How we edit

“Annotated” has to mean something. This is the method we follow in every book.

1. Choosing a book and the rights

Before editing a book, we check when the author died and, for translations, when the translator died. The rules of the public domain differ from country to country, so we check each title separately. We publish only what we may publish.

2. The text

We start from a public-domain digital transcription and check it against a second source. We change only what we say we change: at the end of each book, the “Note on the text” states the reference edition, what was updated (spelling, for example) and how doubtful cases were handled. The author’s vocabulary, syntax and style are left as they were written.

3. The notes

Short notes explain places, people, customs, historical facts, quotations and phrases in other languages, which come translated. Each note is tied to a source in our working files. If we cannot confirm a fact, it goes without a note. When there are different interpretations of a passage, we credit each reading to the person who made it, without choosing between them.

The notes sit at the foot of the page, so you never have to flip to the back of the book.

4. The page

Generous margins, a classic typeface for the text, light sans-serif headings and a layout made for long reading. The books are typeset in LaTeX, in a 5.5 × 8.5 inch (14 × 21.6 cm) format, and printed on demand.

5. What we add around the text

Every edition has an editor’s presentation, a chronology, a note on the author and suggestions for further reading. When a book has many characters, there is also a guide with a family tree.