Vladimir Krichevsky's new book is devoted to the phenomenon of the back cover — also referred to as ‘the fourth cover.’ Does the back oppose the front, or does it complement it? To answer this question, the author turns to books from his personal collection. Often, the reverse side proves more intriguing than the front. Sometimes, back covers are intentionally understated, yet they are almost always designed to captivate the eye and provoke reflection. As the author notes, ‘The view from the courtyard can be no less pleasing than the view from the façade.’ It’s hard to disagree with that.

The book features examples of Russian and foreign editions published between the early 1920s and the mid-1990s.

Co-published with «Smena» and ABCdesign.