An icon in her native France, Colette's scandalous life and works still captivate readers 150 years on from her birth, writes John Self.
"How long Colette has lived, even after her death!" wrote the journalist Janet Flanner in 1967. More than half a century later, Colette lives on still, and this week sees the 150th anniversary of her birth. To mark the occasion, NYRB Classics has published a new translation of her twin masterpieces, Chéri (1920) and The End of Chéri (1926), translated by Paul Eprile – and this seems like a good opportunity to explore the life and work of this uniquely beloved of French writers. ufacn