Édouard Dujardin’s The bays are sere (Les lauriers sont coupés in the original French), first published in 1887, was the first novel written entirely in interior monologue or stream of consciousness. Its impact remained dormant until James Joyce read it in 1903 and revealed the importance of its influence on him. As a result of Joyce’s encouragement, it was republished to great acclaim in 1924, after which Dujardin wrote Interior monologue, a study of the origins, antecedents and influence of this style, and how he came to adopt it.

Anthony Suter’s introductory esssay throws new light on Dujardin and his relations with Mallarmé, George Moore, Valery Larbaud and James Joyce in the period of French symbolism and early European modernism.

‘It is not just for its historical interest as forerunner of the modern novel that this book is enjoyable today … The interior monologue reveals the frustrated sensuality hidden behind the self-consciously exalted poses of the would-be platonic lover.’ Italo Calvino

Published by Libris in 1991