André Gide-Paul Fort: Correspondance (1893-1934) ed. by Akio Yoshii (review)

This volume brings together all the known letters exchanged between André Gide and Paul Fort, forty-three in total, written between 1893 and 1934. Akio Yoshii deftly guides the reader through what is, at times, a scant (though nonetheless affectionate) correspondence. Yoshii provides a level of detail that not only firmly contextualizes each letter, but also accounts for the often lengthy gaps in communication between the writers. This involves the inclusion of a number of missives sent by intermediary figures (such as Robert Fort), which elucidate certain exchanges between Gide and Fort, as well as useful references to other published and unpublished correspondences. The literary journal founded by Paul Fort, Vers et prose, was well established by the time the Nouvelle Revue française began publication. The interactions between Gide and Fort often focus on either one or both of these journals, meaning that many of their exchanges tread a line between fond admiration and literary transaction. Indeed, the uncovering of the complex relationship between the two, not only as acquaintances in the literary world, but as writers operating in key editorial roles, is one of the volume's strong points. A notable 1911 exchange sees Gide air his disappointment on being excluded from a list of sponsors circulated before a celebratory banquet in honour of Fort; this unfortunate administrative error elicited much hand-wringing on the part of the greatly embarrassed poet. Fort, in fact, was always keen to impart his gratitude to Gide for his support, collaboration, and encouragement; nowhere is this shown more clearly than in a particularly moving letter from 1914, in which Fort (elected 'Prince des poètes' in 1912) also makes the case for poetry in a time of war. Gide's opinion of Fort's work was less favourable by the interwar period, and their correspondence, fizzling out as it does, is a poignant testament to a fading friendship. A number of private sales over the years have seen several of Gide's letters to Fort dispersed, often irretrievably; in such instances, Yoshii is forced to resort to the relevant sales catalogue entry to ensure as seamless a transition as possible from one letter to the next. This is an unfortunate but unavoidable challenge faced by scholars working on the correspondence of those writers, Gide included, whose fame and seniority as major literary figures had, in earlier times, secured a wide private market for their letters. Yoshii's scholarship, especially in surmounting the various obstacles that the incomplete Gide-Fort correspondence presents, constitutes a valuable addition to Gide's extensive correspondence already in print, and will be of particular interest to those focusing on his early works. As much as it reveals Fort's engagement with one of his most illustrious contributors, the volume also gives us remarkable insight into this under-esteemed poet, highlighting his unwavering appreciation of the power of lyrical inspiration, and the ways in which this outlook informs his editorial role.