Items related to Rules of the Game
Synopsis
L'existence de Walter Higgins ne se distingue en rien de celle de ses voisins. Il vit dans une maison typique de l'élégant quartier de Maple Street. Une satisfaction manque cependant au bonheur de Higgins : son admission au Country Club dont les membres, notables de la cité, semblent s'ingénier à lui interdire l'entrée. Cette année encore, une boule noire a sanctionné le vote.
Translated by Howard Curtis.
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Language Notes
Text: English, French (translation)
From Publishers Weekly
Curtis's translation from Simenon's novel is merely competent, yet readers will feel the impact of the French original, published in 1955. The story was obviously inspired by the gifted author's temporary residence in a Connecticut town, here called Williamson. As described in spare, poetic passages, events concern the manager of the local supermarket, Walter Higgins. A caring husband and father, proud of his family and the status he has achieved after a deprived childhood in a New Jersey slum, Higgins happily anticipates joining the country club. When the committee blackballs him, the snub is a terrible blow. Higgins's wife and their children give him loving support but he becomes obsessed by thoughts of revenge against those who play a game with secret rules against those who "don't count." At this critical time, an emergency takes Higgins to his old neighborhood and the novel to a dramatically different turn. Simenon's pitiless observations of snobbish cruelty and his compassion for outcasts provoke thoughts of the pecking order that exists in communities everywhere.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Seller Image
THE RULES OF THE GAME
Published by
Hamish Hamilton, London, 1989
ISBN 10: 0241122732
ISBN 13: 9780241122730
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Orlando Booksellers, Lincoln, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First UK Edition. First impression of the first UK edition, with full number-string sequence on the publisher's prelims copyright page, including the no. "1": 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2. Translated by Howard Curtis. Originally published in French in 1955 as La Boule Noir [The Black Ball]. Dustwrapper colour illustration by Ashley Potter. ***Very good in bright orange cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to spine. Edges of boards and head and tail of spine slightly rubbed. Small dent to fore-edges of front and rear board, slightly affecting the fore-edge of a few pages. A few light fox marks to the fore-edge of the page block, not affecting the interior pages. Paper very slightly browned [cheap paper stock used]. No inscriptions. Spine tight. ***In a very good colour-illustrated dustwrapper that has not been price-clipped, showing original publisher's price of £11.95. Edges of dustwrapper slightly creased and rubbed.Tiny nick to bottom edge of rear panel of dustwrapper. No fading to the orange spine of the dustwrapper. Rear panel, spine and front panel of dustwrapper bright. 224mm x 138mm. 154 pages. ***''Walter J. Higgins is a model citizen of his small American town. He is manager of the local supermarket and a good family man; he doesn't smoke or drink and puts in many hours of unsung work on voluntary committees. All his life he has been struggling upwards, his aim to become a member, albeit a modest one, of the local establishment. But, in applying for membership of the country club his ambition has over-reached itself. Rejection of his application for the second time gives Walter Higgins a deeply painful shock. Suddenly he sees himself in a completely new light, He sees the paltriness and futility of his efforts to become one of the leaders in the community, and for the first time he understands the corruption of the society he has been trying to enter. Deeply humiliated, angry and bitter, Walter Higgins is determined to have his revenge. ***Once again, Simenon displays his talent for getting right under the skin of his characters, giving a very moving picture of the devastating impact of the loss of illusions and innocence. ***George Simenon, perhaps the world's most famous writer of detective novels, was born in Belgium in 1903. He wrote his first novel at the age of sixteen while working on a local newspaper. Since then, he has been an exceptionally prolific novelist, winning critical as well as public acclaim. His books, which have been praised in the strongest terms by T. S. Eliot, J.B.Priestley and Andre Gide, have now sold well over 600 million copies in 47 languages.' (Quote from inside front and rear of dustwrapper blurb). ***First impression of the first UK edition in its original dustwrapper in bright condition. An extremely hard to find George Simenon first edition title. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Seller Inventory # 6111
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The Rules of the Game
Published by
Hamish Hamilton, London `, 1989
ISBN 10: 0241122732
ISBN 13: 9780241122730
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Tombland Bookshop, Norwich, NFLK, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hard Cover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. Potter, Ashley (Jacket illustration) (illustrator). First Edition First Impression. 8vo. 154 pp. very good in original orange cloth gilt, very bright, minimal shelf wear, very good plus in original unclipped dustwrapper with minimal shelf wear, very good plus in removable cello sleeve Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Seller Inventory # 36223
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The Rules of the Game
Published by
Hamish Hamilton, UK, 1989
ISBN 10: 0241122732
ISBN 13: 9780241122730
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Manyhills Books, Traralgon, VIC, Australia
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Hardcover. 154 pages. *** PUBLISHING DETAILS: Hamish Hamilton, UK, 1989. First Edition. This is the first UK edition. *** CONDITION: The book itself is in very good condition and comes in very good dust jacket. More specifically: Edges of boards have superficial wear. Dust jacket has light creasing. Edges of dust jacket have superficial wear. Dust jacket is unclipped. Edges of pages are slightly foxed. Pages are reasonably tanned. *** ABOUT THIS BOOK: Walter J. Higgins has all the right requirements to be admitted into the local country club, but when he is denied membership, his childhood wounds and painful secrets haunt him again, and he seeks to alleviate his suffering through revenge. *** Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; Crime; ISBN: 0241122732. ISBN/EAN: 9780241122730. Inventory No: 25030201. Seller Inventory # 25030201
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