Another Guardian blog this week (found here) discusses the new Penguin Classics range, released in the original orange striped covers. The wonderful thing about the range is that the RRP of each book is $9.95. The books even have a little blurb on them explaining how Penguin was founded to make good books affordable for the general public.The item pictured here, however, is not one of these books. It is a notebook. Blank except for the lines.
Released with the orange-striped books was a range of 'Penguin Classics' products. Love Pride and Prejudice? Get the notebook for only $19.95! Or the mug for only $24.95!
Anthony Cummins makes the astute observation that this attempt to make Penguin Classics into 'culture products' undermines the ethos of providing affordable books for ordinary people.
EDIT: Tony Davis, who instigated to project to sell these products, makes a reply here. Basically, his response is What's wrong with book-related products if they promote reading? Fair point, but he completely fails to address the problem of the price of the Penguin Classics merchandise. The high prices on this merchandise makes Penguin into a brand for the wealthy and (already) cultured.
They are products for people already in love with reading and books, for people who have already collected the books. There's no way these products are going to make reading 'cool' for those who aren't prone to reading anyway and/or can't afford expensive books. In other words, expensive culture products can only serve to alienate the demographic Penguin Classics were meant to serve.
EDIT: Tony Davis, who instigated to project to sell these products, makes a reply here. Basically, his response is What's wrong with book-related products if they promote reading? Fair point, but he completely fails to address the problem of the price of the Penguin Classics merchandise. The high prices on this merchandise makes Penguin into a brand for the wealthy and (already) cultured.
They are products for people already in love with reading and books, for people who have already collected the books. There's no way these products are going to make reading 'cool' for those who aren't prone to reading anyway and/or can't afford expensive books. In other words, expensive culture products can only serve to alienate the demographic Penguin Classics were meant to serve.
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