La Tête coupable
One of 3,100 copies (including 100 hors commerce) printed on bouffant alfa Calypso paper, this copy no. 3032, one of the hors commerce copies.
The printer's colophon of the volume gives the limitation statement of the first edition and specifies that this volume "of the Soleil series was completed at the same date as the first edition."
The fifth title by Romain Gary published in this series.
Titles in the “Collection Soleil” were bound in full cloth of various colors (pink, yellow, orange, blue, green…), designed by Massin. The series reprinted backlist titles as well as new releases just published. It was created in 1957 to compete with the Club du meilleur livre (a subsidiary of Gallimard and Hachette): Claude Gallimard was opposed to the idea of Hachette profiting from the exploitation of his backlist in bookshops in the form of bound books. The print run was limited to a few thousand copies, with the following advertising line at launch: “The sun, said Fontenelle, is the pride of the planets. The books of the ‘Soleil’ series, all in sun-octavo format, will be the pride of your library.” Thirteen titles by Romain Gary had the honor of appearing in it: Lady L., La Promesse de l’aube, Les Mangeurs d’étoiles, The Dance of Genghis Cohn, La Tête coupable, Adieu Gary Cooper, Chien blanc, Europa, Les Enchanteurs, Au-delà de cette limite…, Clair de femme, Charge d’âme and Les Clowns lyriques.
He is surpassed only by Simone de Beauvoir (14 titles), Jean Giono (16) and Henry de Montherlant (22!).