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Palm Press, Inc.
23 Bradford Street
PO Box 338, Concord, MA 01742
We are pleased to announce the publication by Palm Press of an
exquisite collector's edition volume, Beasts & Citizens, Forty
Fables of La Fontaine. Limited to one hundred signed and numbered
copies, the book is the result of a collaboration of more than
two years between Palm Press, as publisher, the translator, poet
Craig Hill, and the master artist Andrew Stevovich.
Several years ago, the first time I heard Craig Hill reading some
of his vibrant contemporary poetic translations of La Fontaine's
world-renowned fables, I decided that I wanted Palm Press to publish
them. I felt that the fables remained as pertinent to our era
as they were to La Fontaine's. They are works that are at the
same time sophisticated and profoundly simple, full of irony and
humor.
Using vigorous, modern-day English, Craig Hill's forty translations
in Beasts and Citizens convey the light-hearted style,
the free poetic form, the mingled humor and irony, that make the
original work in French a permanent joy. Many of La Fontaine's
best-loved and most familiar fables will be found in the book,
as well as many that deserve to be better known to English readers.
In its entirety, the brilliantly translated sampling of La Fontaine's
masterwork that makes up Beasts and Citizens reveals the
astonishing breadth of La Fontaine's comic vision.
As a long-time admirer of Andrew Stevovich's
work, both his paintings and his much sought-after graphic art,
I felt certain when he accepted the commission that he would produce
a stunning visual accompaniment for the translations. Now that
I have seen the results, I feel my optimism has been more than
justified. Though Stevovich's eight etchings stand on their own
as works of art, their images also resonate perfectly with the
wit and human understanding for which La Fontaine's fables are
treasured.
In an age of computerized book publication, this beautiful, oversize
volume (1 41/2 X 11 1/2") maintains the vanishing tradition of
letterpress printing on heavy, archival paper with handcrafted
binding. In our one concession to modern technology, a complete
CD recording of the fables is included, read by the translator
and neatly housed in the binding of the book, which is in turn
contained in a slipcase. This unique volume is offered at an initial
price of $1,500 including the limited edition book and compact
disc.
I am convinced that this book will be a true collector's edition;
a beautiful object as well as the rich embodiment of a unique
literary and artistic collaboration.
All sales will be handled through Clark
Gallery - Lincoln, Massachusetts.
-Gus Kayafas,
Palm Press |
