"Dante ... Bruno . Vico .. Joyce," in Our Exagmination Round His Factification for Incamination of Work in Progress. Paris: Shakespeare and Co., Sylvia Beach, 1929.

This essay, which is included in this anthology of writings on James Joyce's then-in-progress novel, Finnegan's Wake, is Samuel Beckett's first published work.

Gift of Sir Joseph Gold

Whoroscope. Paris: Hours Press, 1930. Samuel Beckett submitted this poem to a competition sponsored by Nancy Cunard and Richard Aldingon for the best poem written on time. Beckett won the contest and was awarded a prize of 10 and publication of the poem in this chapbook which represents his first separately published work. Whoroscope was printed in an edition of 300 copies; this copy is number 79 of 100 which are signed by Samuel Beckett. He has also hand-corrected a typographical error in ink on p. 2. Melva B. Guthrie Fund

The European Caravan: an Anthology of the New Spirit in European Literature, compiled and edited by Samuel Putnam, Maida C. Darnton, George Reavey, and J. Bronowski. New York: Brewer, Warren & Putnam, 1931.

Samuel Beckett contributed four poems to this important anthology and is characterized as "the most interesting of the younger Irish writers."

Gift of Sir Joseph Gold

Proust. London: Chatto & Windus, 1931. First edition of Beckett's study of Marcel Proust. Gift of Sir Joseph Gold

Paris in the 1930s

Samuel Beckett emerged as a writer of note during the 1930s in Paris. He met and became a protégé of James Joyce, but even as his fame increased he reamined close to a circle of young Irish and English expatriate authors and artists who lived and worked in Paris. Included in this group were George Reavey, Denis Devlin, Stanley William Hayter, Thomas MacGreevy, and Brian Coffey.

Samuel Beckett to Brian Coffey, Autograph postcard, Hannover, Germany, 5 December 1936, from the Brian Coffey papers.

Gift of John Coffey

Ooftish," in Transition, 27 (April-May, 1938). Cover by Wassilij Kandinsky. Beckett contributes the poem "Ooftish," as well as a review essay on the work of his Irish friend, Denis Devlin. Gift of Sir Joseph Gold

Echo's Bones: and Other Precipitates. Paris: Europa Press, 1935. This small collection of poems was printed in an edition of 327 copies by Beckett's friend, the Irish author and translator, George Reavey, at his Paris-based press. Gift of Sir Joseph Gold

Coffey, Brian, 1905-1995.
Third Person. London: George Reavey, The Europa Press, 1938.

Printed in an edition limited to 300 numbered copies, this is number 25 of 25 numbered copies signed by Brian Coffey and S.W. Hayter with an original engraving by Hayter. This copy contains Coffey's autograph presentation inscription to "Peggy," and is from the library of Peggy Guggenheim.

Devlin, Denis, 1908-1959.
Intercessions: Poems. London: Europa Press, [1937].Reavey, George, 1907-1976.

Faust's Metamorphoses: Poems; with six etchings by Stanley William Hayter.

This stunning fine-press production unites two of Beckett's close friends from his early years in Paris: the Irish author and publisher, George Reavey; and the expatriate British artist Stanley William Hayter, who founded the important experimental workshop for the graphic arts, Atelier 17. This is number 47 of an edition of 100 numbered copies signed by Reavey and Hayter. Laid in are five additional etchings each numbered and signed by Stanley William Hayter.