For those without Instagram, don't worry! We'll be posting the latest photos with each production update. We have some photos below of the printing process, but first,
Be sure to return your survey, if you have not already!
We will soon be assigning numbers and assembling the subscribers list, for which we need your surveys. If you need any assistance, please reach out!
Printing
The Masque of the Red Death is being printed by Jenn Lawrence at her studio, Letterpress PDX, in North Portland. Here's a look behind the scenes (with more coming soon on our Instagram):
"The Masque of the Red Death" is printed in black and red. There's a huge different from one black ink to another, and one red ink to another. So, Jenn begins by mixing varieties of them to find the perfect shade, tone, and vividness for our paper.
We are using a Vandercook Universal I cylinder press. Jenn prints every sheet by hand, checking each for quality, and adjusting the machine when needed.
It's a painstaking process, but the results are worth it! After days and days of printing, the sheets begin to pile up.
You can feel the impression of the type as you run a finger across the page!
Thank you, everybody, for your monumental support of this edition! We can't wait to share more with you as production continues. In the meantime, best wishes as always,
Team No Reply
The Other No Reply Books
about 4 years ago
– Wed, Feb 19, 2020 at 09:23:23 PM
Dear friends,
In our correspondence, many of you have asked about other books from No Reply. The Masque of the Red Death will be our sixth edition, and several others are available for subscription. During the surveys (out this week) you can to add other No Reply books to your pledge. By adding other editions now, shipping can be combined, and we can reserve the number/letter you are interested in.
Here, then, is a bit of information about each of our other upcoming editions, followed by a short note on the edition from our editor:
"The Great Man" by Leo Tolstoy
Tolstoy's critique of the "great man theory," from the epilogues of "War and Peace."
Printed in the original Russian with a new English translation.
Featuring six original illustrations.
Limited edition of 226.
Editor's notes:
Tolstoy is likely the most acclaimed novelist to have ever lived. His masterpieces War and Peace and Anna Karenina often vie for the title of Greatest Novel. Under-appreciated, we believe, is his contribution to political theory and the study of history. At a time which popularized a foggy "great man" view of history (the view that, as Emerson put it, "history is just the biography of a few great man") Tolstoy responded with blistering clarity.
The short passages collected here are a masterpiece unto themselves. In addition, the whole team is thrilled to be printing the text in Russian, alongside an original English translation and illustrations by artist Валерия Сергеевная Смычкова (Valeria Sergeyevnaya Smitchkova).
"The Great Men" by Leo Tolstoy
"The Most Efficient Language" by John McWhorter
An original essay exploring why English is so much more "efficient" than most other languages, from one of the most influential contemporary linguists.
De Luxe copies areprinted on handmade paper, bearing our press watermark.
Limited edition of 127.
Editor's notes:
This essay changed the way we think about language in general, and about the future of English in particular. It explores the very basic question: How many words does it take to convey an idea? Moreover, why do languages come to be more or less "efficient"?
This edition is a really lovely production, designed and largely produced during the Press' short Parisian stint. In addition, the De Luxe copies are the first No Reply books which feature handmade paper bearing our press watermark!
"The Most Efficient Language" by John McWhorter
"The Failurist" by Markus Zusak
An original essay on failure by one of the most celebrated contemporary novelists.
De Luxe copies are signed by the author and slipcased.
Limited edition of 200.
Editor's notes:
Markus Zusak has known great success. His novels I Am The Messenger and The Book Thief are international bestsellers, lauded by critics and the public alike. He has also, however, known failure — and perhaps more than you'd expect. In this essay, Zusak argues that every success is preceded by a thousand failures, writing, "What we need sometimes is a little bit of negative thinking." He relates a childhood failure to the failure-laden process of writing The Book Thief with wonderful vividness. His accounts are captivating, and his lesson eminently useful.
Fans of Zusak's, aspiring writers, and anyone fascinated by the struggles of an artist will find the essay enlightening and even deeply encouraging.
"The Failurist" by Markus Zusak
We will begin sending surveys tomorrow, and all will be out by Sunday! Keep an eye open for yours, and please be in touch if any questions arise. Best wishes in the meantime,
Team No Reply
P.S. If you haven't, be sure to follow us on Instagram. Here's a link. Tomorrow we're posting the first photos from inside the letterpress studio where the edition is being printed.
Surveys, Numbers, and Letters — oh my!
about 4 years ago
– Wed, Feb 19, 2020 at 01:21:20 AM
Friends,
We expect to send surveys for The Masque of the Red Death by Sunday! Be on the lookout for them in your inboxes.
The survey is, most importantly, how we collect your address for shipping. However, you can also use it to request specific copy numbers for your book, and add slipcases and/or other books to your pledge. If you have any questions when you receive your survey, don't hesitate to reach out, and we'll be available to lend a hand right away!
Numbers
When the surveys come, you will be asked to list your preferred numbers (if you have them). The more numbers you list, and the more obscure the numbers, the better your chance of getting one you like!
If we have already reserved a number for you in our ledger, feel free to skip the prompt or to input your reserved number.
We're just getting started on our Instagram and Facebook pages. We'll be posting weekly production updates to each! Throughout the next week we'll be taking you inside the letterpress studio where The Masque of the Red Death is being printed, so be sure to follow along. Here's our link for Facebook, and here's our link for instagram!
Tomorrow, the other books from No Reply!
We've been receiving questions about other books from No Reply. Tomorrow we'll post an update highlighting three of them, including the two others in our Collector Tiers, The Great Man by Leo Tolstoy and The Failurist by Markus Zusak. They will all be available for add-on during the surveys, and we hope you'll consider building up your collection!
Thank you letters!
The support for this edition has FAR surpassed our expectations, so the thank you notes are still in progress. To date, 150 have been sent, and there are about 100 which remain. All will be sent ahead of the books themselves, but (naturally) will take some time. Our roving editor Griffin (and his typewriter) are in Brussels at the moment, so for those who haven't yet received your letter, it may come with a Belgian stamp.
Also: Thank you SO MUCH to the backers who have written us back! It has been such a delightful surprise — we love receiving mail! Rest assured, your letters are greatly appreciated, and will be treasured in our press archives.
If you ever want to write to the press with your feedback, title suggestions, or just to say hello, you can reach us by snail mail at:
No Reply Press / P.O. Box #42638 / Portland, OR 97242 / United States
We always appreciate your correspondence, and will send you a reply by mail as soon as we can!
With that, we bid you adieu, until tomorrow,
Team No Reply
SLIPCASES
about 4 years ago
– Sat, Feb 08, 2020 at 08:00:06 PM
Dear friends,
We are excited to announce that slipcases will be available for "The Masque of the Red Death" (and our other editions as well). Because of your enormous support, we have acquired the tools and training needed to make them. After several rounds of prototyping, we have fallen in love with the final designs — and we hope you love them too.
Each slipcase is entirely handmade, bound in cloth and paste paper. They can be added to your book(s) during the project survey for $35 apiece.
We are sending surveys in roughly two weeks to collect your shipping address. During this process, you can add slipcases to your pledge if you like!
Backers who pledged for a collector tier and add slipcases to three of their books will receive a complimentary slipcase for The Hollow Men.
Take a look at the slipcase designs for The Masque of the Red Death and The Hollow Men, modeled with copies of The Hollow Men:
We are excited to offer slipcases for "The Masque of the Red Death" — as well as for our other editions. Here the slipcases for "Red Death" and "The Hollow Men" are modeled with copies of "The Hollow Men."
Each slipcase is lined in high-quality cloth and bound with handmade paste papers to compliment the edition.
We are so happy to be able to offer this add-on! Thank you so much for your support, and stay tuned tomorrow for the very first photos from production. Until then, best wishes as always,
No Reply
P.S. Remember to follow our Instagram for production photos in the coming months! Our first photo of the test printing for The Masque of the Red Death will be posted this evening.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
about 4 years ago
– Fri, Feb 07, 2020 at 03:30:57 PM
Dear friends,
Our campaign has come to a close, having beaten its goal nine times over! We are so honored by your support. We'll post several updates in the next few days regarding production timelines, surveys, and exciting additions to the books. For now, we just want to say THANK YOU. Because of your support, No Reply will be able to pursue our most ambitious project yet, and several further editions in 2020. We couldn't be more excited.
Look out for our update tomorrow, and, in the meantime,
Follow us on Insta-Gram for a few photos every week.
To show you every aspect of the production of The Masque of the Red Death, we have *finally* started an instagram. You can follow us here! This weekend, we will begin sharing photos of our initial test printing. (Spoiler alert: Everything looks amazing.)
We have an exciting update planned for tomorrow (and the day after). Until then, best wishes, and thank you so much once more,
