Gargantua and Pantagruel. By Francois Rabelais. Illustrated by Walter Brooks. Limited Edition. Franklin Library. Franklin Center, 1978.

Francois Rabelais was a French author in the sixteenth century who pioneered French prose and crafted some of the first novels in French. Among them, his five works commonly referred to as Gargantua and Pantagruel remain some of the most important French literature ever produced. They are adventure tales and bildungsroman about their titular characters, two giants who live among common French people. The works are notably crass and humorous for their time period. They were also incredibly influential. They remain some of the most important books in French literary canon. This volume compiles all five Gargantua and Pantagruel novels into a single volume. It is an essential work for any collector of French literature.

This limited edition is in fine condition. In the original leather, finely gilt stamped. Raised bands. Gilt spine label. Text block fine. Gilt edges. Silk moire endpapers and bookmark sewn in.

A fine collector’s copy of Gargantua and Pantagruel.