L'Astragale, Albertine Sarrazin — 1st English Edition

£44.50

L'Astragale, Albertine Sarrazin — 1st English Edition

Name: L'Astragale, Albertine Sarrazin — 1st English Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4085-RM-FR-VG-9
Price: 44.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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£44.50

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Publication: London, Neville Spearman, 1967

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 189.

Condition Report: Very Good: Publisher's original blue cloth binding remains tight and structurally sound, with sharp corners and remarkably bright gilt titling stamped to the spine. The text block is clean and square, free of notable foxing or internal blemishes, presenting bright, well-preserved pages. The original dust jacket remains unclipped, still bearing the "21s net" price on the front flap. As is common with predominantly white wrappers of this era, the jacket exhibits some mild, uniform surface toning and minor handling smudges to the panels, alongside very light shelf-wear at the spine extremities and corners, but it remains entirely free of significant tears, chipping, or loss. A highly presentable example.

Catalogue Note: First UK Edition of Albertine Sarrazin's celebrated semi-autobiographical novel, first published in France in 1965 by Jean-Jacques Pauvert and translated here into English by Patsy Southgate.

The book is presented in its original, striking dust jacket designed by Bastian Hobnut, which features a prominent photographic portrait of the author on the front panel and a striking profile shot by Hervé Bazin on the lower panel. Adding an appealing layer of provenance and historical context to this specific copy, it includes contemporary British newspaper clippings laid in, which offer fascinating insights into the immediate critical reception of Sarrazin’s work in the UK at the time of publication.

While the book enjoyed considerable success upon its initial release, surviving first UK editions in their original, unclipped dust jackets, especially those without significant wear to the delicate white panels, have become increasingly scarce on the open market.

A raw and compelling masterpiece of outsider literature, L'Astragale is the semi-autobiographical tale of Anne, a rebellious young woman who shatters her ankle bone—the astragalus—during a daring nighttime escape from a French prison. Dragging herself to the highway, she is rescued by Julien, a passing motorist and fellow petty criminal. As Anne recovers in a series of clandestine hideouts across the French underworld, the two outcasts fall deeply in love, forging a passionate, desperate bond while living perpetually on the run. Written with a unique blend of gritty argot and poetic lyricism, Sarrazin’s novel is a testament to the pursuit of freedom and the consuming power of an outlaw romance.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Albertine Sarrazin

Book Publisher: Neville Spearman

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Modern Fiction

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 189

Book Publication Year: 1965

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Cloth

Illustrator: Bastian Hobnut (Dust Jacket)

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.