Lettres III:

This third volume of Letters highlights the difficulties faced by Samuel Beckett, whose growing international fame made it difficult for him to find a balance between the many demands placed on him and his desire for tranquility and silence, which were essential for writing. During this period, Beckett had to confront the fact that his work, despite its tendency to see failure in everything he undertook, was not only acclaimed by critics but also by the public.

At the same time, he had to continue maintaining regular correspondence with his closest friends who demanded news from him. Beckett was very busy but this did not prevent him from engaging in various activities. He became more deeply involved in the world of theater, first hesitantly and then enthusiastically, collaborating on the staging of his own plays. He also worked for radio with All That Fall and Embers, both written for the BBC; for television with Eh Joe; and in film with Film.

He returned to fiction with How It Is, ten years after his previous novel. Until then, Beckett had been reluctant to discuss his writing activity, but now he began to describe his ongoing work letter by letter. And for the first time, the main recipient was a woman. This encounter evolved into a powerful intellectual and romantic relationship that is one of the defining features of this volume. The critical introductions to the letters provide information on the historical context, including the Algerian War, which strongly marked this period, as well as explanatory notes and profiles of Beckett's main correspondents.