In 1945, a young photographer by the name of Robert Doisneau was assigned to do a report on an established author, Blaise Cendrars. The assignment, from the publishing house Denoël, was to be used as promotional material for the release of Cendrars’ biographical novel The Astonished Man. Welcomed into the lion’s den of the man he knew as a poet-journalist, Robert Doisneau met the hermit who, after four years of silence, had begun writing again in southern France, in Aix-en Provence.

The two men enjoyed conversation and long walks. Doisneau got to know Cendrars well. Cendrars was impressed with the young photographer’s work, and they discussed the possibility of doing a book together. Their budding friendship grew stronger. Cendrars was writing feverishly, producing La main coupée and Bourlinguer in rapid succession. Doisneau was constantly shooting pictures, and sending copies to his friend. He went to see Cendrars again, at Saint Segond this time, and found him serene, in the fullness of his life and art, author of a fourth volume of his Memoirs, Sky. The idea of producing a book together was broached again, and La Banlieue de Paris, appeared in 1949.

Now in print for the first time, Doisneau meets Cendrars provides readers with the complete photo-reportage, from which, up until now, only a few portraits had been seen. Facsimiles of letters, hitherto unpublished quotes and excerpts from the Memoirs accompany the photographs. In addition to recording their daily encounters, in these literary snapshots the photographer’s eye captures the vibration of light on the author’s intense concentration while writing, on his moments of contemplation, and on the happiness of being alive of a man in the throes of accomplishing his life’s work.