ALBERT COHEN was born in Greece in 1895. His novel-cycle began with Solal (1930) and Mangeclous (1938), and ended with Belle du Seigneur (1968) and Les Valeureux (1969). He died in 1981.DAVID COWARD is Emeritus Professor of French at the University of Leeds, England. He has written widely on the literature of France since 1700, and is a regular contributor to The Times Literary Supplement. He won a Scott-Moncrieff prize for his edition of Belle du Seigneur.