Un Bien Grand Amour Lettres à Musidora 1908-1953 by Colette edited by Gérard Bonal

 Un Bien Grand Amour

Lettres à Musidora 1908-1953 by Colette edited by Gérard Bonal is a book published by L'Editions de L'Herne.

We all know Colette and in this book the importance is focused on her correspondence with Musidora. 

The real name of this lady was Jeanne Roques. Daughter of a music composer, with a mother in love for painting, this girl wins the partecipation at a design competition, receiving a prize. 

The idea that this young girl would become a painter is great. 

But...Musidora is attracted by theather and cinema, the mute one: and she starts to acting. 

Her idol is Colette and won't hesitate of writing her a letter adding that. The year after the two women will be both at the Ba-Ta-Clan; Colette is 39 years, while Musidora, Musi, as calls Colette with love and friendship this girl, just 23. 

The year after there is the meeting with Pierre Labrouche. Colette warmly recommended to him Musidora. Pierre was a painter and an engraver. In the while, the work and friendship of these two ladies continue.

The two friends were all alone  together, in the house of Colette when the Great War was announced. Years passes by and Musi becomes the star of the cinema mute. Her roles are the most diversified ones. Horror, adventurers, reportages. At a certain point Musidora leaves for Spain where she will stay from 1922 to 1926 because in love for Antonio Canero, a bull-fighter, a torero. Musidora is a myth, recognized by everyone; a muse. Although Musidora left France for a spanish ardent torero, she will marry a doctor, Clement Marot in 1927. This relationship won't be happy and will end in a divorce in 1944. The financial situation of Musidora becomes more desperate year after year. 

In these letters you will find stories of common life, from the little kid of Colette and the improvement in growing;  private facts, health's situation of herself or people connected with her, and common friends of Musidora,  potatoes not yet arrived for being planted, or in fall fruits harvested; there are mentions about Christmas and a trip she made to Italy when we entered in war or when she spent some time with her mother and sister in the countryside. I found interesting what Colette writes when affords to Nice: she is sick because of an emphysema. It is in march 1921. She adds that she can't write her often because of her work and because of healthy problems adding in a letter that she mentally wrote her wagons of times, just that she could not; the editor Fayard enters in these letters because during the Occupation Colette publishes most of her writings for his publishing house, freshly founded, while the domestic problems of Musidora starts to worry Colette. 

During a letter written in Christmas, 1942, Colette tells to her friend that to her point of view remaining with that guy means living in a poisoned atmosphere. We all know the magic that Colette felt during the Christmas's Time. At the same time slowly the vicious situation in which lived Musy will be resolved although it will mean privations, and the divorce won't be a joke at all. And, if the existence of Colette becomes always and always more fertile and aboundant of occasions and opportunities, Colette was a business-woman not indifferent, the one of Musidora starts to be constantly more miserable. To Colette in part it's Musy's fault: too uninterested in business and money. Colette  tell her that everyday she receives 50 letters and when she notices a letter from her means happiness because it means a break from her common daily routine: bone pain, writing....

In one of the last letter Colette writes: "Je pense tellment plus à toi que tu ne peux l'imaginer..." I think of you so badly that you can't imagine... closing with "Moi, je suis toujours ton antique Colette", I remain your old Colette.

The last two selected letters are addressed to Pierre Labrouche for trying to see what it can be done for Musy. "L'historie Musy est une historie biene amère" The history of Musy is a a history very bitter" writes Colette to Pierre.

I loved Colette's simplicity in reporting events, little or big facts, with freshness and participation.

Colette didn't never write the date of the letters she sent so it was also this one a hard work for trying to classify chronologically facts, events.

Beautiful book, if you love espistolary genre, Colette or the last century, discovering everyday new characters and... histories. 

Highly recommended.

I thank L'Editions de l'Herne for the physical copy of the book.

Anna Maria Polidori