1941, Translations From retailer The Chinese, Poetry, Verse, Arthur Waley, Baldridge, Slip case, Color Illustrations

Waley's seminal book, Translations from the Chinese, is one of the all-time great classics. The brilliant translations from an almost unknown literature--at the time-- had such an explosive effect that they actually changed the course of English literature. Waley was perhaps the greatest genius who has ever studied both Chinese and Japanese. The poems are by the greatest Chinese poets and unlike almost all other anthologies, are translated so beautifully that the English is great poetry too. This volume is essentially, One Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems, which has been in continuous print since 1918, but it has a few more poems and illustrations. The poems great and universal, and translated with no forced meter or rhyme! An artistically crafted bookbinding retailer effort. For those with an appreciation for printing and illustration quality AND a love for classical Chinese poetry will find themselves over-the-top in this book and enjoying a rare experience. "This volume, illustrated and decorated by Cyrus LeRoy Baldridge, was planned by Richard Ellis and produced under his direction. It was composed in a special Monotype cutting of Frederic W. Goudy's Deepdene type made for this edition, with swash letters and revised characters designed by Mr Ellis and with the approval of Mr Goudy. The paper, patterned after old papers of the orient, was manufactured by the P.H. Glatfelter Company, Spring Grove, Pennsylvania. The full-color illustrations were reproduced in Similetone by the Zeese-Wilkinson Company, Long Island City, New York. The cloth, in a natural finish, was made by Bancroft Mills, Wilmington, Delaware. The Composition, Electrotyping, Printing and Binding were by The Haddon Craftsmen, Camden, New Jersey." Published, in 1941, by Alfred A. Knopf. 7-1/2" x 11", 325 pps