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Introducing the Vintage Collector’s Classics series

Introducing the Vintage Collector’s Classics series

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Some say you should never judge a book by its cover, but those people haven’t seen the new Vintage Collector’s Classics. Each of the books in this series has richly coloured cover art, sprayed edges, marbled end papers and a ribbon to mark your page. A welcome addition to any book-lover's bookshelf, these beautiful editions are also the ideal starter set for building your own classics library.

Beautiful as they are, however, these collectable books are more than just nice to look at; their pages are those of timeless stories with the power to make you gasp, giggle or sob, as the best and worst of human nature is laid bare. Read on for more information about this series.

The Austens

Jane Austen remains one of literature's most beloved and influential voices, her novels cherished for their sharp humour, sparkling dialogue and deep understanding of social dynamics. Our editions of Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey celebrate her most enduring works in beautifully crafted volumes designed for lifelong readers and admirers alike.

Jane Austen Vintage Collector's Classics Bundle

Get all six books for £96 (RRP £114)

Emma by Jane Austen (1815)

Of course Emma Wodehouse believes she knows best how to manage the lives and love interests of her nearest and dearest. Is she not the cleverest, most accomplished and elegant young woman in the neighbourhood, mistress of her household and all she surveys? But as she attempts to weave a romantic web to trap the perfect husband for her friend Harriet, Emma becomes hopelessly entangled herself, discovering that nobody’s heart can be so easily managed – least of all, her own.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)

Poor Mr and Mrs Bennet have five daughters, all in need of good husbands. Luckily for them, into the neighbourhood come two rich young men: one of them good-natured Mr Bingley, who quickly falls for the eldest Bennet daughter Jane. But Jane’s free-spirited sister Lizzie is certain that the haughty Mr Darcy is the last man in the world she could ever marry. The Bennet sisters are swept up a whirl of social visits, balls, proposals and misunderstandings, and Lizzie and Darcy learn that when it comes to romance, first impressions are often wrong.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (1811)

Two sister are united by grief after their father dies and they are forced from their beloved home. Marianne is ruled by her passionate heart and freely expresses her every feeling, while Elinor prefers to keep all that tightly under wraps. The young women each meet a man who might just be their soul mate, but through the heartache and scandal that ensues, they discover their best comfort and guide in each other.

Persuasion by Jane Austen (1817)

When Anne Elliot was young she was forced, by cautious friends and proud relations, to reject the love of the dashing Captain Wentworth. Eight years later, when the Captain crosses her path again he is worse than a stranger. But Anne is eight years older and wiser; she knows her own mind and her heart has not changed – is Captain Wentworth’s love just as constant?

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (1814)

Poor Fanny Price lives on the charity of her rich relations at Mansfield Park, and none of them let her forget it. She looks on as her cousins flirt and flaunt, playing their parts in a gossipy game of marriage, money and power. Through it all, Fanny follows her own path with a quiet steady faithfulness that will shine out at last, winning her the love and admiration she deserves.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (1817)

Catherine Morland is in training to be the heroine of her own gothic novel, and encouraged by her friend Isabella, she looks for romance and mystery wherever she goes. Trouble is, her mysteries have quite innocent explanations, and the romances turn out to be only foolish flirtation. But surely, when a young lady is to be a heroine, something will happen to throw a hero in her way?

The Gothics

Creepy houses that loom out of the mist; desperate men hiding shocking secrets; and perhaps even a monster or two: these are the hallmarks of the gothic novel. The Vintage Collector's Classics series features five must-read books in the genre, guaranteed to keep you turning the pages through moonlit nights.

Vintage Collector's Classics Gothics bundle

Vintage Collector's Classics: The Gothics

Get all five books for £80 (RRP £94.95)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)

Brilliant young scientist Victor Frankenstein makes an extraordinary discovery – the secret to life itself. Working relentlessly and secretively, stealing body parts from graves in the dead of night, he assembles something akin to a human body. But as soon as his dreadful creation first opens its eyes, Victor realises his terrible mistake. He flees, but his monster will follow him to the ends of the earth, leaving death and ruin in its wake.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1890)

Dorian Gray is a beautiful, rich, elegant young man. He is also selfish, debauched and careless with other people’s lives and hearts. Though he seems ageless, he was not always this way. The secret to Dorian’s everlasting youth and hollow heart lies in a portrait, painted by one of his most fervent admirers and hidden in an attic room. Will Dorian ever have the will to confront the hideous truth it reveals?

Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)

Mina is troubled: she has not heard from her fiancé Jonathan for weeks since he travelled to the castle of his client, a mysterious Romanian count. The sultry summer nights seem to be affecting her friend Lucy, who appears paler and weaker with every passing morning – and what could be the cause of the strange marks on her neck? Soon, Mina will learn the horrifying truth, and must draw on all her courage and determination in the fight against an undying, malevolent force that hungers for her blood.

The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Stories by Edgar Allan Poe (1835-1843)

Prepare to be thrilled and appalled in equal measure as you dive into this collection of the best short stories by the master of gothic horror, Edgar Allan Poe. In Poe’s world, the distinction between reality and nightmare stretches and blurs: gruesome truths seep through the floorboards, guilty hearts beat as loud as a ticking clock, vengeance is an inexorable, shapeshifting force, and the dead never truly stay dead.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson (1886)

Dr Jekyll’s friends are puzzled by the respectable physician’s erratic behaviour – he indulges strange scientific theories, keeps odd hours, and refuses visitors... And why is he seemingly protecting and supporting the wicked habits of the vicious Mr Hyde, a man who inspires instant loathing at first sight? As Mr Hyde turns murderous, the net closes around Dr Jeykll, and at the end a man lies dead – but who has survived this last frantic struggle between good and evil: Jekyll, or Hyde?

More iconic stories in the series

Gathering together masterworks that span genres, eras and styles, these editions showcase some of literature's most memorable voices.

Vintage Collector's Classics Collection

Sumptuous design meets the highest quality production. Buy 3 for £48.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847)

When a man seeks shelter from a stormy night on the moors at the strange, lonely house called Wuthering Heights, his sleep is disturbed by a ghostly voice outside his window, crying to be let in. And so he hears the tragic tale of the house's inhabitants: of the doomed, unbreakable bond between Cathy and Heathcliff, united in their passion but driven apart by pride and jealousy, and how their tormented love affair has echoed through the generations of their family, enduring even after death.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)

Jo March is so disappointed that she isn’t a boy – if she were, she could join her father, fighting in the Civil War, or fulfil her dream of becoming a great writer. Jo can’t understand why her sister Meg longs for fine dresses she can’t afford, and dreams only of a happy marriage. Kind-hearted Beth wants everyone to be happy, but she cannot share Jo’s passion for adventure. And then there’s Amy, who shows talent as a painter, but is totally infuriating, as younger sisters so often are. But as each of the March sisters comes of age and finds her own path, their sisterly bond and mutual love will help steer them through all of life’s storms.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (1847)

Seen through the eyes of her vindictive aunt or cruel schoolmaster, little Jane Eyre seems a plain, obstinate child, given to strange fits of rage. They cannot guess at the keen imagination and vivid inner life that sustain her throughout her unhappy childhood. When Jane takes up the post of governess at Thornfield Hall and meets the brooding, unpredictable Mr Rochester, he recognises her as a kindred soul, and the pair fall deeply in love. But there are dark secrets hidden at Thornfield; strange cries wake Jane in the dead of night, and before long her independent spirit and passionate nature are put to the greatest test.

1984 by George Orwell (1949)

Big Brother watches over his society of workers who toil day by day against unseen enemies, their lives and minds bent into constant service to The Party. War is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength. Winston Smith feels alone in his hunger for truth and liberty until he falls in love, finding a kindred spirit in Julia, and starts to look for a way to rebel. But Big Brother is always watching…

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (1892)

Who do they turn to when royal jewels go missing, when sinister threats arrive in the post, or lives are menaced by hidden criminal forces? There is only one man in all England with the tenacity, the unnerving eye for detail, and the towering intellect capable of untangling the threads of these inexplicable mysteries. The game’s afoot! Join Dr Watson and the incomparable Sherlock Holmes on some of their most enduring and satisfying adventures.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865)

How often, when we’re bored of work or study, are our thoughts whisked away down rabbit-holes of invention or weird flights of fancy? But you can guarantee these head trips won’t ever compare to the elusive games, confusing creatures and total nonsense that inhabit the mind-palace of young Alice: the original and strangest day-dreamer.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843)

What if you were forced to confront the life you’ve led? The past that shaped you, the choices you’re making now, and the future waiting if nothing changes. A Christmas Carol tells the story of a man whose greed has walled him off from the world, until one extraordinary night gives him the chance to open that door. This timeless festive ghost story will help any world-weary reader rediscover the power of generosity, connection, and second chances, perfect for a warming Christmas read.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1861)

When Pip is a boy he meets three people who will change his life: one dark night he is drawn into a desperate criminal’s flight across the desolate marshes; in a crumbling mansion, he plays cards with a beautiful girl, watched by an old woman with a broken heart. From these fateful beginnings a twisted web of mystery grows, to be shattered at last by shocking revelations that shake Pip’s world all over again.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

This is the world of careless people: where music plays through the summer nights, men and girls come and go like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. We can enter this irresistible world for a while, be dazzled by its gorgeous inhabitants and wonder at Jay Gatsby, the mysterious millionaire at its centre. But meanwhile, beneath the gild and glamour, a wreckage of hearts and dreams waits to be discovered.

Introducing the Vintage Collector’s Classics series

The Austens

Jane Austen Vintage Collector's Classics Bundle

The Gothics

Vintage Collector's Classics: The Gothics

More iconic stories in the series

Vintage Collector's Classics Collection

Are you a Gothic or Romantic?

Quiz: How many classics have you read?

A guide to Gothic literature

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