Chiltern Classics Illustrated

The method of binding used for books has great implications for its durability. Books bound with glue are more brittle than traditional stitched books and therefore might shed pages if not looked after carefully. In the past, books were stitched to rigid covers so as to last longer. The switch from traditional binding methods to contemporary ones occurred to make books more commercially accessible. Paperback editions are more affordable and easier to carry around.

Books that fall within the public domain (and have lost their intellectual property rights) are made available by different publishing companies. What distinguishes these publications is that addition of annotations, a different translation or the physical properties of the book. One such company that excels in the latter is Chiltern Publishing.

Founded in 2018, the company has a mission of delivering an authentic reading experience by designing their books with a more traditional appearance. The design of their books take inspiration from the 19^th century Peacock edition of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The covers feature a textured design and the pages have a beautiful golden edge to them. Excluding Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, all books have a ribbon bookmarker attached (Great Expectations lacks this feature because the original publication was without a bookmarker). Their books come in pocket-size, as this was the norm in the 19^th century.

Some of Chiltern’s releases also feature the original illustrations they were printed with. These are Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad."
"How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”

An important work of Victorian literature and the magnum opus of its writer. The story starts with Alice seated beside her sister on a bench during a warm summer day. As her sister reads a book, Alice starts to look around for distractions to fight the boredom. Suddenly, a well-dressed hare passes by and Alice’s attention is captivated by it. Our heroine chases after this peculiarity but suddenly falls through a magic rabbit hole. What follows is a wonderfully written adventure accompanied with beautiful wood engraved paintings. Alice in Wonderland was written during a time when children’s books were influenced by didacticism. They were instructive on how one should conduct oneself. Lewis Carroll changed the literary world with his book, as children’s book were written with the intent to entertain ever since.

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”

The story of A Christmas Carol is known by many, and for good reasons. The book has received more than 200 adaptations, from film to radio. It is the night before Christmas and the avaricious Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the spirits of Christmas. Scrooge realises that he has waisted his years by being unkind to people and must therefore change his ways. A wonderful story of redemption and the spirit of Christmas.

The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”

The famous story of Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The Little Prince could be the most well-known work of French literature, having been translated in more than 500 languages. A pilot is stranded in the Sahara desert, where he meets a Prince from an other planet. A conversation starts on life, love, friendship and loneliness. Although written as a children’s book, Le Petit Prince contains some of the ideals of de Saint-Exupery and is therefore also worth reading to adults. This edition contains the original drawings which were the work of the author himself.

Both our webstore and physical bookstore offer books by Chiltern publishing. Our delivery estimates depend on the product ordered. Product that are on stock can be shipped on the same day when ordered on workdays before 16:00. Checkout our FAQ page for more information on our delivery terms.