The Irish Proust cultural crossings from Beckett to McGahern

"This collection of essays is the first book devoted to exploring Marcel Proust’s influence on Irish literature and Irish themes within his work. Featuring contributions from eleven scholars of French and Irish studies,The Irish Proustreveals a surprising textual dimension of Proust’s novel and traces the enduring legacy of his work throughout modern Irish letters. Proust's work, which was banned in Ireland during the 1940s and 1950s, occupies an essential position within the Irish literary and cultural imaginary. From Samuel Beckett and Elizabeth Bowen to Brendan Behan and John McGahern,À la recherche du temps perduhas been a touchstone for generations of Irish writers. Including bold new readings of Proust’s presence within the writings of Beckett, Bowen, Behan, McGahern, and Mary Devenport O’Neill,The Irish Proustdraws on a wide range of archival sources and sheds new light on the cosmopolitan, modernist literary culture that emerged in post-independence Ireland despite a hostile official climate."