The Intégrale
This page is solely for information concerning the Intégrale - the complete works [including re-writes] which Anne Golon is currently in the process of completing. Any updates will appear on this page which is subject to change on a regular basis.
In the meantime I am happy to share as much as I know of the chronological history of the Intégrale in this section of the web-site.
As with the projected publication dates (see sidebar) the Intégrale was also announced using the poster reproduced below:
Intégrale simply translated means 'complete works' - unabridged and untainted. Over the years, Anne Golons original writing has been tampered with by editors and publishers and in some parts re-written by ghost writers (hard as that is to believe). Because of a variety of circumstances and the eventual death of her husband and co-writer Serge the enormity of the task of restoring the work was not discovered until relatively recently (considering this started happening in the 1950s).
Anne has vowed that she will not only restore her work (which she refers to as her oeuvre) but will also complete it; the 14th book is in the pipeline and its working title is 'Angélique et le Royaume de France' (Angélique and the Kingdom of France).
The first time the title 'Angélique et le Royaume de France' was seen publicly was in a theatre programme reproduced above. It is interesting to see that the the two book titles preceding the announcement differ from the published versions. 'Angélique et la Route de l'Espoir' drops the 'et' in the published version and 'Angélique et sa Victoire' becomes less subjective and is published as 'La Victoire d'Angélique.' In both cases, I actually think that the originally projected titles would have translated more easily and naturally into English if they had remained unchanged.
Proof sheet of the original designs autographed by collaborators Iva Garo and Nadine Goloubinoff
The Intégrale will also, we are told, include some re-writes to enable additional information to be added to link, more smoothly, certain events/ threads that run over several books and which she feels need clarification or embellishment. This will be all-new material.
The original book covers of the Intégrale were designed and promoted by 'Archange International' owned by the Golons and their associates. In 2006 at the Salon du Livre in Geneva the first of the books were made available for sale to the general public.
The original Archange designs and titles can be seen below:
Book 1 - "Marquise des Anges" Book 2 - "Mariage Toulousain" Book 3 - "Fêtes Royales" Book 4 - "Le Supplicié de Notre Dame" Book 5 - "Ombres et Lumières dans Paris"
A clever innovation with the original design of the Archange books is that they came with matching bookmarks as seen here:
Two further projected covers, which were work in progress, never saw the light of day.
Book 6 - "Le Chemin de Versailles" and Book 7 - "Et Le Roy"
It was a rare treat seeing Anne Golon surrounded by her books, autographing them with her usual great care ensuring the right personal inscription to individual fans is attributed to their own precious books, especially now that the Intégrale has finally made its way to the bookshelves of book stores and book fairs again!
Here's an image of the 'stand' reserved for Anne and an enlarged image of a magazine article devoted to the return of Angélique.
And a lovely picture of mother and daughter enjoying the success so warmly deserved after a long and bitter period of Angélique 'down time.'
Read copy of a review by Isabelle Bagnoud (in English and French) following the successful return of Anne Golon and her Angélique here (.pdf file)
And so - time for a new Publisher - L'Archipel
Read all their promotional material here (.pdf file)
A new publisher and a whole set of new book covers featuring the eyes of famous paintings from the 'Romantics' period (alternatives covers in different languages will be found here) and even a change of book name:
Book 1 - "Marquise des Anges" Book 2 - "La Fiancée Vendue" Book 3 - "Fêtes Royales" Book 4 - "Le Supplicié de Notre Dame" Book 5 - "Ombres et Lumières dans Paris" Book 6 - "Le Chemin de Versailles"
And the second printing :
A change of publisher, a whole new look for the first editions and then another change of imagery in the form of the 'archi poche' for these quintessentially eternal books. I've only been able to find the first four books in this format - all featuring the same figure with differing backgrounds.
Book 1 - "Marquise des Anges" Book 2 - "La Fiancée Vendue" Book 3 - "Fêtes Royales" Book 4 - "Le Supplicié de Notre Dame"
The third printing brought a variation of the original 'Romantics' design to ArchiPoche :
Book 1 - "Marquise des Anges" Book 2 - "La Fiancée Vendue"
Relentlessly the publishers produced a further printing brought another variation, this time under the aegis of 'Grands Charactères' - ever more beautiful imagery, again, frustratingly only the first two books:
Book 1 - "Marquise des Anges" Book 2 - "La Fiancée Vendue"
Today, whilst updating this page I found yet another variation of the first two books on the Alapage site which is a big internet book site - these covers, I personally find quite unremarkable:
Book 1 - "Marquise des Anges" Book 2 - "La Fiancée Vendue"