Maigret by Georges Simenon (The Folio Society, 2018; Introduction)


Notes on this edition: Georges Simenon. Maigret. London: The Folio Society, 2018.

Julian Barnes introduces this 3-volume Folio Society set. His introduction appears on pages vii-xv in the volume titled Maigret and the Calame Report. Pp. 160. 22.3 x 14.4 cm. Translated by Moura Budberg. Wood engravings by Harry Brockway.

The set includes three novels:

Maigret and the Calame Report
Maigret and the Wine Merchant
Maigret and the Saturday Caller

“Nachworts” | Chez Krull (Kampa Verlag, 2018; German)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. “Nachworts: Die Welt von ‘Chez Krull’ ist nicht verschwunden” in Chez Krull by Georges Simenon. Zürich: Kampa Verlag, 2018. Pp. 253 [254] + [2]. 21 x 13.2 cm. ISBN: 9783311133353. (German).

Julian Barnes’s afterword is translated by Thomas Bodmer and appears on pp. 249-[254].

To launch the new Simenon publishing program in German, Kampa Verlag commissioned afterwords to accompany the new editions. Simenon’s Chez Krull features an afterword by Julian Barnes, as pictured.

Inserted into the example presented here is a small promotional pamphlet of 20 pages (10 pages folded and glued) promoting the new editions. For more information about Kampa Verlag, please visit: https://kampaverlag.ch/georges-simenon-chez-krull/

“Fair Treatment for the Belgian Sex Maniac” (Literary Review, April 1992)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. “Fair Treatment for the Belgian Sex Maniac.” Literary Review, April 1992: 4-6.

Julian Barnes writes about Georges Simenon in a review of The Man Who Wasn’t Maigret: A Portrait of Georges Simenon by Patrick Marnham. The essay was later published as “The Pouncer” in Something to Declare.

This copy of the journal is signed by Julian Barnes and was purchased from the Estate of Rolland Comstock.

Maigret and the Penguin Books | “Georges Simenon Returns” (Penguin Collectors’ Society, 2015)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. “Georges Simenon Returns.” Maigret and the Penguin Books. London: Penguin Collectors’ Society, 2015. Pp. 111 + [1]. 18 x 11.2 cm. ISBN: 9780993110634.

Julian Barnes’s essay appears on pp. 8-16.

The book also contains the following: “Penguin and Maigret: A Little Publishing History” by James Mackay; “The Maigret Books in Penguin: An Illustrated Historical Bibliography;” Sources, further reading and acknowledgements.

Georges Simenon: 1903-1989 | “Diary: People Will Hate Us Again” (Peters Fraser & Dunlop, 2018)


Notes on this edition: Julian Barnes. “Diary: People Will Hate Us Again” in Georges Simenon: 1903-1989.  [London]: Peters Fraser & Dunlop, 2018. Unstated, but limited to 100 copies for promotional purposes. Pp. 63  + [1]; Inside front and back covers are numbered. 21 x 14.7 cm.

This stapled pamphlet was produced by John Simenon, Georges Simenon Limited and Peters Fraser & Dunlop Ltd. in conjunction with the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2018. The pamphlet promotes a series of essays written about Georges Simenon. The introduction to the pamphlet states:

To launch the new Simenon publishing programme in German, Kampa Verlag have commissioned afterwords to accompany the new editions. 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the death of George Simenon and to commemorate 90 years since the creation of his magnificent Maigret series, we have collected together the first of the pieces to be published. These afterwords can be made available for all territories.

John Simenon, Georges Simenon Limited and PFD are proud to be working with distinguished publishers such as yourself all across the world.

Frankfurt, 10th October 2018

Julian Barnes’s afterword appears on pp. 36-52. He wrote the afterword to accompany Simenon’s Chez Krull, published by Kampa Verlag in October 2018.

Special thanks to Eli Keren for providing a copy of this rare publication.

“Admirable Positives and Enviable Negatives” | The Red Barn (National Theatre, 2016)


Notes on this publication: In 2016, the National Theatre presented David Hare’s The Red Barn, a play based on the novel, La Main, by Georges Simenon. The programme for the play includes an essay by Julian Barnes titled “Admirable Positives and Enviable Negatives”. The essay is adapted from his essay “Georges Simenon Returns”, first published in The Times Literary Supplement (7 May 2014).