GIONO Jean (1895-1970)

Eight autograph letters signed and one letter signed from Jean GIONO, to the publisher Albert MERMOUD, 1936-1937-1946; 9 pages in-4 or in-8, one envelope (signature cut out and pasted back on the L.S.). Correspondence with the director of the Guilde du Livre, Lausanne. [13 May 1936], the newspapers have spoken of the excellent translation of the part of True Riches published in the Neue Rundschau. "It was done like all the others with me, word by word and point by point. [...] I would never accept a translation by Ferdinand Hardekopf. Is Swiss German not German? Frau Kardas' mother tongue is German" ... Manosque, May 14, concerning the edition of True Riches, the translation of which is being started by Ruth Kardas under her direction, "because of the importance of my books in Germany". Giono does not appreciate the proposed translator: "he has, in certain places, Germanized proper names and skilfully suppressed the subtleties of style and images that I essentially want to keep intact" ... [July]: "I can only envisage the reading tour in Switzerland for December or January" ... [September 1st]: he is happy with the edition of True Riches at the Guild, despite its rather important typos ("I don't attach much importance to them"). "I agree to the text you ask for, which would be illustrated by Eisenchitz, but allow me to wait a month [...] as I am leaving these days for the Contadour" ... [Mid-October]: "I am amazed to receive a letter this morning from Mrs. Melson, or Nelson, painter, who supposedly wrote to you on my behalf. I never authorized her to do anything. [...] it is Eisenchitz and no one else" ... [Mid-April 1937]. Very happy with what he told him about Mort du Blé, Giono specifies his conditions for a text illustrated by Mrs Mulsonn, and proposes Entrée du printemps, "about the same length as Mort du Blé and which I like just as much. [...] As for Batailles dans la montagne, if you want this novel at the Guild, you must hasten to ask for it at the nrf where it will be published" ... [1941]. He tells him about his immediate projects: Pour saluer Melville, Deux Cavaliers, and Chute de Constantinople which will not be in the "cocardière et héroïque line" of the Guild. "Landry has disgusted us; I tell you this in the name of many, many comrades. [...] It is time for France to listen to other "buglers" and she is thinking about it. You have disappointed us greatly. Contrary to what you think, everything works normally at the nrf and we are only waiting for the right moment for Moby- Dick and for Pour saluer Melville. Grasset is going to publish from me also the continuation of Vivre livre un grand poème des temps actuels : Poème de l'oiseau" ...