first to admit that I can truly admire pretty things, and these covers are just that: WORKS OF ART.

Do you collect redesigned classics? Are they to read or to act as decor/art? Happy Reading!

{Note: These gorgeous pictures were found via the most amazing searches of Google and Pinterest. I do not claim any of them as my own!}