Les Silences du Colonel Bramble

A liaison officer during the First World War, Émile Herzog — who had not yet adopted the pseudonym André Maurois — drew on his firsthand observations to give shape to his desire to write. The atmosphere of the trenches, seen through the eyes of the phlegmatic British, who regarded humor as a duty, inspired these chronicles, written in a personal and delicately ironic style.

Maurois portrayed himself as Aurelle, an interpreter attached to the British staff, who draws an engaging portrait of the English ally, whose composure and philosophy in the face of horror have continued to charm readers. This book, Maurois’s first literary success, permanently established Colonel Bramble in the French imagination as the archetype of the typical Englishman.

The novel appeared in spring 1918, and the first edition, which bears a printing date of May 12, 1918, was issued in only five deluxe copies, on vergé d’Arches paper. Given the novel’s success, a further printing on fine paper was produced for the seventh printing: 40 additional copies, again on the same vergé d’Arches and under the plain white wrapper without vignette used for the deluxe copies. Our copy has, mounted at the end, the front wrapper of the ordinary printing.

A fine copy in a contemporary full binding; spine faded.

Talvart XIV, 1 A.