"Try again. Fail again. Fail better."
A Beckett Centenary

In April 2006 Samuel Beckett would have turned 100 years old. And so this centenary year is to be marked by numerous productions, readings, publications, academic conferences and more around the world to celebrate the Nobel Prize winner's work.

To add to the commemoration, the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center has mounted the exhibition, ' "Try again. Fail again. Fail better." A Beckett Centenary.' The exhibition features rare, limited and first editions of some of Beckett's most notable works including his first published piece, an essay on James Joyce, appearing in 1929 in Our Exagmination Round His Factification for Incamination of "Work In Progress", along with first editions of En Attendant Godot (originally published in French in 1952) and his novel Molloy, among others. Of particular interest is a series of letters and post cards from the celebrated author to the late Boston University Professor Emeritus Herbert B. Myron, ranging from the academic to the mundane: from discussing problems with his writing to memories of meals in European restaurants.("...Food in Germany execrable ... marvelous Dover sole reduced to consistency of paste. But draft Guiness makes up for much.") In addition, from the collection of actress Irene Worth, come her annotated script and rehearsal notes from her 1979 production of Beckett's Happy Days at Joseph Papp's Public Theatre in New York City, illustrated with a set of photographs documenting the production as filmed for the PBS Great Performances series.

The exhibition runs through 2006 on the first floor of Mugar Memorial Library at Boston University; 771 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. The Exhibit can be viewed Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.