Les Racines du ciel

Name: Les Racines du ciel
SKU: 30113
Author: Romain Gary

Paris, Gallimard, (December 7) 1956.

1 vol. (135 x 205 mm) of 443 p. and [2] f. In wrappers.

Post-Goncourt printing, from a resetting made in November 1956. In addition to the substantial printing in the “blanche” series, Éditions Gallimard also issued, at the same date, a “Club” version (the “Soleil” series did not yet exist). Above all, as had already been the case for several previous Goncourt laureates (1949, Week-end à Zuydcoote; 1950, Les Jeux sauvages; 1952, Léon Morin prêtre; and the following year, 1957, for La Loi), a special printing on Hollande paper was produced for the ten members of the jury, the author, and the publisher: fifteen copies, each nominative.

Francis Carco's copy (lettered “d”), with a signed presentation inscription: “Au plus grand poète du roman, à un auteur dont je ne cesse de relire les pages et dont les personnages ne cessent de nous hanter, hommage de Romain Gary.”

This printing corrects several spelling and stylistic misprints, in a resetting dated “November 1956.” It is no exaggeration to say that the original text had not really been proofread: an abnormal number of misprints remained, to the delight of critics, who denounced its clumsiness and awkward passages. Several newspapers indeed reported rumors that Gary’s style was deplorable: “It does seem that Gary let a number of errors slip through in his manuscript […] Gary had asked for the proofs to be read by ‘a seasoned grammarian.’ This correction may never have taken place, which would explain the extent of the errors found in the first edition” (Larat, II, note p. 52, after a letter from Romain Gary dated 5 October 1956, preserved in the Archives Gallimard). The December reprints (of the 3rd, then the 7th) improved matters somewhat, at the time when Gary, granted a short leave by the Quai d’Orsay, was able to return to Paris. Gallimard arranged interviews and meetings, including an appearance on Lecture pour tous in which Gary addressed the subject again.

For this valuable special printing on Hollande paper, the known copies are those of Carco, Bauer, Salacrou and Hériat, as well as Romain Gary’s own copy, which he inscribed to himself:

“A mon cher Romain Gary, mon bon compagnon de lutte, en témoignage de profonde affection, Romain Gary.”

#30113

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