“I love my past. I love my present. I’m not ashamed of what I’ve had, and I’m not sad because I have it no longer.”

One may say, without risking exaggeration, that Chéri is the ultimate love story, as well as the ultimate love story for its main character, Léa de Lonval, a 49-year-old courtesan involved with a 25-year-old lover whom she calls “Chéri.”

We follow the lovers through the very last moments of their love affair. Léa is aging and Chéri  is getting married to someone else.

Colette wrote this masterpiece as she was turning 47 herself.  Rumor has it that the novel is a very truthful account of her own experiences, which makes it even more precious and remarkable.  Her witty––though melancholic––plume is one-of-a-kind, and it is no wonder that Chéri is one of Colette’s most famous and well-regarded novels.

A beautiful gift for any Colette lover, or just for lovers in general!

This first edition book is part of Le Cabinet précieux d’Albertine: Colette, Chéri, together with La Fin de Chéri, Paris, Arthème Fayard, 1920 & Ernest Flammarion, 1926, 2 volumes, 12 mo, red morocco by Canape & Corriez, all edges gilt. First editions. Chéri is one of the 175 first copies on Holland paper: La fin de Chéri is one of 250 copies on Holland paper.

Write to info@albertine.com or call 212-439-1433 for more information.