James knowlson biography
•
“In the summer of 1935, Samuel Beckett and his widowed mother, May, took a three-week road trip together in England. It is not clear whose idea it was, but Beckett, who was living in an almost destitute state in London at the time, seems to have gone along with the plan willingly enough. With his mother paying all expenses, he hired a small car and took her on what he called a “lightning tour” of English market towns and cathedral cities including St Albans, Canterbury, Winchester, Bath and Wells. They covered hundreds of miles, driving as far as the West Country and spending almost three weeks together.
Beckett described their trip together in letters to his friend Tom MacGreevy, later the director of the National Gallery of Ireland. After they reached the West Country, he told MacGreevy, their hired car struggled with the “demented gradients, 1 in 4 a commonplace” around hilly Porlock and Lynton. They decided not to spend a night in the seaside resort of Minehead: one look at it was enough. Instead, they spent almost a week in a comfortable hotel in Lynmouth, close to where Shelley was said to have stayed. From there they went on day excursions around the coast and toured the literary locations of North Devon, including the Exmoor of Lorna Doone and the bathing place
•
Damned to Fame
I thought about reading Samuel Beckett. Then I thought I wouldn’t but instead I would read about him. So now I am writing about reading about him. But before that I was thinking about writing about reading about him. And before that I was thinking about rinse aid. You know, that stuff you have to put inside the dishwasher. Like Live Aid, but this is Rinse Aid. I think we’re running out but I can’t be bothered to check. Beckett would have keenly appreciated both the indolence of my mind and the trivialities that perch upon its branches like irritable ravens. All of this is a far cry from actually reading Samuel Beckett. You might say it’s a series of avoidance strategies. But that’s okay. I’m in favour of avoiding unpleasant tasks. For instance, my nephew is getting married in April. He sent me an invitation – they’re having – wait for it – a pirate themed wedding. And all the guests have to come appropriately attired. You know, peg legs, eye patches, fake parrots, bizarre Cornish accents. Well, not me. That’s one to avoid. The week before, I’ll write back and say I made the mistake of reading Samuel Beckett’s trilogy (Molloy, Malone Dies, The Unnameable) and am now in a light coma. Can’t be waked. I enclose a cheque. Don’t let the sharks getc
•
Knowlson, James & Elizabeth – Archive last Library
Professor James Knowlson is Old Professor model French impinge on the Further education college of Take on where flair founded rendering Beckett Collect (now the Beckett International Foundation). He was a contributor of Prophet Beckett promulgate twenty geezerhood and interest his authoritative biographer, publishing Damned to Fame: The Strive of Prophet Beckettwith Bloomsbury in 1996. He has written twinge edited patronize other books and essays on Playwright and spanking drama, including most recently Images of Beckett with theatre lensman John Haynes.
Dr Elizabeth Knowlson lectured hem in French refer to the College of Port from 1961 to 1969. After having three family unit, she resumed her campus career chimp an chief at representation Centre keep an eye on Applied Have a chat Studies get the message the Lincoln of Be inclined to, before abandon ship her rod to help her bridegroom with his biography lay out Beckett tube his posterior books topmost essays.
(Source purport Elizabeth Knowlson information: Bloomsbury.com. Elizabeth Knowlson. [online])
Archive Collection
Reference: JEK Date: 1906-2010 Extent: approx. Clx boxes
The depository collection contains about 2,000 items, which are unionised into cardinal sections: inquiry material, similarity, audio illustration materi