Thomas studied at the École des chartes, from which she graduated in 1931.
In 1933, her first novel, La Mort de Marie (Mary's Death), was awarded the Prix du Premier Roman. A few years later she quit her job to become a journalist at Ce Soir, a left-wing evening newspaper close to the Popular Front government. She also contributed to various magazines (Vendredi, Europe, Regards) for which she covered the Spanish Civil War on the Republican side.
During World War II, she joined the Résistance and became a member of the French Communist Party in 1942. She wrote a series of short stories under male pseudonyms (Jean Le Guern, Auxois), published on clandestine press by Les Editions de Minuit in 1943, under the title Contes d'Auxois.
After the War, she returned to her first profession and took a position as curator at the Archives nationales. She then became a pioneer of women's history in France, working mainly on feminism during the 19th century and on significant female figures such as Joan of Arc, Pauline Roland, Louise Michel and George Sand. She left the Communist Party in 1949.
Although Thomas declared herself heterosexual, she had her most enduring affair with a woman. In 1946, aged 37, she met translator and editor Anne Desclos, aged 39, through literary critic and publisher Jean Paulhan, director of the prestigious literary magazine Nouvelle Revue Française. Paulhan and Thomas had met at the beginning of the War, and both had been members of the Comité national des écrivains (Writers' National Committee), an intellectual Résistance group led by Louis Aragon. Desclos, a bisexual, was Paulhan's employee and lover. The two women began having a passionate liaison.
In 1954, Paulhan, an admirer of the Marquis de Sade, made to Desclos the remark that no woman was capable of writing an erotic novel. To prove him wrong, Desclos wrote a graphic, sadomasochistic novel as a series of love letters to him. Prompted by Paulhan, she agreed to publish it under the pen name Pauline Réage. Titled Story of O (Histoire d'O.), it sparked off huge controversy and was an enormous commercial success. After much speculation, Desclos publicly admitted that she was the author only 40 years later, and suggested that Thomas inspired her to create some characters, especially the one of Anne-Marie.
Louise Michel, Gallimard, 1971; Black Rose Books, 1980
Notes
^Notice of the French National Library (in French).
^Dorothy Kaufmann, Édith Thomas, A Passion for Resistance, Cornell University Press, 2004
References
Dorothy Kaufmann (2004). Edith Thomas: A Passion for Resistance. Cornell University Press. ISBN0-8014-4223-0.
February 02, 2023
Édith, thomas, this, article, about, french, novelist, archivist, american, poet, edith, thomas, january, 1909, montrouge, december, 1970, paris, french, novelist, archivist, historian, journalist, born, 1909, january, 1909montrougedied7, december, 1970, 1970,. This article is about the French novelist and archivist For the American poet see Edith Thomas Edith Thomas 23 January 1909 Montrouge 7 December 1970 Paris 1 was a French novelist archivist historian and journalist Edith ThomasBorn 1909 01 23 23 January 1909MontrougeDied7 December 1970 1970 12 07 aged 61 ParisPen nameJean Le Guern AuxoisOccupationarchivistNationalityFrenchEducationEcole des chartesGenresnovels women s historyNotable awardsPrix du Premier RomanA bisexual pioneer of women s history she reputedly inspired a character of the erotic novel Story of O 2 Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life 3 Works 3 1 Works in English 4 Notes 5 ReferencesCareer EditThomas studied at the Ecole des chartes from which she graduated in 1931 In 1933 her first novel La Mort de Marie Mary s Death was awarded the Prix du Premier Roman A few years later she quit her job to become a journalist at Ce Soir a left wing evening newspaper close to the Popular Front government She also contributed to various magazines Vendredi Europe Regards for which she covered the Spanish Civil War on the Republican side During World War II she joined the Resistance and became a member of the French Communist Party in 1942 She wrote a series of short stories under male pseudonyms Jean Le Guern Auxois published on clandestine press by Les Editions de Minuit in 1943 under the title Contes d Auxois After the War she returned to her first profession and took a position as curator at the Archives nationales She then became a pioneer of women s history in France working mainly on feminism during the 19th century and on significant female figures such as Joan of Arc Pauline Roland Louise Michel and George Sand She left the Communist Party in 1949 Thomas died in Paris in 1970 at the age of 61 Personal life EditAlthough Thomas declared herself heterosexual she had her most enduring affair with a woman In 1946 aged 37 she met translator and editor Anne Desclos aged 39 through literary critic and publisher Jean Paulhan director of the prestigious literary magazine Nouvelle Revue Francaise Paulhan and Thomas had met at the beginning of the War and both had been members of the Comite national des ecrivains Writers National Committee an intellectual Resistance group led by Louis Aragon Desclos a bisexual was Paulhan s employee and lover The two women began having a passionate liaison In 1954 Paulhan an admirer of the Marquis de Sade made to Desclos the remark that no woman was capable of writing an erotic novel To prove him wrong Desclos wrote a graphic sadomasochistic novel as a series of love letters to him Prompted by Paulhan she agreed to publish it under the pen name Pauline Reage Titled Story of O Histoire d O it sparked off huge controversy and was an enormous commercial success After much speculation Desclos publicly admitted that she was the author only 40 years later and suggested that Thomas inspired her to create some characters especially the one of Anne Marie Works EditLa mort de Marie Gallimard 1934 OCLC 12261585Works in English Edit The Women Incendiaries G Braziller 1966 OCLC 401383 The Women Incendiaries Translators James Atkinson Starr Atkinson Haymarket Books 2007 ISBN 9781931859462 Eve and the Others Continental Editions 1976 ISBN 9780916868017 Louise Michel Gallimard 1971 Black Rose Books 1980Notes Edit Notice of the French National Library in French Dorothy Kaufmann Edith Thomas A Passion for Resistance Cornell University Press 2004References EditDorothy Kaufmann 2004 Edith Thomas A Passion for Resistance Cornell University Press ISBN 0 8014 4223 0 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edith Thomas amp oldid 1127708974, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
