1consensuspress
A Message From Your Group Admin
Consensus Press has the opportunity to bring new life to a foundational but neglected masterpiece of world literature. Mikhail Lermontov’s A Hero of Our Time (1840) is widely regarded as the first great Russian novel and a landmark in psychological realism. It introduced the archetype of the disillusioned antihero, years before Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, or Camus, and helped shape the course of modern literature. Yet despite its influence, the novel has been almost entirely overlooked by fine press publishers, with only the Folio Society’s 1980 edition offering any attempt at a collectible version.
This striking absence leaves a gap that Consensus Press is uniquely positioned to fill. A Hero of Our Time deserves to be read slowly, reflectively, and in a form that honors its lyrical beauty, philosophical depth, and timeless melancholy. A letterpress edition, designed with care, printed on archival paper, and bound by hand, would elevate the novel to the stature it has long deserved.
Collectors of Slavic literature, 19th-century classics, and fine press books alike will find this edition compelling. It would be more than a revival, it would be a cultural restoration, bringing attention and artistry to a work that helped define the modern psyche.
This will be expanded upon by the original proposer. Comments/observations solicited. Be nice!
This striking absence leaves a gap that Consensus Press is uniquely positioned to fill. A Hero of Our Time deserves to be read slowly, reflectively, and in a form that honors its lyrical beauty, philosophical depth, and timeless melancholy. A letterpress edition, designed with care, printed on archival paper, and bound by hand, would elevate the novel to the stature it has long deserved.
Collectors of Slavic literature, 19th-century classics, and fine press books alike will find this edition compelling. It would be more than a revival, it would be a cultural restoration, bringing attention and artistry to a work that helped define the modern psyche.
This will be expanded upon by the original proposer. Comments/observations solicited. Be nice!
2grifgon
My job here is to provide guidance on feasibility, timeline, and pricing. Some initial comments, then:
Copyright: No copyright issues if we use one of the numerous public domain translations.
Length and pricing: Most translations are around 60,000 words. Using the formula $150 + $3 x 250 words, this is probably a $900+ project.
Feasibility: This project would be really ambitious due to the length alone. Doable, but the Members would need to commit serious time and money.
The upside is that the proposer is completely correct: this is a gaping hole in fine presswork that must be filled! If there's any novel that might be worth taking the jump for...
Copyright: No copyright issues if we use one of the numerous public domain translations.
Length and pricing: Most translations are around 60,000 words. Using the formula $150 + $3 x 250 words, this is probably a $900+ project.
Feasibility: This project would be really ambitious due to the length alone. Doable, but the Members would need to commit serious time and money.
The upside is that the proposer is completely correct: this is a gaping hole in fine presswork that must be filled! If there's any novel that might be worth taking the jump for...
3Shotcaller
The novel itself sounds fascinating, and creating a fine press edition of a neglected author and work would be a nice feather in the press's cap. The sweet spot for me, price-wise, is something closer to $600; of course, that will vary by member.
4filox
I'm personally ok with a $1000 book if it's this one, though i understand if not everyone wants to shell out that kind of money for a single book
5CarpePostMeridiem
Hi everyone,
I'm the proposer of this book. I wanted to introduce myself.
I have been very busy with my education and haven't done more than lurk on the forums but I am very invested in this project.
Even if the membership does not choose this book, it is still a great read. I hope many of you will give it a try.
I will submit the final proposal to Richard momentarily. I am grateful for any feedback the membership has.
I feel privileged to have gotten this far. Thank you to Richard and Griffin for providing feedback on my draft proposal, as well as the insight other members have provided.
Voting for A Hero of Our Time will bring to life a book that has rested in the shadows for too long. I urge everyone to give it serious consideration.
Ryan Coleman
I'm the proposer of this book. I wanted to introduce myself.
I have been very busy with my education and haven't done more than lurk on the forums but I am very invested in this project.
Even if the membership does not choose this book, it is still a great read. I hope many of you will give it a try.
I will submit the final proposal to Richard momentarily. I am grateful for any feedback the membership has.
I feel privileged to have gotten this far. Thank you to Richard and Griffin for providing feedback on my draft proposal, as well as the insight other members have provided.
Voting for A Hero of Our Time will bring to life a book that has rested in the shadows for too long. I urge everyone to give it serious consideration.
Ryan Coleman
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