Restless Heart, Jean Anouilh — 1st Edition

£18.00

Restless Heart, Jean Anouilh — 1st Edition

Name: Restless Heart, Jean Anouilh — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5839
Price: 18.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Methuen & Co Ltd, 1957.

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [viii], 97.

Condition Report: Very Good. The binding remains remarkably tight and square in the publisher’s original red cloth, exhibiting only the faintest wear to the extremities and a touch of softening at the spine ends. Internally, the text block is clean, crisp, and free from any foxing, though the endpapers bear the standard, expected offset browning (shadowing) from the dust jacket's inner flaps. The unclipped dust jacket (retaining the original 10s 6d net price) presents very well, displaying minor shelf-wear, slight rubbing to the corners, and subtle toning to the white sections of the front panel's heart motif. The jacket's glossy black rear panel remains largely free from heavy scuffing.

Catalogue Note: This is the First UK Edition (and first English-language edition) of Jean Anouilh’s poignant early play, translated by Lucienne Hill. The English premier of Restless Heart opened at the St. James's Theatre in London on May 8, 1957, in a production directed by William Chappell and starring Mai Zetterling alongside Donald Pleasence and George Baker.

Unillustrated, the play text includes the original cast list and production details from the London premiere. While the book is occasionally encountered on the secondary market, finding a clean, unsophisticated copy that still retains a vibrant, unclipped original dust jacket is increasingly uncommon.

Set against a backdrop of striking socio-economic contrast, Restless Heart follows Thérèse, a young musician trapped in the poverty of her father’s fifth-rate café band. When she is offered an escape into a life of wealth, comfort, and "noble poverty" through a relationship with a successful composer, Thérèse finds herself unable to assimilate. Sketched with Anouilh’s characteristic vicious skill and insight into human suffering, this bitter and brilliant exploration of class, identity, and the inescapable weight of one's past reveals the playwright as a master of both character and emotion in the theatre.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Jean Anouilh

Book Publisher: Methuen & Co Ltd

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Modern Fiction

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 97

Book Publication Year: 1957

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: Chatham, 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.