PRESENTATION-COPY

CAMUS, ALBERT.

L'Été. Les essais LXVIII.

Paris, Gallimard, 1954. Uncut in the original printed wrappers. A very nice copy housed in a beautiful brown half morocco box with gilt lettering to spine and gilt super ex-libris to front board.

First edition, Service de presse-copy, i.e. review-copy ("S.P" to bottom of title-page and to verso of back wrapper), of Camus' magnificent and highly influential collection of essays entitled "Summer", inscribed to the famous critic of literature and drama, the writer Guy Dumur (1921-1991): "à Guy Dumur/ l'une des/ [ÉTÉ]s [ÉTÉ being printed an L' crossed out in front, with s added in Camus' hand]/ son vieil et fidele ami/ Albert Camus" on half-title.

The younger Guy Dumur was a close friend of Camus, who hired him to work on "Combat" with him. It is reported that he had a great talent for discovering new talent. Since childhood, he was extremely passionate about the theatre and came to work with all the great dramatic figures in Paris at the time. He is also famous for a number of well respected novels.

The essays in "L'été" are devoted to Algiers and represent a very personal side of Camus, who provides a marvelous poetic and humorous picture of the provincial simplicities of Oran and Algiers. For many Camus-devotees, "L'Été" constitutes one of the most beloved works, as it gives the feel of a certain intimacy with the author that few of his other works does. "In "Return to Tipasa", perhaps the most confessional essay in "Summer", which dates from a long trip to Algeria in December 1952, Camus issues his now famous testimony of survival - "In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me lay an invincible summer" (Hawes: Camus, A Romance, 2009, pp. 181-82).

Order-nr.: 58313