André Malraux // La Condition Humaine
Paris, Gallimard, 1933
First Edition
First French edition, advance review copy (“exemplaire du service de presse”, or “S.P.”).
The novel won the Prix Goncourt in December 1933: as in the previous year, the Goncourt jurors had to decide between Denoël and Gallimard. In the fourth round of voting, Malraux, by the casting vote of President Rosny who made the difference, obtained five votes, against three for Braibant with “Le Roi dort”.
André Malraux began writing La Condition humaine in September 1931 during a trip to Canton and Shanghai. This novel is the third and final part of his trilogy on the Far East, which started with Les Conquérants (1928) and La Voie Royale (1930). The story takes place during the Communist uprising of March 1927 and ends a year later with the crushing of the insurrection by Chiang Kai-Shek.
Inscribed and signed by Malraux: "To René Bizet, in tribute and with the sympathetic memory of André Malraux".
Page 402: 2 pencil drawings representing a cat rolled into a sleeping position. Malraux used to draw cats and other "dyables" in the volumes he would offer; the two drawings present are not believed to be from the hand of the writer.
A novelist and poet of the “Ecole Fantaisiste” (founded before the First World War by Francis Carco and Tristan Derème), René Bizet was a journalist, notably at “L'Intransigeant” and “La Revue de France”. He wrote a few popular novels and for a long time held the "Music-halls" section of the avant-garde magazine “L'Esprit Nouveau”, while directing the literary pages of “L'Intransigeant”. It is in this capacity that he probably received the book.
Fine binding signed by Duhayon: black half-morocco with corners, gilt title and head, date in foot, covers and spine preserved.
In perfect condition.
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