The Letters of Samuel Beckett offers for the first time a comprehensive range of letters of one of the greatest literary figures of the twentieth century. This volume includes letters written between 1929 and 1940. It provides a vivid and personal view of Western Europe in the 1930s, marked by the gradual emergence, against his own hesitations and the indifference or hostility of others, of Beckett’s unique voice and sensibility. Even in the tentativeness of the early writing, the letters show his care for his work as well as what he must share or relinquish to allow it to have a life beyond himself. Detailed introductions, translations, explanatory notes, profiles of major correspondents, chronologies, and other contextual information accompany the letters. For anyone interested in twentieth-century literature and theatre this edition offers not only a record of achievements but a powerful literary experience in itself.

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Martha Dow Fehsenfeld, Lois More Overbeck, George Craig and Dan Gunn

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
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Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York

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Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521867931

The Letters of Samuel Beckett © The Estate of Samuel Beckett 2009.
Introduction, translations and notes © Martha Dow Fehsenfeld, Lois More Overbeck, Dan Gunn and George Craig 2009

The moral right of Samuel Beckett always to be identified as the author of the Letters is hereby asserted.

This publication is in copyright. No reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of The Estate of Samuel Beckett, c/o Rosica Colin Limited, 1 Clareville Grove Mews, London SW7 5AH.

First published 2009

Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge

A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication dataBeckett, Samuel, 1906–1989.[Correspondence. Polyglot. Selections]The letters of Samuel Beckett / editors, Martha Dow Fehsenfeld, Lois More Overbeck;associate editors, George Craig, Dan Gunn.p. cm.Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN 978-0-521-86793-11. Beckett, Samuel, 1906–1989 – Correspondence. 2. Authors, Irish – 20th century –Correspondence. 3. Authors, French – 20th century – Correspondence. I. Fehsenfeld,Martha Dow. II. Overbeck, Lois More. III. Craig, George, 1931– IV. Gunn, Dan. V. Title.PR6003.E282Z48 2009848′.91409–dc22[B]2008025530

ISBN 978-0-521-86793-1 hardback

Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.Major support from The National Endowment for the Humanities (1991–1997) has facilitated the preparation of this Edition. Any views, findings, or conclusions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

To Samuel Beckett who began “it all.”

Martha Fehsenfeld

To Kristen, Andrew, and Jonathan, whose years have been spent with this edition, deep appreciation for their forbearance, humor, and regard, and especially for the pleasure of their company in this as in so much else. To James Overbeck, who endured, with gratitude for his loving advice and constant support.

Lois Overbeck

To Kate Craig, for her unfailing support and sense of the appropriate.

George Craig

To George Craig, my teacher for thirty years, from whom I am learning still; and in memory of Catharine Carver, the very best of editors.

Dan Gunn

Contents

Illustrations

Frontispiece: letter from Samuel Beckett to Mary Manning Howe, 13 December 1936

Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin

Plates (between pages 348 and 349)

1. William Beckett, Samuel Beckett’s father

By permission of The Estate of Samuel Beckett

2. Edward Price Roe and Maria Jones Roe Beckett (May)

By permission of The Estate of Samuel Beckett

3. William Abraham Sinclair (Boss)

By permission of Morris Sinclair

4. Frances Beckett Sinclair (Fanny, Cissie)

By permission of Morris Sinclair

5. Ruth Margaret Sinclair (Peggy)

By permission of Morris Sinclair

6. Morris Sinclair (Sunny)

By permission of Morris Sinclair

7. Thomas McGreevy

Courtesy of Margaret Farrington and Robert Ryan

8. Alan and Belinda Atkinson Duncan, Thomas McGreevy

Courtesy of Margaret Farrington and Robert Ryan

9. Geoffrey Thompson

Courtesy of the Thompson family

10. Samuel Beckett

Private collection of Nuala Costello

11. Abraham Jacob Leventhal (Con)

Courtesy of The Estate of Anne Leventhal Woolfson Harding

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12. Percival Arland Ussher

Courtesy of Lady Staples and other representatives of The Estate of Arland Ussher

13. Ethna MacCarthy

Private collection; copyright Seán O’Sullivan

14. Mary Manning Howe

By permission of Susan Howe

15. Nuala Costello

Private collection of Nuala Costello

16. Ilse Lynn Schneider

By permission of Ilse von Keller

17. Geer and Lisl van Velde, Gwynedd and George Reavey

Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin