{"product_id":"a-certain-smile-francoise-sagan-1st-edition","title":"A Certain Smile, Françoise Sagan — 1st UK Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublication:\u003c\/b\u003e London, John Murray, 1956.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormatting\u003c\/strong\u003e: 8vo, pp. 132.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Report:\u003c\/b\u003e Near Fine; Very Good dust jacket. The original red cloth boards are exceptionally bright and clean, with the white stamped lettering to the spine and front board remaining crisp and entirely unoxidised. The binding is remarkably tight and square, showing scarcely any signs of being read, with only the most microscopic bumping to the extreme spine tips. The text block is predominantly clean and bright throughout, though a light dusting of foxing is present along the top edge. The original dust jacket, retaining its printed \"8s 6d net\" price on the front flap, presents very well with vibrant colors to the front and rear panels. Exhibits minor shelf-wear, largely confined to light rubbing at the extremities, minor creasing to the spine head, and some gentle handling marks to the back panel. Overall, an unusually sharp, well-preserved copy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCatalogue Note:\u003c\/b\u003e First UK Edition of Françoise Sagan’s second novel, translated from the original French (\u003ci\u003eUn certain sourire\u003c\/i\u003e) by Irene Ash. Following the international sensation of her debut, \u003ci\u003eBonjour Tristesse\u003c\/i\u003e, this volume cemented Sagan's reputation as the reigning voice of sophisticated, mid-century youth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdding a charming layer of provenance, this copy includes a contemporary newspaper review clipped and laid in by a previous owner. The review muses on the difficulties of dealing \"justly with infant prodigies,\" offering a fascinating glimpse into the contemporary critical reception of Sagan's early work. Finding a copy with such a bright red cloth binding and a well-preserved, unclipped dust jacket is increasingly uncommon on the open market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten by the legendary Françoise Sagan at the tender age of twenty, \u003ci\u003eA Certain Smile\u003c\/i\u003e cemented her reputation as the literary voice of a disillusioned post-war generation. The narrative follows Dominique, a young Parisian law student who, bored with her studies and her predictable boyfriend, embarks on a passionate but ultimately fleeting affair with his older, married uncle, Luc. Elegantly written and laced with both mature cynicism and a surprisingly tender understanding of the human heart, Sagan’s second novel is a masterful exploration of adolescent ennui, the fleeting nature of desire, and the melancholic reality of moving on.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Broadhursts Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53760218136915,"sku":"4056-RM-F-VG-9","price":45.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/1469\/6787\/files\/20260609_143230.jpg?v=1781016560","url":"https:\/\/broadhurstsbooks.com\/products\/a-certain-smile-francoise-sagan-1st-edition","provider":"Broadhursts Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}