Isidore Ducasse (1846, known to the world as Lautréamont, is one of the most controversial, influential, and enigmatic figures in 19th century French literature. His classic, The Songs of Maldoror (also available in translation by R J Dent), was a precursor to the Surrealist movement and influenced many writers and artists, including André Breton, J. G. Ballard, Salvador Dali, and Man Ray, amongst others.
Lautréamont’s Apocrypha is a companion volume to The Songs of Maldoror. It is a comprehensive collection of all of Isidore Ducasse’s written work that he created before and after he had written and published The Songs of Maldoror. This volume includes the first English translation of the first draft of The First Canto of Maldoror (known and published as the Chant Premier), Poésies, the fragments, and the letters.
‘Lautréamont’s The Songs of Maldoror [is] the black bible… almost the basic dream
text of surrealism.’ J.G. Ballard
‘The Songs of Maldoror is an enigma of redoubtable power.’ Jacques Derrida
‘The Songs of Maldoror is the expression of a revelation so complete it seems to
exceed human potential.’ André Breton
Translated into modern English by R J Dent
Illustrated by Karolina Urbaniak
Lautréamont’s Apocrypha
Out 12 December 2025
Hardbound, 124 pages, 148 x210mm
ISBN 978-1-915908-12-4
The first 28 copies come with a signed print.