Nelson Algren, Simone de Beauvoir and Sartre

Four books by Nelson Algren found at  Shakespeare and Co in Paris and bought reasonably from George Whitman. About 1990. Catalogued thus (and sold). All inscribed to Simone de Beauvoir - a reminder of this great literary triangulation.

65. ALGREN, Nelson: NEVER COME MORNING. Harper & Brothers, New York, 1942. Signed by Nelson Algren. The French translator's copy with copious notes throughout. The translation was begun by Guyonnet and Bost but worked over, completed and improved by de Beauvoir & Satre. This copy contains many notes in their hands. Many are about obscure American criminals and low-life slang. According to Algren's biographer Bettina Drew 'Sartre helped take the inadequate translation and along with Simone turned it into a good French novel'. When Algren met Sartre he expected they would confront one another like jealous adversaries but was struck by his warmth and charm. Fascinating association copy. VG 

66. ALGREN, Nelson: CHICAGO: CITY ON THE MAKE. Doubleday, New York, 1951.
Signed presentation copy to Simone Beavoir. 'For Castor Avec Amour from Nelson in the Forrest Ave. Nest, Oct. 1951'. Castor was a pet name used by friends. Minor wear else VG. 

67. ALGREN, Nelson: SOMEBODY IN BOOTS. Vanguard, New York, 1935.
Author's first book. Simone de Beavoir's copy with a coloured drawing on the rear endpapers of two rabbits and 'Madame La Tigresse' and 'Monsieur Le Tigre' written underneath in Algfren's Hand. Nelson Algren and Simone de Beavoir were friends and lovers from 1947-1960. An interesting association copy. A somewhat worn and rubbed but solid copy. G/VG.

68.  ALGREN, Nelson: THE NEON WILDERNESS. Hill and Wang, New York, 1960.
1st collected edition of 24 short stories. Signed presentation copy to Simone de Beavoir 'For My Own Simone For Keeps Nelson.' Wraps. VG 

Apparently there is reference to the occasion when Sylvie Le Bon de Beauvoir sold these and many other of Beauvoir's English language books in Mary Duncan's Henry Miller is Under My Bed. See also Bookride which has more on this and mentions that Algren thought Sartre looked like a shoe salesman...