Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book opens with a contextualizing analysis of what can be called the "first globalization" of the book trade, going back to the middle of the 19th century, and spanning the years between the adoption of the Berne Convention in 1886, and the 1930s. Understanding the beginnings of the Hoffman agency requires an exposition of both the French and American publishing scenes in the early decades of the 20th century, and an account of the French taste for American books prior to the Second World War. Building on a case study, the book aims to shed light on the material conditions of the circulation of texts across the Atlantic between the United States and France in the years 1944-1955. It examines the minute mechanics and fine details of the negotiations for French rights conducted by one of the most prominent French co-agents.