Haydn Wood

Haydn Wood is the founder and editor of Astor Library, an independent publisher of annotated classics, study guides and teaching resources.

The name Astor Library is a nod to one of the great library names of the nineteenth century. The original Astor Library in New York was founded through the bequest of John Jacob Astor. In 1895, it was combined with the Lenox Library and the Tilden Trust to form The New York Public Library. The Astor Library was not a circulating library. Its books were there to be consulted and studied. Astor Editions take that reference-library idea into the text itself, with notes, summaries, analysis and context placed around the original work.

Astor Editions are made for readers who want to read or study classic texts without losing sight of the book itself. The original work remains at the centre. The added material is there to help with understanding, context and analysis.

In prose editions, each chapter is supported with a clear summary and a factual context section. These help readers understand the world around the text and notice details that might otherwise pass by. Shakespeare editions preserve the plays with scene divisions, line numbers and supporting material for classroom use and exam preparation.

Astor Library also publishes study guides, booklets, PowerPoints and classroom resources through its dedicated website. Across the editions and resources, the aim is to make classic literature easier to read, teach and study, while keeping the original texts intact.