Eugène Ionesco - Collected Works (35 books)

* Eugène Ionesco - Collected Works (35 books)

EUGÈNE IONESCO (1909–1994) was a Romanian-French playwright and essayist widely regarded as one of the foremost figures of the French avant-garde theatre in the 20th century, pioneering the "Theatre of the Absurd" . His work emerged from a deep distrust of communication and a satirical view of bourgeois social conventions, characterized by the illogical, dreamlike shattering of language and the surreal escalation of mundane situations. His theatrical revolution sought to exteriorize internal anguish by turning objects into menacing presences on stage, often transforming tragic themes into farce.

Ionesco instigated a revolution in ideas and techniques of drama, beginning with his emblematic "anti-play", THE BALD SOPRANO (1950), which introduced audiences to his distinctive style: banal dialogue that spirals into absurdity, exposing the emptiness of social conventions. This was followed by other short, surreal pieces in the early 1950s, including THE LESSON (1951), a play about the tyrannical nature of language and knowledge, and THE CHAIRS (1952), which presents an elderly couple addressing an invisible audience, underscoring themes of isolation and the futility of communication. These early works established Ionesco as a leading avant-garde dramatist, often staged in small experimental theaters before gaining broader international recognition.

As his career progressed, Ionesco moved toward more full-length, allegorical plays that explored existential dread and political conformism. RHINOCEROS (1959), his most famous work, serves as a powerful condemnation of totalitarianism and the "herd mentality," depicting a town where citizens conform by turning into animals. Other major works include EXIT THE KING (1962), which shifts toward a more introspective tone, depicting a monarch confronting his impending death, and A STROLL IN THE AIR (1962), which continued his exploration of dream-logic and personal anxiety. His later works continued to touch upon his recurring theme of mortality, including HUNGER AND THIRST (1966).

In addition to his plays, Ionesco was a significant essayist and autobiographer who often used his non-fiction to defend his artistic vision against critics who misunderstood his absurdist techniques. These include NOTES AND COUNTER NOTES (1962), a collection of essays that articulates his theories on theater, communication, and his often hostile view of realistic or Brechtian drama. Other notable prose works include his diary, FRAGMENTS OF A JOURNAL (1967), and the autobiographical PRESENT PAST, PAST PRESENT (1968), as well as his only novel, THE HERMIT (1975).

Together, Ionesco’s dramatic and non-fiction works form a cohesive critique of modern existence, emphasizing the instability of meaning and the inadequacy of language. His influence extends far beyond the stage, shaping modern drama and resonating with existentialist and postmodern thought. By confronting audiences with the absurdity underlying everyday life, Ionesco not only redefined theatrical form but also invited a deeper reflection on the human condition.


The following books are in PDF and/or ePUB format as indicated:

== PLAYS ==

* A Hell of a Mess [tr. Bishop] (Grove, 1975) – PDF^
* A Stroll in the Air & A Frenzy for Two [tr. Watson] (Grove, 1965) – PDF
* The Bald Soprano and Other Plays [tr. Allen] (Grove, 2015) – ePUB
* Exit the King [tr. Watson] (Grove, 1963) – PDF
* Exit the King, The Killer, Macbett [tr. Marowitz & Watson] (Grove, 2015) – ePUB
* Four Plays [tr. Allen] (Grove, 1958) – PDF
* Hunger and Thirst & Other Plays [tr. Watson] (Grove, 1969) – PDF
* The Killer and Other Plays [tr. Watson] (Grove, 1960) – PDF
* Killing Game [tr. Bishop] (Grove, 1974) – PDF^
* Macbett [tr. Marowitz] (Grove, 1973) – PDF
* Man with Bags [adapt. Horovitz] (Grove, 1977) – PDF^
* Plays, Vol. 1 [tr. Watson] (Calder, 1958) – PDF^
* Plays, Vol. 2 [tr. Watson] (Calder, 1958) – PDF^
* Plays, Vol. 3 [tr. Watson] (Calder, 1960) – PDF^
* Plays, Vol. 4 [tr. Prouse] (Calder, 1960) – PDF^
* Plays, Vol. 5 [tr. Watson] (Calder, 1963) – PDF^
* Plays, Vol. 7 [tr. Watson] (Calder, 1968) – PDF^
* Plays, Vol. 10 [tr. Watson] (Calder, 1976) – PDF^
* Plays, Vol. 11 [tr. Watson & Williams] (Calder, 1979) – PDF^
* Rhinoceros [tr. Crimp] (Faber, 2007) – PDF^
* Rhinoceros and Other Plays [tr. Prouse] (Grove, 1960) – PDF
* Rhinoceros and Other Plays [tr. Prouse] (Grove, 2015) – ePUB
* Three Plays: Amédée, the New Tenant, Victims of Duty [tr. Watson] (Grove, 2015) – ePUB
* Three Plays: The Chairs, The KIller, Maid to Marry [tr. Watson] (Calder, 1963) – PDF^

== FICTION ==

* The Colonel's Photograph [tr. Stewart & Russell] (Faber, 1967) – PDF^
* The Hermit [tr. Seaver] (Viking, 1974) – PDF^

== NON-FICTION ==

* Conversations with Eugène Ionesco [Claude Bonnefoy, tr. Dawson] (HRW, 1971) – PDF^
* Fragments of a Journal [tr. Stewart] (Grove, 1968) – PDF
* Hugoliad, or, The Grotesque and Tragic Life of Victor Hugo [tr. Milos] (Grove, 1987) – PDF^
* The Light Between the Shadows: A Conversation [Barbara Kraft] (Two Birds, 2012) – ePUB
* Notes and Counter Notes: Writings on the Theater [tr. Watson] (Grove, 1964) – PDF^
* Present Past, Past Present: A Personal Memoir [tr. Lane] (Grove, 1971) – PDF^

== FOR CHILDREN ==

* Story Number 1 [illus. Etienne Delessert] (Quist, 1968) – PDF^
* Story Number 1 [illus. Joel Naprstek] (Quist, 1978) – PDF^
* Story Number 2 [illus. Etienne Delessert] (Quist, 1970) – PDF^
* Story Number 3 [illus. Philippe Corentin] (Quist, 1971) – PDF^


PDF^ courtesy of @Mohamed5438, to whom a very special word of thanks is owed for undertaking the majority of new scans in this collection.


SEE ALSO:

* Samuel Beckett - Nobel Prize in Literature, 1969 (62 books)
https://www.1337x.to/torrent/5906019/Samuel-Beckett-Nobel-Prize-in-Literature-1969-62-books/

* Jean Genet - Collected Novels, Plays and Nonfiction (16 books)
https://www.1337x.to/torrent/6060621/Jean-Genet-Collected-Novels-Plays-and-Nonfiction-16-books/


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