Century Press - Letterpress The Great Gatsby

Startup Canadian letterpress publisher with a nice-looking and very inexpensive inaugural release!

https://www.centurypress.ca/products/the-great-gatsby-pre-order



Newspaper write-up on the press:
https://obj.ca/article/local/turning-back-pages-time-ottawa-startup-sees-bright-...

I really like my Thornwillow Press Great Gatsby which was about the same price. Does anybody know if this one is illustrated? There's no photos of the interior, and that might persuade me to buy a second fine press Gatsby.

>2 punkrocker924: I don't think it's illustrated, but it is bound in sheepskin (reclaimed from fashion industry discards, apparently) which is pretty cool.

I've been watching this project for a few months and I'm looking forward to seeing the book itself! I don't know why but something about the words "startup" and "fine press" in such close proximity makes me chuckle.

>3 whytewolf1: I thought I saw something in the description about an illustrator?

I have to say I really like that cover.

But I don't like the novel enough to own another edition. I don't plan on a re-read.

>4 grifgon: I thought I might have seen something about that, too, but I went back and looked and didn't see anything. I would be happy to be wrong, though, about it not being illustrated.

As far as startup and letterpress is juxtaposition, it does strike one as a bit anachronistic, doesn't it? :P

>6 whytewolf1: Ah, I was mistaken. No illustrations inside the book, just the cover. It doesn't move me much; reminds me a bit of a pew bible.

And yes! Something a bit anachronistic about a startup in a 500-year old industry. I have to admit, the article rubbed me a bit the wrong way. "Publishing is a notoriously low-margin business. But no one has really approached it from this angle before, and I think there’s interest from a consumer perspective." I can name one or two people who have tried this "letterpress books" thing before, and can definitely vouch for the consumer interest, as a consumer myself... Maybe this is what it's like to be disrupted though? ;-D

Edit: I also found this article about their editorial process with Gatsby incredibly interesting (particularly around the choice to change a word now universally considered demeaning with another word). I think there's plenty of room to disagree with their decision, but kudos to them for addressing the issue.

https://www.centurypress.ca/blogs/letters-from-century-press/letter-no-6-gatsby-...

>7 grifgon: Yes, there is a little naivete to the reporting of the story. And I guess if you're thinking of the whole wide world of small publishers, there are thousands(?), I would imagine, and only a small handful are letterpress publishers, and those are all but unknown to the book-buying public at large (and local business reporters, it would seem.)

Yes, regarding the editorial decision to replace the slur, I agree entirely. I appreciate the transparency and the time and consideration that apparently went into the decision.

>8 whytewolf1: A reporter could be very well forgiven the oversight (such as when Business Insider called Arion Press the "only remaining letterpress publisher in the world"), but the quote was from the owner of the press!

By the way, what is it about Canada and fine press publishing? It must have more fine presses per capita than any other country. Maybe government grants? I just received a wonderful package from Greenboathouse Press (a favorite of mine) and of course Barbarian Press must be the consensus "greatest working private press" if we were to take a poll. Lotta greatness up in the great north!

Interesting! Thanks for posting. My first thought was how ambitious it is for a new press to be taking on a work the size and reputation of Gatsby right out of the gate. The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite works, but I already own the Folio Society version and the Thornwillow Press half leather version, so I will really have to think about whether I need a third copy...

>7 grifgon: I also read that article and am glad that they were upfront about it and addressed it in length. I am not sure I agree with the wholesale replacement of words (especially for historical works), but can see both sides of the issue. If they are adamant about not printing certain words, a better solution may have been the one taken by Arion Press in their recent version of Willa Cather's A Lost Lady, where they elided a single instance of the N-word with N----. For reference, I pulled my Folio Society and Thornwillow versions off the shelf to check, and they left the text as is.

>10 mnmcdwl: For the Thornwillow edition, I was managing editor at the time, and I remember there being a brief discussion of elision, but no serious consideration of wholesale replacement. The text is the text, for better or worse.

I may be a little out-of-step with my generation/s (I'm either the youngest millennial or the oldest Gen Z'er) but I think it's hubristic to change an author's actual words. Elide a word, sure, or contextualize it in notes. Or don't publish the work! But changing an author's words on the sly seems short-sighted to me. It seems to claim that the editor has more authority over the language than do past or future people. Of course, it isn't anything new. A hundred different Medieval manuscripts of the Gospel of John will give you a hundred different versions, each slightly favoring a scribe's theological or political agenda.

Thanks for bringing the "Lost Lady" up, I didn't know about that!

>1 whytewolf1: Hi there, it's Alex from Century Press. Thanks for posting about us on the forum. I was wondering where the web traffic was coming from :)

>11 grifgon: Very cool you were the managing editor at Thornwillow. The non-profit work they do in the community is really commendable.

Feel free to ask any questions about our press, I'd be happy to answer them. Of course, I'm willing to accept some critiques as well :-P

>7 grifgon: Yes, a pew bible is exactly what this reminds me of, too. It does detract from the overall work, in my opinion. Though I do love the cover illustration.

Either way, I put myself in for a pre-order. The Great Gatsby is my favorite book, and Fitzgerald is my favorite author. I have the Thornwillow half-cloth version (which, while I understand why they didn't cut the edges, is my least favorite characteristic about that version, and now I'm priced out of the half or full-leather version) and this Century Press one will a nice addition. Hopefully Century Press offers the same value as the Thornwillow version does, for the cost.

>13 XC: Admittedly, I've haven't spent too much time with pew bibles, but I definitely have appreciated the comment from yourself and others about the black leather.

By choosing up-cycled garment leather to bind the books, we were more limited in our color selection than if we selected exactly what we wanted from a bookbinding leather catalog. Repurposing leather for bookbinding is certainly possible (and can yield really great results), but there are number of exclusion variables such as elasticity, thickness, and surface finish that make the process more challenging.

Safe to say, we're working with our suppliers well in advance of our next release to secure some more colorful options.

>7 grifgon: regarding editing slurs, I can see a case for many different approaches here, and I understand the aesthetic downside to a change with footnote. The purist historian in me hopes that any change would be noted in an introduction, editor’s preface, or similar critical note, to keep the intellectual provenance clear. After all, words do change in both denotation and connotation over time, and who knows what this particular word will mean in 10 or 50 years?

I just read an article about “curatorial activism” (the article writer’s term) that seems relevant.

>12 CenturyPress: You're quite welcome, Alex! Looking forward to my copy of Gatsby and all the best on your new venture!

>14 CenturyPress: Thank you for showing up here, Alex, and answering our questions. I think I can safely say that we're all excited about Century Press and wish you the best. I do have some questions for you:

1. Could you provide more photos of the Gatsby book? I'd love to the see the interior of the book, especially some idea of what the letterpress printing looks like, and also more images of the binding.

2. Where is the paper from?

3. The OBJ article mentions a Hemingway and Anne of Green Gables as potential future projects. Do you anticipate focusing on older novels or are you looking to also publish more contemporary works and maybe non-novels? (btw, I have nothing against older novels)

4. Do you think you'll issue illustrated books in the future?

5. Do you anticipate issuing non-leather books in the future?

6. Are you considering a subscription model at some point? I'm especially keen to hear your thoughts on this since there are few fans around here of Suntup's current rights system, but then there is an interest for a modern subscription-based publisher in the vein (and price point) of the Limited Editions Club, and the article mentioned you're looking to issue about 10 books a year.

7. Is it correct to assume there's no slipcase with the Gatsby book?

I guess that's enough for now. Thank you for your time!

In terms of the derogatory word, I wish it had been left in and discussed in the preface. Such words are offensive, inappropriate, and sadly still used too often in today's society. That said, I'm going to go out on a limb here, and say I believe that anyone who purchases a letterpress Great Gatsby is probably aware of the nature of such words and would not use them. Changing the language of the book in my opinion, is a form of censorship. The definition of censorship is

the suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news, etc. that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security.

Although I disagree with your choice, I certainly believe you have the right to do with your edition as you please.

Just to add a note that the price on the website is in Canadian dollars. (There is an option to switch to USD and to GBP.)

Also, I reviewed the two Folio Society editions of the book on my bookshelf and was surprised to note that the 2005 edition retained the original word while the 1968 edition replaced it with "tyke". I was expecting the opposite to be the case. My personal preference would be to keep the original word; however, it did not impact my decision - ordered!

>14 CenturyPress: Any worries about the sheepskin binding holding up well? As an owner of many LEC editions, I've noticed that most of the books bound in sheepskin have not held up well.

On a positive note, your pricing is incredibly inexpensive for a leather bound letterpress book. I love your cover design.

Since I already have the LEC and half leather Thornwillow editions I'm unlikely to buy another copy particularly if it's not illustrated. And another vote for not editing out the slurs. Note that most readers today disdain and make fun of bowdlerized editions from the Victorian age.

I wish you and your press the best of luck and look forward to buying a book from you sometime in the future.

>17 AMindForeverVoyaging:

Thanks for the support! Let me try to address your questions.

1) There are some more photos of the interior of the book found in this post: https://www.centurypress.ca/blogs/letters-from-century-press/letter-no-8-built-t...

2) We're using 100% cotton Flurry paper from Boxcar Press.

3) My plan is to begin with classic novels, but eventually I'd like to move on to contemporary content. I have a small prediction that there will be a greater bifurcation of newly published content into e-books on one hand (90%), and higher-quality printed editions on the other (10%).

4) Yes, I'm interested in adding illustrations to future editions.

5) No plans for non-leather books for now.

6) While there are clear economic benefits to subscription models, I think it works better for razor blades and dog food than for books. I'd rather have people purchase the ones they like instead of feeling obligated to take books in which they have little interest, or have an existing copy.

7) No slipcase on the book :)

Regarding the sheepskin binding, I can report that the leather we use, while deadstock, is of extremely high quality from a third-generation tannery. In fact, it was originally used for designer leather jackets costing >$1,000. We're also fortunate to be working alongside a master binder with whom we've spent months testing and assessing different leathers for their suitability and durability. See her site below.

https://www.bookbindersdaughter.com/index.htm

Of course the durability of any leather-bound book also depends on how it's treated throughout its life. To the extent that we'd name our company 'Century' Press, I feel confident these books will maintain their integrity for 100 years or more.

Cheers,
Alex

In my opinion, this is an incredible value for a letterpress edition of a classic novel bound in a good quality leather - the price is practically the same as that for regular Easton Press books, and these are often not illustrated, too, and the leather there is not great.
I am excited about the project and wish Century Press luck in this and future endeavors, though, as many people here, I am not happy with editorial changes of the actual text and strongly recommend finding other options to deal with controversial language.

>22 booksforreading: Thanks for your support, we're excited to get this off the ground as well. I can totally appreciate your view on the edit as well, thanks for sharing.

>23 CenturyPress: please address the change of the slur. Although obviously unacceptable in today’s world the wholesale change of words in historical works is completely unacceptable.

>21 CenturyPress: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I've enjoyed learning more about your press on your site and look forward to receiving my Gatsby.

>24 thecollectingdad: Hi there, you can read a little more about the history of this particular edit on my website: https://www.centurypress.ca/blogs/letters-from-century-press/letter-no-5-on-cens...

>21 CenturyPress: How great to have Alex from the Press actually participating in our group. Welcome! It doesn't get much better than having a creator involved regardless of whether we agree with all the design/editorial decisions.

I'm intrigued by your third point about your publishing plan and your prediction. I believe there are plenty of "classics" that could be considered and that haven't been done if you go outside the Western White Male Canon, some of which are probably also out of copyright and I assume attractive to small publishers as a result. As an example, The Awakening would be an instant buy for me in a letterpress edition even if not illustrated^*, especially at a price point like your Gatsby. I suspect finding 500 buyers would not be hard either. After re-reading it lately, I'm on a mission to get some press to take it up as there is a ridiculous paucity of women writers in letterpress fine press editions.

^*For the record, I would prefer an illustrated edition but of course paying illustrators drives up the price.

>27 jveezer: so many candidates for non-WMC authors: Magda Szabo, Clarice Lispector, Lucia Berlin, Mavis Gallant, etc., etc.

Hi Alex, is there a chance we can see the imprint of the lettepress on the paper? I'm curious how hard/soft your bite is? Thanks.

>28 LBShoreBook: And I would probably want all four of those even if I've only read Lispector so far...I'll go check out those others.

>27 jveezer: Thanks for the welcome, this is a really great forum, and I'm glad I came upon it.

I really appreciate your point (and the one below) about going outside the Western White Male Canon. I agree that female writers are underrepresented in letterpress fine press editions, and I definitely think there's an opportunity there, especially when I observe that the majority of millennial-aged book collectors on Instagram are female. Moreover, I very much enjoy reading female authors.

Provided things go well, I'll likely do an edition of Anne of Green Gables, and I've just picked up a copy of Mrs. Dalloway to read and mull over.

In many ways, selecting The Great Gatsby was a 'proof-of-concept' for Century Press; I chose something with wide appeal that would give me a signal whether there was a product-market fit. And while it's a 'White Male' novel, the new introduction to the book speaks a bit to Fitzgerald's portrayal of marginalized groups, including women.

>29 astropi: Here's a post from our Instagram that gives some insight into our bite: https://www.instagram.com/p/COgDDQCrh4h/

>31 CenturyPress: great choice in Anne of Green Gables! I would also highly recommend Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder - the first book in the series that would be known as "Little House on the Prairie"

>31 CenturyPress: Bought a copy. I wish you best of luck in the endeavour. I'm very glad you're so open about the future titles. Might I suggest a survey at some point? I'm sure that you might find some interesting suggestions of books that are in the public domain.
The idea of publishing a Virginia Woolf novel is really great although I'd prefer To the Lighthouse.

>32 CenturyPress: that looks great. Ordered.

Another vote for not changing the original text, but it doesn't make me any less interested in getting a copy. I think I'll wait until there are more photos of the text pages and see if there's something there that I'm missing with my Thornwillow. I'm a huge fan of Thornwillow's books and if Century Press can manage to essentially do the same thing, publish big letterpress books cheaply, then I'll be excited.

>34 tkellici:
>35 SDB2012:

Thanks for the support! We're totally up for hearing suggestions for future titles.

Just got my shipping notice. Pics on Facebook page look great. Excited to see in person.

Just received my copy of the Century Press Great Gatsby in the mail this morning. Very pleased with it. It is a small (about 7" by 5") tome with supple, elegant stitching, off-white paper, and an inviting font. I was worried that the black leather would seem dour, but not at all: it has a luxurious feel and looks very comfortable on the book. The gold stamp cover design is charming. (My copy has just the faintest flaking/rubbing on the gold, but it's scarcely noticeable and I'm not sweating it.) This is not a "grand" edition: not of a towering size, no illustrations. Instead, it is a modest edition meant for convenient reading while looking pretty. I look forward to future efforts by Century.

>39 Eumnestes: I agree

I received mine today and it's a delightful and elegant creation. I like it a lot. The book feels great in the hand and beckons me to read it.

>31 CenturyPress: Great job on this edition. Please consider adding slipcases or at least the option of slipcases as an addon purchase for your future titles.

EDIT- I was concerned when I saw the packaging. It does not look like it could withstand the typical abuse of the postal system. Despite my concerns, the book was undamaged. I'd be happy to pay a couple of bucks more for better protection.

>40 SDB2012: received as well and pleased with the quality.. It's kind of refreshing not receiving behemoth sized books every once in a while. Looking forward to reading....and seeing what's next on tap for the press

I received my copy today.

My impression is as follow:
- Leather is feel smooth, pleasant to touch
- Spine feels flimsy
- The book is small. While I do not have problem with the size, it seems that the book binder did. There are a lot of creases between pages.
- Overall the book looks a little bit colorless - this is due to the black leather. It think it would benefit from either a leather with color or two color printing.

Ditto, the book is very small. The leather does not feel as nice as the other books leathers I have, like the Thornwillow half-leather which use Moroccan leather I believe. I was curious about the leftover leather from clothing, but overall I don't think it suits books well. The book does not feel very fine too me, more like a solid copy of a classic that I might get from Franklin or Eastern Press, only smaller, which I don't have a problem with at the price. I think I'd rather spend $100 on a Thornwillow paper wrapper at this price, or save it for a gorgeous private press edition like my recent purchase of King Arthur from Saint James Park Press, but I'll certainly consider purchasing from Century again if their next book seems like an improvement.

Book leather and leather used for clothing are not the same and aren't really interchangeable.

>43 punkrocker924: >44 Glacierman: I look forward to receiving my copy (any day now) and judging for myself, but it's interesting to hear the differences in opinions. I have seen quite a number of buyers praise the sheepskin leather heartily for its supple feel (and not just here).

>45 whytewolf1: Regardless of whether people like the feel or not, sheepskin is rarely used in professional bookbinding because it simply isn't well-suited. Few of the bookbinding and conservation suppliers stock it. It is likely to degrade and warp. It would be like binding a book in wallpaper — the pattern may be pretty, but the material isn't made for the purpose, and eventually that fact will become evident. (Arion's use of sheepskin in its Ulysses is commonly thought of as one of the press' major mistakes, as pristine copies are now few and far between.)

That said, I think Century Press has really innovated here by offering a genuine leather book at ~$80. If they had used Morocco, as is more common in fine bookbinding, the material cost per book would have been $40 or $50 more. Perhaps a trade-off which some would have preferred. Whatever the case, a letterpress book of this length at this price point is a contribution to the fine press community. My hat's off.

>46 grifgon: Very interesting. Thanks for the clarifying details about using sheepskin in bookbinding.

>46 grifgon: agreed. $79 US for a full-leather, letterpress book including postage from Canada to the US is quite a feat. I can’t even get a single offset Folio Society book delivered for the same cost. Looking forward to receiving mine so I can see for myself.

Im looking forward to ordering one myself eventually. I think if you’re not expecting a $400 book for $90, you’ll be delighted.

I will consider this publisher when they publish something I'm interested in.

>46 grifgon:

On the other hand, many centuries-old bindings were done in sheepskin and are still in decent condition to this day.

>51 MobyRichard: Absolutely, if properly prepped and maintained, sheepskin can be reasonably durable! I have several books bound in sheepskin (and one bound in wallpaper, actually, to pick on my previous example!), but the fact remains that it is generally disfavored by bookmakers. Glacierman's original point is, to my knowledge, correct.

>51 MobyRichard: The LEC sure had a lot of problems with sheepskin bindings.

>52 grifgon: Indeed, but sheepskin parchment to print on - divine.

>54 ultrarightist: *drools*

>51 MobyRichard:, >52 grifgon:. The difference is in the tanning process. Each end use has its own specific method meant to prep the leather for that purpose. The chemicals used in the tanning process varies accordingly. Thickness and grain are also involved. This note can but give a hint as to the specific differences. It's a complex subject.

I am curious (off topic) what is vegetable parchment. I saw that referenced somewhere recently in a publication and can't remember, but whenever I read it, it makes me cringe. There's something unnervy about "vegetable" that sounds in my head as if it's not durable and will fall apart. Then again I have no experience holding it. Yeah, just curious.

Another Gatsby to consider, and at a similar price, is that by Beehive. It is due out in November.
See https://beehivebooks.com/illuminatededitions/the-great-gatsby-illustrated-by-the...
No leather, but illustrated by the Balbusso Sisters!

My copy of the letterpress Century Press book has arrived, and the text on one page is considerably lighter, although still readable, than on all the other pages. Can anyone comment on whether this is normal in a letterpress book, or whether I should contact the publisher and request a replacement?

>60 DavidMF: It is normal in a letterpress book to have some variation in the depth of black ink, but the mark of excellent letterpress is consistency. That said, I have some top notch fine press books, like my "John Mandeville" from Foolscap Press, where there is a bit of inconsistency in the blacks from page to page.

The issue is a little bit more three dimensional, however, because consistency is massively more or less difficult to achieve depending on the machine used. Complete consistency achieved on a tabletop hand-press is a feat — it could mean that the press was re-inked every impression, and that the operator has the expert muscle memory to make every impression the same — whereas on an automatic letterpress printing machine, like a Heidelberg Cylinder or C&P Windmill press, its just a matter of due diligence.

To me, a slightly light print is one of the charms of letterpress and a little window into how the book was made. Is it a mark of high quality and attention to detail? No. Is it a mark of letterpress? Yes. If I were you, I'd keep it. Others feel differently, however.

>58 wcarter: That's a must-have for me! The Balbusso sisters' art deco-style illustrations are gorgeous and a fantastic fit for the story!

I wish the Century Press "Gatsby" had an informative colophon -- I always find that to be part of the pleasure of private press books.

>63 kermaier: That is an odd omission for a private press book.

>64 ultrarightist: there is one behind the title page. Lists the printer, binder and limitation.

>65 trentsteel:
Yes, I was hoping for a bit more tooting of the press's own horn, in terms of paper, printing, binding, etc.

>66 kermaier: I like that too. And I especially like the quirky and amply descriptive colophons. I can’t recall the book now but someone posted one once that mentioned how the book’s publication was delayed because the trout were biting well that summer and the publisher spent more time than expected on the river.

>67 ChampagneSVP: "someone posted one once that mentioned how the book’s publication was delayed because the trout were biting well that summer and the publisher spent more time than expected on the river."

That is awesome!

>53 kdweber:
>56 Glacierman:

Yes, the debate will rage on (I hope) for many more centuries. When it comes down to it though, I selfishly put my own enjoyment above that of future owners when it comes to sheepskin bindings or any binding really. When it comes to book binding, I can appreciate the long-term view only abstractly and with feigned enthusiasm. I can't fault a probably cash strapped publisher for using the lesser materials they could afford at the time and for thinking about the present and not ALWAYS thinking centuries down the line...at least the original owners plus one or two subsequent owners enjoyed it before it went to hell and there's always the option to rebind :).

Oh wow, this is a really nice edition. Does anyone who purchased it have any thoughts on the book, in terms of binding, paper, etc.? I love letterpress books but don't see them around too often anymore.

I have just received my copy!

Outer envelope is a superb packaging option to protect extremities. However, aside from being wrapped in tissue paper, book arrived wrapped in corrugated cardboard with the bare side - no paper liner - facing the leather covers. Apparently, sheepskin leather is quite impressionable as my front cover has acquired parallel impression lines from the cardboard, which most likely happened when other heavy packages were rested on top of it in transit.

Ribbon page marker is not black, but rather lime green. Headband is tad too wide or a bit off center folding with the cover on one side. It would be nice to see top stain added in future publications :).

Gold-stamped artwork is not very deep and has minor imperfections with the biggest one being back artwork not level/parallel to top/bottom cover edge (perhaps without any reference points like the title or author's name, is was more difficult to make it level).

Cotton paper does feel nice and thick, but the depth of print impression and text color vary slightly from page to page. It would be nice to include the mention of paper type used in future editions :).

Overall, a solid effort and a beautiful little book (roughly 6.5"x9" or 13cm x 18cm)! Congratulations and keep up the great work!

Hi everyone, I wanted to drop in and offer my thanks to those who supported the inaugural release from our press! I really appreciate all the constructive criticism, ranging from the leather to the letterpress to the shipping materials. Your comments will certainly serve to improve our quality for the next publication.

Everyone on our team learned a great deal throughout this first production process and are eager to apply those learnings moving ahead.

All in all, we're excited that the response to our vision has warranted printing a second book, and look forward to sharing what we've been working on soon.

Just got my copy today and I’m very happy with it! Looking forward to your next book.

e.t.a. I actually love the pop of color from the ribbon.

Century Press has just announced they are working on their second book.

It seems the leather and paper this time round will be more acceptable to this forum.

They left this clue as to books contents:
https://cdn.shopify.com/shopify-email/variants/hpyolwnlbd41twhf2p89vgr3mm3w/56bb...

I think it is probably the Sun Also Rises, given the bull and the last publication.

>74 Jobasha: I second this prediction and am very excited! It seems Hemmingway would be perfect for fine press treatment but gets missed by most. The Sun Also Rises is my favorite of his.

What's the deal with Suntup and Century giving "clues"? Am I the only one that thinks this is childish and off-putting? Just tell us what you're publishing, those of us purchasing the books are not 6-year olds :/

>76 astropi:

Also Folio Society. I think they have found that it builds hype which is always good for a brand. I don't mind; it feels like a puzzle.

It’s just marketing. Keeps the prolonging the excitement and anticipation for a much longer period of time, building up to a crescendo, rather than just rushing into the reveal and collective climax, then everyone’s just spent. What’re we talking about again?

>76 astropi: agreed it’s annoying and at the end of the day it’s nothing special like hex the book that starts okay but at the end seems like runs out of gas. Also, I expected more from suntup numbered and even artist editions, but some of them seems average. I was frustrated paying over 500 for numbered and it did not live up to my expectations at all. Prefer Centipede press over suntup, but this is just my opinion

>76 astropi: Not a fan either. And the next tea I add to my online store will be...Ugh. But to each their own (and maybe why my business grows slow (but steady)).

>81 the_bb: True, but at least on my end, I got tired of such games Suntup was playing and stopped following them... probably just me ;)

Some of the most successful companies in the world use this type of "teaser" marketing. When it's done well, it simply works. And its success is measured by how many people buy the products being teased, not by how many people it may vaguely irritate. :D

>82 astropi: Let's be clear, Suntup did not invent product teasers, they've been around for a fair amount of time. Even within book publishing, Folio has been doing this far longer than Suntup, but hey I guess any chance to bash Suntup on this forum...

Personally, I like the teasers, they can be quite useful some times because as people make different guesses I get to hear about books I might not have known about previously.

>80 jveezer: You should definitely do tea(sers)! The thing practically writes itself.

>84 filox: Ha ha, I do love a good pun. You just can't tea(ch) that.

I've ordered the Gatsby. The only copy I currently own is the rather garish FS edition which I will likely jettison in favor of this.

Hard to plan ahead if you don't know exactly what they're going to do. And I DO have to plan ahead.

It’s official: The Sun Also Rises
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXb5gZasgFy/

>88 yolana: An excellent choice!

Agreed! Now where and when is the pre-order button :)

Wasn't a big fan of this book my first read through. The cover image here looks nice though and I was happy with my Gatsby copy. If similar price point, may go for it and hope I was missing something the first time I read it.

I’ll be ordering it. I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience of their Gatsby. I hope think this is going to be the same size.

>89 whytewolf1: it is and I got rid of my mass market paperback about a thousand years ago so this very welcome.

Flash sample sale (copies with slight defects) of Great Gatsby. Only $49.99 CAD, a great deal for a letterpress novel. https://www.centurypress.ca/products/flash-sample-sale-the-great-gatsby

EDIT: Sold out very quickly sorry.