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Novels I of Samuel Beckett: Volume I of The Grove Centenary Editions (Works of Samuel Beckett the Grove Centenary Editions)

Novels I of Samuel Beckett: Volume I of The Grove Centenary Editions (Works of Samuel Beckett the Grove Centenary Editions)
By Samuel Beckett

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Product Description

Edited by Paul Auster, this four–volume set of Beckett's canon has been designed by award-winner Laura Lindgren. Available individually, as well as in a boxed set, the four hardcover volumes have been specially bound with covers featuring images central to Beckett's works. Typographical errors that remained uncorrected in the various prior editions have now been corrected in consultation with Beckett scholars C. J. Ackerley and S. E. Gontarski.

Beckett was interested in consciousness as a form of comedy close to tragedy and logic as a crime. He loved the tension in 'cogito ergo sum' and took a dim view of the connecting word, the 'ergo' in the equation. Cogitating was the nightmare from which his characters were trying to awake. Being was a sour trick played on them by some force with whom they were trying desperately not to reckon. Beckett produced infinite amounts of comedy about the business of thinking as boring, invalid, and quite unnecessary. His characters did not need to think in order to be, or be in order to think. They knew they existed because of the odd habits and deep discomforts of their bodies. I itch therefore I am." — Colm Toibin, from his Introduction

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #163930 in Books
  • Published on: 2006-03-13
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 496 pages

Customer Reviews

Great, Beautiful, Incomplete5
This is a great collection of Beckett's novels, including: Murphy, Watt, and Mercier and Camier.

Noticeably missing--and noted by Paul Auster in the editor's note--is Dream of Fair to Middling Women, published post-humously. This probably points to a rights issue with the Beckett estate, but that's conjecture.

Auster notes that Beckett's "reputation rests" on the work included in this collection and I would have to agree. He also writes that this collection is not a Collected Works, so Grove and Auster have covered their backs in missing a few works (mostly in French) here and there.

This collection includes corrections to grammar and typographical errors made in the original publications and was overseen by Auster and other leaders in the field.

All-in-all: Beckett fans will not be disappointed by this beautiful set and it makes for a great introduction for people new to his works.

Read, share, repeat.