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'Do you want me to talk to you of our love? There are no words, however eloquent, to express all the passion, all the fire, all the madness contained within these two words: our love ...'
A collection of long-lost letters dating from 1928 recently discovered in a dusty cellar in Paris paint a vivid portrait of a passionate love affair between a woman - identified only as Simone - and her married lover, Charles.
As their relationship evolves in sometimes shocking and unexpected ways, Simone lays bare her desires, fears, anxieties and fantasies as she is driven to increasing lengths to gain satisfaction.
Framed by illuminating insights from the man who found and edited them, these letters open a window into another time and another life, and a woman whose voice echoes down the century and still resonates today.
'A treasure trove of love letters give an extraordinary and pulsating glimpse into the Paris of the Roaring Twenties' The Connexion
About the author
Jean-Yves Berthault is a French diplomat, fluent English speaker, and has worked professionally around the world. In 2012, when helping a close friend clear out her cellar in Paris, he stumbled upon an old attaché case buried deep beneath a high pile of discarded newspapers. Opening it, he discovered it was crammed full of letters dating from 1928, written by a woman who we shall call Simone. This was the start of a two-year project in which he collated the letters into chronological order and added historical and cultural footnotes. The letters are now a testament to a unique love affair and to a moment in history.Jean-Yves Berthault is a French diplomat, fluent English speaker, and has worked professionally around the world. In 2012, when helping a close friend clear out her cellar in Paris, he stumbled upon an old attaché case buried deep beneath a high pile of discarded newspapers. Opening it, he discovered it was crammed full of letters dating from 1928, written by a woman who we shall call Simone. This was the start of a two-year project in which he collated the letters into chronological order and added historical and cultural footnotes. The letters are now a testament to a unique love affair and to a moment in history.Adriana Hunter has translated more than one hundred books, and has won or been shortlisted for numerous translation prizes, most recently as the runner-up for the 2024 Scott Moncrieff Prize for her translation of Hervé Le Tellier’s The Anomaly. She lives in Kent, England.Jean-Yves Berthault is a French diplomat, fluent English speaker, and has worked professionally around the world. In 2012, when helping a close friend clear out her cellar in Paris, he stumbled upon an old attaché case buried deep beneath a high pile of discarded newspapers. Opening it, he discovered it was crammed full of letters dating from 1928, written by a woman who we shall call Simone. This was the start of a two-year project in which he collated the letters into chronological order and added historical and cultural footnotes. The letters are now a testament to a unique love affair and to a moment in history.
Summary
A collection of long-lost letters dating from 1928 recently discovered in a dusty cellar in Paris paint a vivid portrait of a passionate love affair between a woman - identified only as Simone - and her married lover, Charles.
Foreword
A collection of long lost love letters from 1928 to 1930, recently discovered in a dusty cellar in Paris.
Report
Jean-Yves...has edited them lovingly...[He] adds depth with quirky historical footnotes. Janice Turner Times
