Conquer the Classics
Make this your most beautiful summer yet. Unplug and reconnect with the greatest books in history--now fully (and entertainingly) annotated so you never feel lost.
Does This Sound Like You?
"I'm always on my phone, but I miss reading REAL THINGS--not news, social media, and other nonsense."
"I've always wanted to read the classics, but truthfully, I'm afraid I wouldn't understand them."
"There are 1,000 books I want to read, but I don't even know where to start!"
Our Beautifully-Annotated Collection
Annotated by Erica Abbett, the founder of Renaissance Revival, the Vocabbett Classics annotated collection bridges the gap between past and present. In her signature conversational tone, she defines "big" words and explains all those hidden historical references. If you're ever confused, just click the little footnote, and voilà! Instant comprehension.
This Summer, Imagine...
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Waking up feeling refreshed, having read classic novels before bed instead of scrolling mind-numbing social media
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Reading the best books in history with complete confidence, knowing Erica Abbett's entertaining and straightforward annotations will fill in any moments of confusion
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Joining "the great conversation," reading the books that have inspired humanity for centuries
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8 Classics.
1 Summer.
Let's read.
Your Annotated Collection Includes
01
A Room With a View
A little-known but absolutely beautiful classic, this is where you should start.
02
Jane Eyre
Sweet but deep, this classic will tug at your heartstrings in all the right ways. And if you read it before and thought you didn't like it, trust me: try it again, but with my annotations. I hated it when I didn't understand all her references, too!
03
The Iliad
This book is so fun, it should be illegal. Even if you don't know a thing about the Trojan War, my foreword will bring you up to speed on the hilarious background (a godly beauty contest?) and guide you throughout this entertaining text.
04
The Prince
If you thought The Iliad was violent, wait until you read Machiavelli's Renaissance-era treatise on political power.
05
Macbeth
Never been a fan of Shakespeare? That will all change after you read our annotated Macbeth. Make sense of the bard's lyrical language and enjoy the sizzling Scottish drama.
06
The Great Gatsby
People love this book. I don't, but I'll guide you through it anyway! If nothing else, it's good to be familiar with a text so widely-referenced.
07
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
This is a teeny, tiny book. You can finish it in a night! It might be better-suited for Halloween, but a warm and thundery summer night will do just fine.
08
Treasure Island
Set sail with the delightful original pirate novel (and enjoy the subtle connections between Treasure Island and Washington Irving, which you just read!).
Nice to Meet You!
I'm Erica Abbett, pictured here with my sweet little family.
I'm the one-woman team behind Renaissance Revival and the woman who annotated all of the editions you saw above.
I'm also an author and former teacher, and I've done my very best to make sure you'll enjoy picking up a book instead of your phone!
I hope you have your best summer yet.
Xo,
-Erica Abbett
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What Are You Waiting For?
Fuel your mind with the best books in the world this summer.
$85 purchased individually
Save 15% with this special bundle offer
Get Renaissance Revival's complete Annotated Classics collection for just $72.25
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Will I Only Get Access to the E-Books?Yes, purchasing the "Annotated Classics Collection" through Renaissance Revival only gives you access to the e-books. Alas, printing and shipping are cost prohibitive for this modest collection. However, we agree that paperbacks are amazing, and they are all available on Amazon! Here are the links to the annotated paperbacks, if you prefer hard copies: A Room With a View Jane Eyre The Iliad The Prince Macbeth The Great Gatsby The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Treasure Island
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What Happens If You Publish More Classics in the Future?Anyone who orders the Annotated Classics Collection will get a 50% discount on future annotated classics publications. In short? You will get a head start, a sale now, and a sale then! Win, win, win.
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What Makes Erica Abbett qualified to annotate these books?Erica Abbett is a former teacher whose commitment to a classical education runs so deep, she moved to Italy when she was 17 to live with a host family studying ancient history. From there, Erica pursued her undergraduate degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, graduating early with a major in International Studies and a minor in Italian. Along the way, she also spent a year studying abroad in the Middle East: the fall semester of her junior year was spent at the American University in Cairo, and the spring semester was at Tel Aviv University. Erica went on to teach English and history at one of the most prestigious schools in the DFW area. When her son was born, she transitioned to writing full-time. In the past six years, she has published two novels (Ahead of Her Time: An SAT Vocabulary Novel and Siena Saint James Is Not a Spy), two novelettes (Death at the Villa Tarconti and Short Stories to Boost Your Vocabulary), and annotated eight classic novels.
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If I Order the Paperbacks on Amazon, Will You Give Me a Discount on the E-Books?Sure! Send a copy of your receipt to support@renrevival.com, and we'll give you an (even bigger!) discount on the Annotated Classics Collection. How does 50% off sound?