Mirte Liebregts: The Green and the Red, Gebunden

Klappentext

The Green and the Red provides a meticulously researched, captivating history of the formative years of the Loeb Classical Library (LCL), the landmark publishing series that revolutionized our engagement with antiquity. For over a century, these iconic green and red volumes have served as the bridge between modern readers and the ancient world. By presenting the original texts of Greek and Latin classics alongside facing-page English translations, the series democratized access to well-known and lesser-known voices of the past.

This volume traces the LCL's complex evolution from its start to the dawn of the Second World War. Based on the examination of previously untapped archival materials, including private correspondence and unpublished documents, The Green and the Red uncovers the collective efforts of eminent scholars, enthusiasts, and publishers collaborated to make ancient literature available to academics and the general public alike.

The LCL's early decades were far from a straightforward success story, defined by trans-Atlantic social tensions, negotiations with rival publishers, and logistical hurdles brought on by global crises such as the First World War and the Great Depression. However, bolstered by the philanthropic patronage of James Loeb and later secured by an institutional transfer to Harvard University in the 1930s, the pioneering project turned into a monumental achievement in the humanities. This book offers fascinating, behind-the-scenes insights into the project's editorial struggles-from defining the classical canon and navigating literary censorship, to balancing scholarly rigor with accessible translations.

The Green and the Red is an essential, enlightening read for classicists, bibliophiles, historians, and anyone fascinated by ancient studies.