Wie es war. Erinnerungen an Samuel Beckett.

by Anne Atik

Einer von Samuel Becketts Malerfreunden ist Avigdor Arikha. Arikha heiratete Anne Atik, eine amerikanische Dichterin. Dem Paar wurden zwei Töchter geboren, Beckett war Patenonkel Albas, der älteren. Bis zu seinem Tod ging er bei dieser Familie ein und aus. Immer wieder zeichnete Arikha die charismatische Figur seines allein, im Gespräch, beim Schachspiel mit Tochter Noga. Briefe wurden gewechselt. 1959 hatte Anne Atik Beckett kennengelernt. 1970, elf Jahre später, begann sie, sich nach solchen Treffen Notizen zu machen; Gedächtnis und Aufzeichnungen speisen ihren Erinnerungsband.Beim Trinken und Essen, am Klavier, vor Gemälden, in vielen Gesprächen über Musik, Malerei wird die sympathische Gestalt des hoch gebildeten, aufmerksamen und freundschaftlich zugewandten, doch immer um die Konzentration aufs eigene Werk ringenden älteren Beckett lebendig. Anne Atik zeigt ihn als Freund der Familie, der ganz"in der Kunst lebte".Anläßlich des 100. Geburtstags des Autors wird dieser schön gestaltete Band als Sonderausgabe erscheinen. Außer den genannten Porträtzeichnungen und Fotos enthält er zahlreiche Faksimiles von Briefen und Postkarten Becketts an das befreundete Paar sowie von einigen Manuskriptblättern.

Genres: Memoir

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Stephen Orr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to get some sense of Beckett's life in Paris, friends, food, books, late nights, those he liked, those he didn't, life with his nephew, his enormous generosity, why he was 'damned to fame'. This and the Knowlson biography (and others) uncover the non-public artist. Beckett seemed more at home working in his garden. Which makes sense. The collection of letters, notes, random memories, philosophical musings, writerly references and quotes and everything that adds up to something but, as with everything Beckett, comes to nothing (well, something that's nothing). Nice, also, to see Beckett's relationship with Avigdor Arika and Anne Atik and their daughters. Such intelligent but modest, authentic people thriving on each other's company.

[Michael Byron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book, I knew almost nothing of Samuel Beckett as a person. I thought of him as an austere intellectual figure. This short book humanizes him to an extent. It also gives a glimpse into the lives of people who discuss art, music, literature on a daily basis, as an integral part of their lives.

[Kiof · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most interesting parts are when Beckett talks about Samuel Johnson, Shakespeare, Keats and gives book recommendations. His love of Johnson is total and it made me smile reading about it. I think the discussion of Beckett as a saint is pretty ridiculous. He was obviously a kind person, let's leave it at that. But the fact that him and Welles didn't talk (the Johnson of the 20th century) is a shame and a pity.

[Gini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by some one close to Beckett and who cared about him. Her book reveals the private person that Beckett was with his friends.
I've discovered this sort of book helps me understand an author much better than the usual biographical pieces. And that in turn adds much more to reading of the author's works.

[Leif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atik is clear and bright in her brief sketches; her portrayal of Sam Beckett lucid, sympathetic, and intimate. Each letter mentioned is reproduced in facsimile and other attending pictures give imagistic persuasion to the story described of a kind and generous man.

[Sigrun Hodne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sympathetic presentation of Beckett, but unfortunately not a well written book. More a kind of homage from a friend.