Colette, The Vagabond, 1955

The book that Colette claimed as her favorite, The Vagabond is a vivid portrait of life in the Parisian music halls of the early twentieth century. Renée Néré is recently divorced and starting over as a vaudeville performer. Enter Maxime: a rich and idle bachelor who offers his love and the security of marriage. The novel explores the heroine's struggle to choose between security and comfort or independence, freedom and artistry. Drawn largely from Colette's personal life (she too was a performer after her divorce from Henry Gauthier-Villars, better known by his pen name, Willy), the title is often described as one of the first and best feminist novels.

This edition from 1955 is translated by Enid McLeod and features an attractive, eye-catching cover. This book is in good vintage condition with small tears to the top of its dust jacket, which is secured in a plastic sleeve. The pages are clean and the volume is well intact. Please see our detailed photos.