Amazon.com Review

Samuel Beckett, a talent so exceptional that he created masterpieces in both French and English, shied away from the limelight for much of his life. However James Knowlson, in this amazing biography, shows Beckett wasn’t entirely hesitant to talk about himself; the book relies heavily on interviews with Beckett to reconstruct the writer’s dizzying career. Knowlson fills the pages with exhaustive detail–some major, some minor. In addition, he analyzes the influences on and evolution of Beckett’s work. Through it all a larger picture emerges, one of the artist at work and in life. Damned to Fame is a necessary addition to any study of Beckett.
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

In his preface, Knowlson alerts readers that Beckett had notified his British publisher that this work was to be “his sole authorized biography.” And Knowlson, the author or editor of 10 (more…)