Gelikon Plus

Gelikon Plus (Russian: «Геликон Плюс») is a publishing house in Saint Petersburg, founded in 1991 by the writer Alexander Zhitinsky. Its predecessor was "Novy Gelikon" (New Helicon), which Zhitinsky founded in 1990; the name came from his love of rock music—the helicon is a brass instrument—and from his original intention of giving the press a musical orientation. In 1997, owing to changed external circumstances, the press was reorganized and renamed "Gelikon Plus"; it also rented ground-floor space at 28, First Line, Vasilyevsky Island, Saint Petersburg, where it has remained ever since. The press is best known for its core business of author-commissioned publishing, and is one of the earlier Russian publishers to practice what is now called print on demand. According to the Russian Wikipedia, this approach allowed the press to print small runs for little-known online authors without much commercial risk, increasing the print run as an author's fame grew, or "blessing" the author's move to a larger publisher. Such books are sold through the press's own online bookstore. Gelikon Plus publishes both commercial and non-commercial works. Early on it published books by Vladimir Kunin, which drew the attention of investors; building on that momentum, it brought out works by Sergei Dovlatov, M. Chulaki, A. Zhitinsky, A. Melikhov and V. Emsky in the same series, and also published Zhitinsky's "Rock Amateur Almanac" about Viktor Tsoi. Among its more notable non-commercial publications is the "Petersburg Prose" series, including Gennady Alekseyev's novel "The Green Shore", Igor Kubersky's "Madrid Nights" and Vladimir Shinkaryov's prose collection "A Papuan from Honduras". Later the press, in cooperation with the Bukvoyed bookstore chain, launched the "Another Book" series, aimed at "introducing the public to unknown authors who do not fit the framework of commercial literature" and publishing cross-genre, experimental books. The press is known for boldly supporting little-known new authors. Notable publications include Lola Beloyvan's "Little Khunya", Vadim Smolensky's "Notes of a Stranger", and poetry collections by Aliya Kudryasheva and Vera Polozkova—books that, after appearing with Gelikon Plus, were reissued in larger print runs by other publishers. Among the well-known authors published by Gelikon Plus one may mention Dmitry Bykov and Alexander Kushner. Between 2002 and 2004 the press also published the magazine "Polden. 21st Century". After Zhitinsky's death in 2012, Tatyana Georgievna Alfiorova became the press's editor-in-chief. The press takes an active part in Russian book fairs in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Its catalogue today covers regular books (fiction, non-fiction, children's literature, poetry), print-on-demand books starting from a single copy, books from other publishers, and flash books and multimedia products (Flashbook, Flashbox, CD/DVD/MP3).

Gelikon Plus traces its origins to 1990, when the writer Alexander Zhitinsky created his own publishing house under the name "Novy Gelikon" (New Helicon). The name reflected Zhitinsky's enthusiasm for rock-and-roll — the helicon is a musical instrument — and an initial plan to give the publishing house a musical direction. Zhitinsky explained his motivation in characteristically personal terms: he was not accustomed to writing for money, had always written only what he liked, and understood that he could not and did not want to be a commercial literary man. Rather than churn out novels, he decided to publish, and to publish in his own distinctive way. His publishing house, he said, lived mostly on money from books issued to authors' orders: an author would come with money and a book, and Zhitinsky would refuse no one on grounds of artistic inadequacy, comparing himself to a waiter who performs a service and cannot serve one guest while refusing another. In 1997, in connection with many external changes, the enterprise was reorganised and took the name "Gelikon Plus." The reorganisation coincided with obtaining, on lease from the Committee for the Management of City Property of Saint Petersburg, premises in the basement of house No. 28 on the 1st Line of Vasilyevsky Island, where the publishing house remains to this day. In its first period the publishing house issued books by Vladimir Kunin, which drew the attention of investors. Riding that wave of success, it published Sergei Dovlatov, M. Chulaki, A. Zhitinsky, A. Melikhov and V. Emsky in a single series. In the same period it released Zhitinsky's "Almanac of a Rock Dilettante" about Viktor Tsoi. Among the non-commercial publications of that era, books in the "Petersburg Prose" series stood out: Gennady Alekseev's novel "Green Shores," Igor Kubersky's novel "Night in Madrid," and Vladimir Shinkaryov's prose book "A Papuan from Honduras." Later the publishing house launched a joint project with the Bookvoed book chain — the "Drugaya Kniga" (Another Book) series — with the aim of opening the public to an unknown author who did not fit the framework of commercial literature, publishing genre-defying, experimental books. Gelikon Plus boldly supported new authors whose names were unknown to the wider public. Notable editions include Lora Beloivan's "Malenkaya Khnya," Vadim Smolensky's "Notes of a Gaijin," and poetry collections by Ali Kudryasheva and Vera Polozkova, which after appearing at Gelikon Plus were reissued by other publishers in larger print runs. Among the popular authors published by Gelikon Plus one can name Dmitry Bykov and Alexander Kushner. From 2002 to 2004 the publishing house printed the magazine "Polden. XXI Vek" (Noon. 21st Century). It took an active part in Russian book exhibitions held in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. After Zhitinsky's death in 2012, Tatyana Georgievna Alfyorova became the editor-in-chief of the publishing house. The house's catalogue today is organised into trade books (fiction, non-fiction, children's literature, poetry), book-on-demand titles produced to order from a single copy, books from other publishers, and flashbooks and multimedia (Flashbook, Flashbox, CD/DVD/MP3). Its online shop and site list authors such as Sergei Zhigalko, Alexander Zhitinsky, Yuri Brigadir, Junior Mirny and Thomas Aquinas, reflecting its mix of contemporary and classic titles.

• 2012

  After the death of founder Alexander Zhitinsky, Tatyana Georgievna Alfyorova becomes editor-in-chief.

• 2004

  Publication of the magazine "Polden. XXI Vek" ends.

• 2002

  The publishing house begins printing the magazine "Polden. XXI Vek" (Noon. 21st Century).

• 1997

  The publishing house is reorganised and renamed "Gelikon Plus," coinciding with its move to premises on the 1st Line of Vasilyevsky Island.

• 1991

  Gelikon Plus is founded by Alexander Zhitinsky in Saint Petersburg.

• 1990

  Alexander Zhitinsky creates his own publishing house under the name "Novy Gelikon."

A Saint Petersburg independent publisher known for author-funded print-on-demand and for supporting unknown and experimental authors.

• Trade books (fiction, non-fiction, children's literature, poetry)

• Book-on-demand titles (from one copy)

• Books from other publishers

• Flashbook and multimedia (Flashbook, Flashbox, CD/DVD/MP3)

• "Petersburg Prose" series

• "Drugaya Kniga" (Another Book) series with Bookvoed

1. 1heliconplus.ruheliconplus.ru
2. 2Gelikon Plus — Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Геликон Плюс — Википедияru.wikipedia.org