Romain GARY - Letter signed to his friend and agent, Odette Arnaud.

Romain GARY (1914.1980)

Letter signed to her friend and agent, Odette Arnaud.

One page in-4° on letterhead of the French Delegation to the United Nations.

New York. July 19, 1954.

Slight loss in the upper left margin.

“Dear Odette, The attached letter is an official response to your letter. This additional note is intended to tell you that you can show this letter to the Gallimards if necessary. I'm sure it will have the greatest effect. Good kisses. Roman."

Gary responds here to the letter that Odette Arnaud sent him on July 16 (of which we attach the carbon copy): “Dear Romain, (…) I am extremely excited at the idea that we will soon receive your manuscript which we are waiting for with a very particular taste (…) There is still a question that I would like to ask you immediately because it will guide all of our work. The question is this: would you consider leaving Gallimard despite it really being the best intellectual climate for you and also despite Gallimard's very deep friendship for you (…) At Gallimard we come up against an immense routine organization ( …) No need to tell you the advantages of going elsewhere because you can guess them. This elsewhere could hardly be anything other than Julliard (…)”

On July 26, Odette Arnaud wrote again to Gary (we also attach the carbon copy of this letter): “Dear Romain, I have an appointment tomorrow with Michel Gallimard (…) I may show him your letter for a of public safety because you are not the only one to complain (…)”

Finally, on July 28: “ Dear Romain, I saw Michel Gallimard – without showing him your letter – (…)”

Les Racines du ciel was finally published by Gallimard on October 5, 1956. The book was awarded the Prix Goncourt on December 3, 1956.

Novelist, Odette Arnaud published several novels such as Mer Caraïbe in 1934 or Pêcheurs de rêve in 1936. We also owe her a biography on the painter Pierre Subleyras (1699-1749). She subsequently became Romain Gary's press agent.