Joë Bousquet's Unpublished Letters to Linette Reveal Poetic Sensuality

Unpublished correspondence from French poet Joë Bousquet to Linette (Jacqueline Gourbeyre) has been published by Éditions Grasset. After being paralyzed by a German bullet on May 27, 1918, Bousquet spent 32 years confined to his bed in Carcassonne, becoming a prominent figure within the Surrealist movement and maintaining correspondence with André Breton and others. During WWII, his room at 53 rue de Verdun provided refuge for Jews, including Julien Benda and Simone Weil. The letters, penned following Linette's visit in 1946 after an exhibition he co-organized, showcase Bousquet's profound sensuality. The collection, introduced by Nicolas Brimo, features no responses from Linette and includes Bousquet's erotic dreams. He passed away in 1950, with Linette being the last of several young women to visit him.