About this Item
Third impression of the first UK edition, published in May, 1957 as stated on the printer's page. The book was first published in the UK in February, 1957, with a second impression in March, 1957. The first English translation was published in the USA by the World Publishing Company, Cleveland and New York. The book was originally published in Paris, France as 'Les Mandarins', by Librairie Gallimard in 1954. Translated from the French by Leonard M. Friedman. Dedicated to Nelson Algren. Dustwrapper designed by Laszlo Matulay. Winner of the Prix Goncourt. ***Near fine in salmon-pink cloth-covered boards, with gilt titles to the spine. The gilt is still nice and bright, having been protected by the dustwrapper. The boards are clean and unmarked. Head and tail of spine slightly creased. Corners sharp. No reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. Page block edges clean with no foxing. Internally also near fine with no inscriptions. Offsetting to the half-title page where perhaps a newspaper clipping was inserted - now gone). Pages otherwise clean with no foxing. Apart from creases to a couple of top corner tips, there are no creases or tears to the thin paper. ***In a very good colour illustrated dustwrapper, with the striking illustration by Laszlo Matulay. The dustwrapper is not price-clipped, showing the original publisher's printed price of 18s. net. Whilst the dustwrapper is essentially complete, there is some loss to the top and tail of the spine, and a couple of holes to the spine also (please see scans). The edges are creased and rubbed, with a few small edge nicks and closed tears, with associated creasing. Spine of dustwrapper only very slightly faded. Dustwrapper bright. ***215mm x 150mm. 704 pages. ***'In her most famous novel, "The Mandarins", Simone de Beauvoir takes an unflinching look at Parisian intellectual society at the end of World War Two. Hailed by Iris Murdoch as "a remarkable book, a novel on the grand scale, courageous in its exactitude and endearing because of its persistent seriousness." In fictionally relating the stories of those around her - Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Arthur Koestler, Nelson Algren - de Beauvoir dissects the emotional and philosophical currents of her time. ***At once an engrossing drama and an intriguing political tale, "The Mandarins" is the emotional odyssey of a woman torn between her inner desires and her public life. The book was the recipient of the Prix Goncourt Award.' (Wiki) ***'Simone de Beauvoir published her first novel "L'Invitee" in 1943; it had taken four years to write. "Le Sang des Autres" appeared in 1945, "Tous les Hommes sont Mortels" in 1947, Le Deuxieme Sexe" in 1949. With "Les Mandarins" she reached her maturity as a novelist and with the award of the Prix Goncourt became recognised as France's most distinguished woman writer and achieved an international reputation.' (Quote taken from the inside rear flap of the dustwrapper). ***A third impression of the true UK first edition, published just three months after the first impression, and rare to find complete in its original dustwrapper. Of interest to collectors of the work of Simone de Beauvoir, and of classic twentieth century French literature. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.
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