Mykola Zerov (1890–1937) was a key figure in the history of the national and cultural Renaissance of the 1920s. unsurpassed, "living silver", according to friends, are all facets of one creative personality. Volodymyr Panchenko's The Tale of Mykola Zerov is a study of the life story of this extraordinary man. An insightful analysis of various aspects of Zerov's work is combined with attention to the cultural and socio-political context of the 1910s and 1930s, to the literary and artistic environment of Kyiv at that unique time. Leading a story free from academic excesses, designed to actualize the tradition of "the story of bygone years", the author organically uses rare archival materials, rare periodicals and documents. His "search for lost time" is an attempt to bring us as close as possible to the events and faces of those "carvers" who, despite "mean and stingy times", sought to elevate the Ukrainian artistic word to "true highlands".
Volodymyr Panchenko's research won the prestigious book rating "Litakcent of the Year 2018" in the nomination "Literary Studies".