Description

Louis ARAGON (1897-1982). Autograph manuscript, signed at head, Aragon vous parle: De la difficulté qu'il y a décrire l'histoire, [1959]; 6 pages in-4 with erasures and corrections. About his book in collaboration with André Maurois, Histoire parallèle des États-Unis et de l'Union Soviétique de 1917 à 1960. Article published in France Nouvelle, weekly of the French Communist Party, December 24, 1959. He explains why he agreed to write this book with Maurois... "I am not a historian; what I wrote as a witness or as a novelist, I never thought of giving as a science"; so explains the introductory note to La Semaine sainte, "which denies this novel any historical character [......] And now, as I begin to read the material that will enable me to write this book, of which I intend to make neither a compilation, nor a catechism, nor a novel, I feel taken back by these scruples [...] it is almost impossible to describe history, one only rewrites it on the basis of the epinal image one has of it. With little variations that are the historian's talent". You have to manage to "give an air of originality and depth to received ideas", while at the same time trying to "preserve your serenity", because objectivity is impossible. Aragon shows how historians are divided on the subject of the Revolution, on Danton and Robespierre; how much more difficult will be the task of the historian of our century: Aragon cites as an example Leon Trotsky's judgment of the French ambassador to Moscow in 1917, Maurice Paléologue. And this aspect of a parallel history must be kept in the book: the difficulties will be great...

Automatically translated by DeepL. The original version is the only legally valid version.
To see the original version, click here.

319 
Go to lot
<
>

Louis ARAGON (1897-1982). Autograph manuscript, signed at head, Aragon vous parle: De la difficulté qu'il y a décrire l'histoire, [1959]; 6 pages in-4 with erasures and corrections. About his book in collaboration with André Maurois, Histoire parallèle des États-Unis et de l'Union Soviétique de 1917 à 1960. Article published in France Nouvelle, weekly of the French Communist Party, December 24, 1959. He explains why he agreed to write this book with Maurois... "I am not a historian; what I wrote as a witness or as a novelist, I never thought of giving as a science"; so explains the introductory note to La Semaine sainte, "which denies this novel any historical character [......] And now, as I begin to read the material that will enable me to write this book, of which I intend to make neither a compilation, nor a catechism, nor a novel, I feel taken back by these scruples [...] it is almost impossible to describe history, one only rewrites it on the basis of the epinal image one has of it. With little variations that are the historian's talent". You have to manage to "give an air of originality and depth to received ideas", while at the same time trying to "preserve your serenity", because objectivity is impossible. Aragon shows how historians are divided on the subject of the Revolution, on Danton and Robespierre; how much more difficult will be the task of the historian of our century: Aragon cites as an example Leon Trotsky's judgment of the French ambassador to Moscow in 1917, Maurice Paléologue. And this aspect of a parallel history must be kept in the book: the difficulties will be great...

Estimate 800 - 1 000 EUR

* Not including buyer’s premium.
Please read the conditions of sale for more information.

Sale fees: 30 %

For sale on Tuesday 18 Jun : 14:00 (CEST)
paris, France
Ader
+33153407710
Browse the catalogue Sales terms Sale info

Delivery to
Change delivery address
Golden Transports Services
More information
MBE Montrouge
More information
Delivery is not mandatory.
You may use the carrier of your choice.
The indicated price does not include the price of the lot or the auction house's fees.

You may also like