Books

Paris: Les Editions de Minuit, 1952. First edition. Near Fine. A Near Fine copy of the first trade edition, following the 35 signed copies. A fragile softcover book, uncommon in this condition. Spine slightly toned and a crease running the length, slight nicks at the spine ends and a small stain on the rear wrapper. Pages a bit toned, as usual, otherwise an excellent copy internally. Beckett’s hugely influential tragicomedy is one of the masterpieces of twentieth-century theater. Beckett had originally written the play in French between the fall and winter of 1948-1949, but would not translate the play into English until its London premier in 1955. In fact, this edition of the play – the Minuit edition - was released in 1952, before the play’s first performance the next year. Beckett was thought to have been inspired to write the work after viewing Caspar David Friedrich’s painting “Mann und Frau den Mond betrachtend” (Man and Woman observing the Moon). “It arrives…

One of the most important works of modernist literature, Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot is a play in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait for the arrival of someone named Godot who never arrives, and while waiting they engage in a variety of discussions and encounter several other characters.

First editions of Waiting for Godot published by Grove Press typically have a mention of it being a first printing and may also include the date of publication on the copyright page.