Le Testament Français

First edition in English. 8vo. Pp. [x], 275. Maroon cloth, lettered in silver to spine.

Signed by Author to title page. Scarce, so.

Translated from the French [and with a foreword] by Geoffrey Strachan. Winner of both the Prix Goncourt and the Prix Médicis in 1995, a then unheard of feat. A 1997 National Book Critics' Circle Award nominee, a New York Times Notable Book, and a Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year. Originally issued by Mercure de France, as Le Testament Français. The title was changed to Dreams of My Russian Summers upon publication in America.

The poignant story of a Soviet boy's coming-of-age in 1970s Siberia, and his affection for his mysterious grandmother, incongruously present at all the pivotal historical events of the 20th century. A Russian émigré in France since 1987, Makine had to present his first manuscripts as translations from his mother tongue to overcome publishers' scepticism over his near-faultless French as a newly arrived exile. The author grew up bilingual thanks to an elderly French nanny who took care of him since the age of four. Author was elected to the Académie française in March 2016, succeeding the late Assia Djebar. "Deeply, densely symbolic, even allegorical... wonderful... profound." –Tatyana Tolstaya