Samuel Beckett (Longman Critical Readers) [Paperback]

Jennifer Birkett (Editor), Kate Ince (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1999 | ISBN-10: 0582298075 | ISBN-13: 978-0582298071

Bringing together seminal writings on Beckett from the 1950s and 1960s with critical readings from the 1980s and 1990s, this collection is inspired by a wide variety of literary-theoretical approaches and covers the whole range of Beckett's creative work. Following an up-to-date review and analysis of Beckett criticism, fifteen extracts of Beckett criticism are introduced and set in context by editors' headnotes. This is stimulating and innovative writing on the work of Samuel Beckett, representing the wide range of new perspectives opened up by contemporary critical theory.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Back Cover

Longman Critical Readers

General Editor: Stan Smith
Research Professor in Literary Studies, Nottingham Trent University

This important series takes full account of contemporary literary theory, providing collections of key modern readings of major authors, genres and critical approaches. Prefaced by a wide-ranging editorial introduction setting the readings in context and exploring the issues they raise, individual volumes in the series offer the student authoritative and stimulating guides to the best theoretically-informed critical work on subjects from the Middle Ages to the present.


This volume aims to make easily accessible to students and scholars stimulating and innovative writing on the work of Samuel Beckett, representing the wide range of new approaches in contemporary critical theory: philosophical, political and psychoanalytic criticism, feminist and gender studies, semiotics, and reception theory.

Jennifer Birkett and Kate Ince bring together seminal writings on Beckett from the 1950s and 1960s with contemporary critical readings covering the whole range of Beckett's creative work. Fifteen critical texts are set in context by the editors' headnotes. An editorial introduction gives an up-to-date review and analysis of writing on Beckett.

The extensive bibliography is organised to guide students through the different areas of Beckett criticism, and there is a glossary of theoretical terms as well as a helpful Index.

This book will be welcomed on undergraduate and postgraduate courses where Beckett is being taught, and on critical theory courses, and will be a valuable point of reference for Beckett scholars.

Jennifer Birkett is Professor of French Studies, and Kate Ince Lecturer in French Studies, at the University of Birmingham.

Product Details

• Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: Longman Pub Group (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0582298075
• ISBN-13: 978-0582298071
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,463,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)