Manu

[Frits Staal]

Dear Patrick,

This may be of interest to others so I respond to your query thru
"Indology" since I have an answer (or opinion).

As you know, I published two very large volumes called AGNI. Years later, I
asked the then head of Univ. of California Press (Phil Lilienthal) if he
would have done it differently if his press had published the books. He
answered right away: "We would never publish two such large volumes; very
inconvenient for the user. I would have advised to turn it into four."

Years of lugging around one or two of those huge tomes have added substance
to my conviction that he was absolutely right!

Come to think of it, the publisher of  the three volume Apte dictionary
also did the same though Monier-Williams OUP had not done so. But MW was
earlier I believe so Apte editors leant from the earlier mistake.

The only reason to the contrary is if you were interested in developing
your arms.

As for "votes," it is better to follow reasons, in my opinion; but in the
final resort: do as you like!

best,

FritsAt 02:37 PM 4/15/02 -0500, you wrote:
>Friends:
>
>This is an unusual request, but since an edition is intended to be
>USEFUL to the readers, I thought I would canvas your opinions.
>
>As many of you know, I am in the final stages of preparing the
>critical edition of the Manava Dharmasastra. The question is whether
>to publish it in a single but large volume, or to divide it into two
>volumes. I have to resolve this in the next month or two, because the
>placing of the notes will be determined by this decision. The
>edition, translation, critical apparatus, notes, indices, etc will
>run to approximately 1200 pages. I have been told that it is
>technically possible to produce a volume with that many pages.
>
>If it is divided into two volumes, one will contain the text and the
>other the translation, with the rest divided between the two.
>
>The question is whether two volumes or a single volume would serve
>the reader best. I would very much appreciate your thoughts and your
>vote. Thanks.
>
>Patrick
>
Frits Staal

http://philosophy.berkeley.edu/staal