--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As for the multiple editions, in the case…" description: "\"As for the multiple editions, in the case of a truly great writer - Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Proust, someone with a canon - there is often a \"vari..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/judith-thurman-33035_books_as-for-the-multiple-editions-in-the-case_235716.jpg" --- # As for the multiple editions, in the case of a truly great… ![“As for the multiple editions, in the case of a truly great writer - Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Proust, someone with a canon - there is often a "variorum" edition of the work that presents its variants. I think publishing most other writing that way would be impossible, economically, for…” quote by Judith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/judith-thurman-33035_books_as-for-the-multiple-editions-in-the-case_235716.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/judith-thurman-33035_books_as-for-the-multiple-editions-in-the-case_235716.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3e/judith-thurman-33035_books_as-for-the-multiple-editions-in-the-case_235716.jpg) > “As for the multiple editions, in the case of a truly great writer - Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Proust, someone with a canon - there is often a "variorum" edition of the work that presents its variants. I think publishing most other writing that way would be impossible, economically, for publishers, and very ill-advised for authors.” [Judith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-thurman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A true literary master’s work often has many textual variants, compiled in a variorum edition, which is costly and impractical for most writers to publish in that format. **In simple terms:** Great authors have many versions; others cannot afford it. Key Takeaway Consider the value versus cost of comprehensive editions. Themes literature publishing economics canonical works Mood analytical reflective Type critical explanatory When to use this quote - academic research - library collections - collector’s editions - digital archives Key Concepts textual criticism authorial intent edition theory Questions to Reflect On - Should every author’s work be preserved in multiple versions? - How do economic constraints shape literary canon formation? A Different Perspective Not all writers benefit from exhaustive variant collections; they may dilute the core text. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Canon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canon/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Edition Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edition-work-1193310/) [Editions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editions-531591/) [Emily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emily/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emily-dickinson/) [Great writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-writers/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Multiple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multiple/) [Multiple Editions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multiple-editions-2376582/) [Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proust/) [Publishers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishers/) [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) [Publishing Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing-writing-2376583/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Variorum Edition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variorum-edition-2376584/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“On sober reflection, I find few reasons for publishing my Italian version of the obscure, neo-Gothic French version of a seventeenth-century Latin edition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/on-sober-reflection-i-find-few-reasons-for-publishing-my-italian-2/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [Every single path is so different, but I would definitely say that the idea of what a writer is or should be is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/every-single-path-is-so-different-but-i-would-definitely-say-that-the/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [On sober reflection, I find few reasons for publishing my Italian version of an obscure, neo-Gothic French version of a seventeenth century Latin edition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/on-sober-reflection-i-find-few-reasons-for-publishing-my-italian/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“Publishing your writing is a bewildering mix of emotions somewhere between parental angst and walking down a public beach wearing only a thong. \[scrub…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-blaylock/publishing-your-writing-is-a-bewildering-mix-of-emotions-somewhere/) [Aaron Blaylock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-blaylock/) > [“He loves first editions, especially of women: little girls are his passion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-loves-first-editions-especially-of-women-little-girls-are-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Obviously, I don't make an entire edition all at once, so the studio often goes back to produce editions, but that's a bit different.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-piccinini/obviously-i-don-t-make-an-entire-edition-all-at-once-so-the-studio/) [Patricia Piccinini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-piccinini/) > [I happen to be a huge 'Lord of the Rings' fan. 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