Everyman's Library is a series of reprinted classic literature currently published by Alfred A. Knopf (a division of Random House) in the United States, and Weidenfeld and Nicolson in the United Kingdom. The series began publishing in 1906. It was conceived of in 1905 by London publisher Joseph Malaby Dent, whose goal was to create a 1,000 volume library of world literature that was affordable for, and that appealed to, every kind of person, from students to the working classes to the cultural elite. Everyman's Library books were pocket-sized hardcovers that sold initially for what was then the remarkably low price of a shilling apiece. The original U.S. distribution rights were granted to New York City publishers, E. P. Dutton. A classic is an item that has become a ubiquitous and unique symbol or icon of a time gone by, mainly because of its inherent quality or its representative status. ... Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. ... Random House is a publishing division of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann based in New York City. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Joseph Malaby Dent (30 August 1849–9 May 1926) was a British book publisher who produced the Everymans Library series. ... A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) book is bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with cloth or heavy paper) and a stitched spine. ... Before decimalisation in 1971, a shilling had a value of 12d (old pence), and was equal to 1/20th of a pound: there were 240 (old) pence to the pound. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... Nickname: Big Apple, City that never Sleeps, Gotham Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1613 Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... E. P. Dutton is an American book publishing company founded as a book retailer in Boston, Massachusetts in 1852 by Edward Payson Dutton. ...

History

The first title published was Boswell's Life of Johnson, published with a quotation on the title page from the works of John Milton: "A good book is the precious life-blood of a master-spirit, embalmed and treasured upon purpose to a life beyond life." In 1910, 500 books had been published under the Everyman trademark, and in 1956 the thousandth volume (Dent's original goal) was published, with Aristotle's Metaphysics selected for the honour. By 1975, Dent's vision had been well surpassed, as Everyman's Library consisted of 994 titles published in 1,239 volumes. After ceasing the publication of new titles in the 1970s, Everyman's Library was relaunched internationally by Knopf in the fall of 1991, a move which was praised by many notable authors. The current membership of the Honorary Editorial Committee includes Harold Bloom, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Seamus Heaney, Toni Morrison, Cynthia Ozick, Simon Schama, and John Updike. James Boswell James Boswell (October 29, 1740 - May 19, 1795) was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... In English literature, The Life of Samuel Johnson, L.L.D. was a biography of Dr. Samuel Johnson by James Boswell, published in 1791. ... Milton redirects here. ... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Aristotle (Greek: Aristotélēs) (384 BC – March 7, 322 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. ... Plato and Aristotle (right), by Raphael (Stanza della Segnatura, Rome). ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Harold Bloom (born July 11, 1930, New York) is an American professor and prominent literary and cultural critic. ... Henry Louis Skip Gates Jr. ... Seamus Heaney Seamus Heaney (born 13 April 1939) is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer from County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. ... For the Louisiana politician, see deLesseps Morrison, Jr. ... Cynthia Ozick (b. ... Schama speaking at Strand Bookstore, New York City 2006 Simon Michael Schama, CBE (born 13 February 1945) is a professor of history and art history at Columbia University. ... John Updike John Hoyer Updike (born March 18, 1932) is an American writer born in Shillington, Pennsylvania, where he lived until he was 13. ...

The name of the publication series was suggested by poet and editor Ernest Rhys, who was named head editor of the series initially, and asked to find a suitable name to encompass Dent's goal. Rhys tried and discarded many ideas before recalling a quotation from the medieval play Everyman in which the character of Knowledge says to Everyman: A poet is someone who writes poetry. ... Editing is the process of preparing language, images, or sound for presentation through correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications. ... Ernest Percival Rhys (July 17, 1859 – May 25, 1946) was an English writer, best known for his role as founding editor of the Everymans Library series of affordable classics. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Everyman is a 16th century English morality play, with possible origins in a late 15th century Flemish morality play called Elckerlijc. ...

Everyman, I will go with thee

and be thy guide,

In thy most need to go

by thy side.

This quotation appears on the title page of all Everyman's Library volumes.

External links

• About Everyman's Library
• Index of Everyman's Library books and authors
• A Complete Serial List of Everyman's Library titles (new series, 1991- )