Raymond Federman and Samuel Beckett: Voices in the Closet

Raymond Federman was a scholar, postmodern theorist, self-translator, and avant-garde novelist who was born in Paris in 1928 and escaped the Holocaust thanks to his mother. He devoted his life to scholarship and creative writing, and his work is centered on the details of his survival, enacting a perpetual return to the closet. This study examines Beckettian intertextuality in Federman's novels to trace the contours of a second closet.

Format: Hardback
Length: 178 pages
Publication date: 13 July 2021
Publisher: Anthem Press

This captivating book delves into the life and literary obsession of Raymond Federman, a scholar, postmodern theorist, self-translator, and avant-garde novelist. Born in Paris in 1928, Federman faced a tragic twist of fate when his entire immediate family succumbed to the Holocaust. However, his survival was owed to the courageous act of his mother, who shielded him from harm by hiding him in a closet. After enduring the war, Federman made his way to America, where he dedicated his life to scholarship and creative writing. In both pursuits, he remained steadfastly devoted to the works of Samuel Beckett. Federman's creative and theoretical writings intertwine and distort each other, mirroring the way in which French influences English and fiction distorts reality in his novels. His work revolves around the intricate details of his survival, perpetually returning to the metaphorical closet, as previous studies have illuminated. By examining the Beckettian intertextuality present in Raymond Federman's novels, this study uncovers the contours of a second closet, shedding light on the profound impact of his literary journey.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 229 x 153 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781785277955