FOLIO SPIES

The Folio Society was founded in 1947 by Charles Ede and has continued to follow their mission to enhance the reading experience by paying close attention to the book itself. As they state on their website, typography, paper, illustration, slipcase, printing and binding are all chosen carefully to create a harmonious whole. The Folio books are sold individually, as well through subscriptions. There is a marketing aspect to their company that reminds me a bit of all of those variant editions that publishers hook us with, although Folio does not produce multiple versions of titles. They are editions made for book lovers and collectors, and I admit that I really enjoyed looking at their designs and choice of titles. As you might imagine, Folio has their hands in great classics from Greene, Conrad, Bradbury, Ambler, le Carre, and anthologies featuring The Strand, Conan Doyle, Ian Fleming, H.G Wells. They also printed a number of espionage memoirs and historic studies. I recently searched their listings and back-catalog and found some attractive editions that may appeal to fellow Spy Vibers. Best designs? I'm partial to Fahrenheit 451 and Enigma. What do you think?

Many of these titles are out of print, but you can still find copies easily. Books to check out: The Human Factor by Graham Greene, Memoirs of a British Agent by Bruce Lockhart, Mission to Tashkent by F.M Bailey, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad, Adventure Stories From The Strand (featuring Conan Doyle, Kipling, H.G Wells, Somerset Maugham, Graham Greene, Sapper, others), The Spy's Bedside Book (featuring Ian Fleming, Graham Greene, John Buchan, others, and intro by former MI5 head), The Mask of Dimitrios by Eric Ambler, Crime Stories From the Strand, The Double Cross System by J.C Masterman, Enigma by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore, Smiley's People, The Honourable Schoolboy (not pictured), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carre, SOE by M.R.D Foot, and No Cloak No Dagger by Benjamin Cowburn. Photos below are from The Folio Society and Juniper Books. 

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Check Spy Vibe for recent posts about our discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, my review of SKYFALL, tributes to Donald Richie and Tony Sheridan, the Les Vampires serial on Blu-ray, Lucy Fleming, The Beatles first record session, Ian Fleming's desert island interview, new Ian Fleming book designs, Fantomas, Spy Smasher, Barbarella tv show, British spy comics, Piper Gates retro designs, Cinema Retro, and more. 

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