Collected Shorter Plays of Samuel Beckett

London: Faber and Faber, 1984 First edition thus. Presentation copy, inscribed by Beckett to Mel Gussow on title page: "For Mel / from his friend / Sam / Paris / July 1985." Publisher's original green, white, and gray patterned wrappers, with illustration of Beckett by Sue Linney to front wrapper, lettered in black and green. Near fine, with a few light marks and creases to edges of wrappers, very mild toning to spine, and edges of pages lightly toned. Overall, a lovely presentation copy. This copy comes from Mel Gussow's personal library. This volume contains twenty-nine of Beckett's shorter plays, including classics like All That Fall, Krapp's Last Tape, Embers, Acts Without Words, and Catastrophe. These shorter works are exemplary of Beckett's signature minimalism. According to Britannica, "Beckett's later works tended toward extreme concentration and brevity…. Such brevity is merely an expression of Beckett's determination to pare his writing to essentials, to waste no words on trivia." Unquestionably one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century, Beckett's other notable works include The Trilogy (Molloy; Malone Dies; The Unnamable), Endgame, and his most celebrated work, Waiting for Godot. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Original Wraps. Near Fine.