Maaktabah

Every book asks one question.

Can first impressions ever be trusted?

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Maaktabah No. 01

Classic books, newly designed, with the words left exactly as they were written.

Maaktabah is the Arabic word for a library. We make new editions of the books that last: calm pages, careful type and covers worth keeping on your screen.

Each book gets one painted detail, a hand holding something that matters in the story, and the question the book keeps asking. That question is usually why people still read it.

Browse the library

Seven shelves, fifty books

Love and Society

Courtship, money, family and the price of a good name.

12 books
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Maaktabah No. 01Pride and PrejudiceJane AustenWuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Maaktabah No. 03Wuthering HeightsEmily BrontëCover in the studioSense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, Maaktabah No. 05Sense and SensibilityJane AustenCover in the studioJane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Maaktabah No. 07Jane EyreCharlotte BrontëCover in the studioEmma by Jane Austen, Maaktabah No. 16EmmaJane AustenCover in the studioPersuasion by Jane Austen, Maaktabah No. 17PersuasionJane AustenCover in the studioTess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy, Maaktabah No. 22Tess of the d'UrbervillesThomas HardyCover in the studioFar from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, Maaktabah No. 26Far from the Madding CrowdThomas HardyCover in the studioThe Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë, Maaktabah No. 30The Tenant of Wildfell HallAnne BrontëCover in the studioMansfield Park by Jane Austen, Maaktabah No. 34Mansfield ParkJane AustenCover in the studioVillette by Charlotte Brontë, Maaktabah No. 35VilletteCharlotte BrontëCover in the studioNorthanger Abbey by Jane Austen, Maaktabah No. 37Northanger AbbeyJane AustenCover in the studio

Night and Fear

Ghosts, monsters and the things we do in the dark.

5 books
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Maaktabah No. 02A Christmas CarolCharles DickensFrankenstein by Mary Shelley, Maaktabah No. 04FrankensteinMary ShelleyCover in the studioDracula by Bram Stoker, Maaktabah No. 06DraculaBram StokerCover in the studioThe Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Maaktabah No. 08The Picture of Dorian GrayOscar WildeCover in the studioStrange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by R. L. Stevenson, Maaktabah No. 12Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeR. L. StevensonCover in the studio

Sea and Adventure

Ships, islands, maps and the pull of far places.

7 books
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville, Maaktabah No. 10Moby-DickHerman MelvilleCover in the studioTreasure Island by R. L. Stevenson, Maaktabah No. 19Treasure IslandR. L. StevensonCover in the studioHeart of Darkness and Other Stories by Joseph Conrad, Maaktabah No. 23Heart of Darkness and Other StoriesJoseph ConradCover in the studioKidnapped by R. L. Stevenson, Maaktabah No. 32KidnappedR. L. StevensonCover in the studioLord Jim by Joseph Conrad, Maaktabah No. 43Lord JimJoseph ConradCover in the studioNostromo by Joseph Conrad, Maaktabah No. 49NostromoJoseph ConradCover in the studioBartleby and Other Stories by Herman Melville, Maaktabah No. 50Bartleby and Other StoriesHerman MelvilleCover in the studio

Crime and Reason

Clues, logic and the people who follow them.

3 books
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, Maaktabah No. 09The Adventures of Sherlock HolmesArthur Conan DoyleCover in the studioThe Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, Maaktabah No. 18The Hound of the BaskervillesArthur Conan DoyleCover in the studioA Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle, Maaktabah No. 27A Study in ScarletArthur Conan DoyleCover in the studio

Fortune and Fate

Rising, falling and what money does to people.

12 books
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Maaktabah No. 11Great ExpectationsCharles DickensCover in the studioMiddlemarch by George Eliot, Maaktabah No. 13MiddlemarchGeorge EliotCover in the studioA Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Maaktabah No. 20A Tale of Two CitiesCharles DickensCover in the studioOliver Twist by Charles Dickens, Maaktabah No. 24Oliver TwistCharles DickensCover in the studioSilas Marner by George Eliot, Maaktabah No. 28Silas MarnerGeorge EliotCover in the studioDavid Copperfield by Charles Dickens, Maaktabah No. 33David CopperfieldCharles DickensCover in the studioHard Times by Charles Dickens, Maaktabah No. 39Hard TimesCharles DickensCover in the studioThe Mill on the Floss by George Eliot, Maaktabah No. 40The Mill on the FlossGeorge EliotCover in the studioVanity Fair by W. M. Thackeray, Maaktabah No. 41Vanity FairW. M. ThackerayCover in the studioBleak House by Charles Dickens, Maaktabah No. 42Bleak HouseCharles DickensCover in the studioJude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy, Maaktabah No. 44Jude the ObscureThomas HardyCover in the studioThe Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, Maaktabah No. 45The Mayor of CasterbridgeThomas HardyCover in the studio

Science and Wonder

Machines, futures and the edges of knowledge.

4 books
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, Maaktabah No. 15The Time MachineH. G. WellsCover in the studioThe War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, Maaktabah No. 21The War of the WorldsH. G. WellsCover in the studioThe Invisible Man by H. G. Wells, Maaktabah No. 25The Invisible ManH. G. WellsCover in the studioThe Island of Doctor Moreau by H. G. Wells, Maaktabah No. 36The Island of Doctor MoreauH. G. WellsCover in the studio

Mind and Time

A single day, a single mind, a whole life inside it.

7 books
Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, Maaktabah No. 14Mrs DallowayVirginia WoolfCover in the studioTo the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, Maaktabah No. 29To the LighthouseVirginia WoolfCover in the studioDubliners by James Joyce, Maaktabah No. 31DublinersJames JoyceCover in the studioA Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce, Maaktabah No. 38A Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManJames JoyceCover in the studioSons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence, Maaktabah No. 46Sons and LoversD. H. LawrenceCover in the studioUlysses by James Joyce, Maaktabah No. 47UlyssesJames JoyceCover in the studioWomen in Love by D. H. Lawrence, Maaktabah No. 48Women in LoveD. H. LawrenceCover in the studio

The letter

Once a week: one classic, one passage worth keeping, and the question it asks. Free, and you can leave any time.