For those science buffs who want to add a good looking book to their collection, look no further. The Folio Society editions of A Brief History if Time by Stephen Hawking and the Elegant Universe by Brian Green are a must buy.

I decided to group these two books together since their subject matter is closely related and the formats for both books are very similar.

What I like about these books is that the binding is not too tight so it’s easy to keep a page open. Some special editions come with a binding so tight it can be hard to keep the book open.

Both are quarter bound in cloth and come in a simple black slipcase. They include some stunning illustrations in color and some black and white illustrations integrated in the text. I’m halfway through A Brief History and one of the things that made this book a best seller was how it takes such abstract concepts and delivers them in a simple, easy to understand way. The black and white diagrams help illustrate certain concepts that are explained in the book and for those who are visual learners. Both contain around 16 illustrations.

For quick referencing for those science terms that still confuse readers, the glossary and index are handy to have so you can quickly look up terms.

Book collectors can take advantage of the Folio Society’s Summer Sale now that The Elegant Universe is currently half-off.

What are your thoughts on these editions?

NOTE: I am in no way affiliated with folio society or any other publisher. These posts are simply made to admire and critique different editions of books.