First published in the late 18th century, 'The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman' by Laurence Sterne is still, in the opinion of Visual Editions, by far, one of the most contemporary books around.

Which is why they've given it a seriously contemporary spin; and their recently published version is as playful and brilliant as Shandy intended.

"When we say contemporary, we mean in terms of how it looks and reads.

The sad thing is, though, Shandy has long been relegated to the realm of cheap and nasty classic editions and has lost its magic and lustre along the way." say the London based publishers who founded Visual Editions based on a love of books and a mischievous desire to do things differently.

Working with designers and writers, Anna and Britt (the duo behind the venture) seek to interpret the texts through clever design and arresting visual arrangements.

And the result? Great-looking stories.

"When we briefed design studio, A Practice for Everyday Life, we asked them to breathe new life into the book’s design, adding new visual elements, while staying faithful to the original spirit. We also asked Will Self to introduce the book, and that he did, with typically irreverent brilliance."

VE have also developed two posters to go with the release of Shandy, and more books will be hitting the shelves next month, including Tree of Codes by Jonathan Safran Foer.