L’Homme Révolte [The Rebel]; L’Exil et Le Royaume [Exile and the Kingdom]; Actuelles II: Chroniques 1948-1953 [Current Chronicles]; La Chute. [The Fall]. L’Été. [Summer]

Paris: Gallimard, 1957. First edition. original wrappers. Fine. FIVE PRESENTATION COPIES, ALL SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY CAMUS TO ALAIN GHEERBRANT. Alain Gheerbrant (1920-2013) was an influential French writer, publisher, and explorer. As the founder of the avant-garde publishing house K Éditeur, Gheerbrant was highly influential in French literary circles in the 1940s, publishing works by (among others) Antonin Artaud, Benjamin Péret, and Georges Bataille. He later became famous as an explorer - traveling along the Amazon river and being the first Westerner to make contact with several indigenous groups. These volumes – all inscribed by Camus to Gheerbrant (truncated) – link Camus to an important contemporary of the French literary avant-garde.

The collection consists of:

–L'Homme Révolté. [The Rebel]. Inscribed on the half-title, "á M. Gheerbrandt / en cordial hommage. Albert Camus."

Camus's major philosophical statement, a continuation of the ideas introduced in The Myth of Sisyphus and fictionalized in La Peste. First edition – with "l'edition originale" statement, but later issue with "17e édition" on title page. The publisher Gallimard was famous for adding fictitious later edition statements on the title page to imply the book was selling well. Paris: Gallimard, 1951. Original wrappers, glassine (with wear), custom box. A fine copy.

–L'Exil et Le Royaume. [Exile and the Kingdom]. Inscribed on the half-title, "á M. Gheerbrant / en cordial hommage. Albert Camus."

Camus's masterful collection of six short stories exploring the absurd, including his most celebrated story, "The Guest". First edition, service de presse issue ("S.P.") – sent to potential reviewers and members of the literary world – generally preceding the regular issue. Paris: Gallimard, 1957. Octavo, original wrappers, glassine (with wear), custom box. A fine copy.

–Actuelles II. Chroniques 1948-1953. [Current Chronicles]. Inscribed on the half-title, "à Monsieur Gheerbrant, en bien cordial hommage. Albert Camus".

Camus second collection of journalistic essays, promoting his characteristic themes of the need for justice and the avoidance of violence. First edition, advance service de presse issue ("S.P.") Paris: Gallimard, 1953. Octavo, original wrappers, glassine (with wear), custom box. A fine copy.

–La Chute. [The Fall]. Inscribed on the half-title, "à Monsieur Gheerbrant, en cordial hommage. Albert Camus".

Camus's last novel, a searing exploration of the narrator's attempt to deal with his existential despair in the wake of the Second World War and the Holocaust. First edition, with "l'edition originale" statement, but later issue with "Onzième édition" on title page. Paris: Gallimard, 1956. Octavo, original wrappers, glassine (with wear), custom box. A fine copy.

–L'Été. [Summer]. Inscribed on the half-title, "à Monsieur Gheerbrant en bien cordiale pensée. Albert Camus."

Camus's post-war collection of essays, including his much-reproduced, "La Minotaure" and "Retour a Tipasa". First edition, advance service de presse issue ("S.P.") Paris: Gallimard, 1954. Octavo, original wrappers, glassine (with wear), custom box. A fine copy.

Please note: There is some toning and chipping to the glassine on the copies but the copies themselves are strikingly clean and fine. (Inventory #: 2921)