A Strange Solitude, Philippe Sollers — 1st Edition

£60.70

A Strange Solitude, Philippe Sollers — 1st Edition

Name: A Strange Solitude, Philippe Sollers — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6911
Price: 60.70 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1961

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 148.

Condition Report: Near Fine. The book presents beautifully in its original black cloth binding, remaining tight, square, and free from structural lean, with bright, unoxidised silver gilt lettering to the spine. The text block is crisp, clean, and entirely free of foxing or iron oxide migration, while the hinges are perfectly secure with no starting. It is housed in its original, unclipped dust jacket (retaining the 15s net price to the front flap), which is remarkably well-preserved, exhibiting only trivial edge-wear and retaining excellent colour saturation without typical sunning. Crucially, the jacket retains its exceptionally fragile original wrap-around promotional band, which remains entirely intact and free from tears, elevating the physical evidence of this copy significantly.

Catalogue Note: First UK Edition of Philippe Sollers's celebrated debut novel, originally published in France as Une Curieuse Solitude by Éditions du Seuil in 1958. Translated into English by Richard Howard.

This copy is distinguished by the extraordinarily scarce presence of the original wrap-around band (obi), bearing laudatory quotes from the foremost French writers of the period, including François Mauriac, Émile Henriot, and Louis Aragon. Such fragile promotional ephemera was typically discarded upon purchase, making its survival in this condition a highly unusual and desirable attribute for collectors of mid-century translated literature.

A finely wrought, controversial, and poetic debut, A Strange Solitude chronicles a sixteen-year-old boy's initiation into love and physical passion through an affair with a Spanish nursemaid twice his age. Praised by the French literary establishment as the revelation of an outstanding new talent, Sollers’s semi-autobiographical novel captures the delicate, often agonizing transition from the awkward impatience of youth to the profound melancholy of maturity. Exploring a story of profound decency free from stale conventions, it stands as a testament to the evocative power of mid-century French literary expression.

Book Condition: Near Fine

Book Authors: Philippe Sollers

Book Publisher: Eyre & Spottiswoode

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Modern Fiction

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 148

Book Publication Year: 1961

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.