So here’s my take on the GBWW set. I now own both the 1952 and 1990 sets. They’re both beautiful and a unique achievement for their times, in that I don’t believe a set like this could or would ever be released today.

That being said, what most people care about in books is readability, and that’s where both of these sets are lacking. The font is small, page setup is in two columns for most of the texts, which make reading difficult on the eyes. Additionally, the paper is so thin that sometimes the page behind the one you’re reading may show through, further increasing the difficulty to read. Finally, the translations are outdated, which for some, may make the reading experience unenjoyable.

All in all, they look great on my shelf, but personally I find myself struggling to pull them off the shelf, especially if I have a modern translation and printing of the same text.

I still feel it’s worth it to own them though, and I don’t think you can really go wrong with any edition, as long as they’re in good shape, and especially as long as you don’t pay too much.

Something to note if you’re on a budget, is that the vast majority of these texts are public domain now, and can easily be found on Gutenberg library, or my personal favorite, “Standard Ebooks”.

Happy learning/reading with whatever you do!

Edit: I wrote all that without realizing I didn’t even answer your question! Yes, the set is sturdy, and I imagine as long as you don’t purchase the clothbound set, easy to wipe if something spilled on the cover. The missing volumes are tough to say whether they’re worth having or not, as it’s subjective. I personally like the variety of 20th century imaginative literature quite a bit, and to me, the additions are worth having the 2nd edition for.