Julian's Books

La Prière + L'Homme, Cet Inconnu [Pair of signed books to Pierre Lecomte du Nouy]

Alexis Carrel

Both volumes professionally rebound in sturdy protective hardcover, with the original 1944 Plon printed paper wrappers bound in. Very Good. Item #125608

** Monumental Pair of 1944 Signed Association Copies: Alexis Carrel to Pierre Lecomte du Noüy ("Billy") – La Prière & L'Homme, Cet Inconnu (Librairie Plon) **ITEM OVERVIEW: ** An unrepeatable, museum-grade pairing of two foundational 20th-century works of science and philosophy, linking 1912 Nobel Laureate Dr. Alexis Carrel directly to his lifelong scientific collaborator, co-author, and closest friend, Pierre Lecomte du Noüy. Both volumes were published in Paris by Librairie Plon in 1944 during a pivotal moment in historical philosophy and feature intimate handwritten inscriptions addressing Lecomte du Noüy by his personal family nickname, "Billy." **VOLUME 1: LA PRIÈRE (1944)** * Publisher: Librairie Plon, Paris * Inscription: Handwritten, signed, and dated in French on the half-title page by Alexis Carrel to his closest friend and lifetime collaborator, Pierre Lecomte du Noüy: "A Billy..." * Significance: Carrel's profound treatise on the biophysical and spiritual nature of prayer, intimately gifted to the man who shared his laboratory and philosophical worldview. **VOLUME 2: L'HOMME, CET INCONNU [MAN, THE UNKNOWN] (1944)** * Publisher: Librairie Plon, Paris * Inscription: Heartfelt handwritten presentation inscription on the half-title page, signed and dated by Alexis Carrel to "Billy" Pierre Lecomte du Noüy. * Significance: Carrel's magnum opus. Finding an inscribed copy of this landmark text is exceptionally rare; an association copy dedicated to his top intellectual partner is a pinnacle acquisition for any elite collection. These two books stand as vital historical artifacts capturing the private intellectual and emotional lives of two of the 20th century's foundational scientific minds. Pierre Lecomte du Noüy (frequently nicknamed "Billy" by his close friends, American colleagues, and family) was a prominent French biophysicist, author, and philosopher who worked directly alongside Alexis Carrel. The two men were incredibly close lifelong friends and scientific collaborators. 1. Connection to Alexis Carrel During World War I, Lecomte du Noüy served as a young officer in the French army. He met Dr. Alexis Carrel at a military hospital in Compiègne. Carrel was trying to find a way to precisely measure how wounds heal, and "Billy"—who possessed a brilliant mathematical mind—successfully created a mathematical formula to calculate the exact rate of wound cicatrization (healing). Impressed by his genius, Carrel invited him to join his research team. From 1920 to 1928, Lecomte du Noüy moved to New York to work as an associate member of the prestigious Rockefeller Institute, right inside Alexis Carrel’s laboratory. 2. Scientific Achievements Beyond his work with Carrel, "Billy" made massive independent waves in the scientific community: The Tensiometer: He invented the du Noüy tensiometer, a highly critical piece of laboratory equipment that utilizes the "du Noüy ring method" to measure the surface tension of liquids. The Pasteur Institute: He later returned to France and served as the Head of the Biophysics Division at the Pasteur Institute from 1927 to 1936. 3. Spiritual and Philosophical Shift Much like Alexis Carrel—who wrote La Prière (Prayer) and examined the intersection of science and spirituality—Lecomte du Noüy underwent a major personal transformation from agnosticism to Christianity. When World War II broke out, he and his American wife, Mary Bishop Harriman, escaped Nazi-occupied Paris and fled back to the United States. He spent his final years writing widely popular books that argued science and religion were completely compatible, most notably his 1947 international bestseller, Human Destiny. He argued that biological evolution is directed by a transcendent cause (God) and is steadily moving toward a spiritual and moral plane. Significance of the 1944 "Billy" Du Noüy Set The Final Year: Alexis Carrel died on November 5, 1944. These inscriptions represent some of the very last books he ever signed before his death. The Shared Exile: In 1944, the Western world was engulfed in the final stages of WWII. Both Carrel and Lecomte du Noüy were dealing with intense political turbulence, health issues, and deep philosophical reflections on the future of humanity. The Twin Philosophies: L'Homme, Cet Inconnu (Man, the Unknown) was Carrel's magnum opus on human biology and social philosophy. Pairing it with La Prière (his treatise on spiritual energy) given to the man who was simultaneously writing Human Destiny represents a complete synthesis of their lifelong intellectual brotherhood.

Price: $4,500.00