Batouala: A Novel
New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1932. First Edition. Limited Edition of 1,500 numbered copies, of which this is number 86. Signed by the illustrator Miguel Covarrubias on the limitation page. Folio, bound in the publisher's original full brown morroco leather, featuring horizontal ribbing to boards and blind stamped lettering to spine. Publisher's original green slipcase. The 1932 Limited Editions Club publication of Batouala: A Novel by René Maran is a distinguished example of fine press craftsmanship and literary significance. This edition was limited to 1,500 numbered copies, each signed by the illustrator, Miguel Covarrubias. Covarrubias, a renowned Mexican artist and ethnologist, contributed six full-page color lithographs and numerous in-text line drawings, enhancing the narrative's vivid portrayal of life in French Equatorial Africa. The volume is bound in full brown morocco leather, featuring horizontal ribbing and gilt titling on the spine, and is housed in a sturdy slipcase covered in mottled green paper. Translated from the French by Alvah C. Bessie and introduced with a preface by the author, this edition brings Maran's poignant critique of colonialism and his exploration of indigenous life to an English-speaking audience. Notably, Batouala was the first novel by a Black author to receive the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 1921, marking a significant moment in literary history. Minor rubbing, minimal discoloration to spine, top edges of slipcase starting to split, else in very good + condition. Item #35
Price: $200.00