The book was originally the author's PhD thesis. It is an indepth analysis of Un coup de des, its background and history, its philosphy and structure and its relvance on a poetic and literary level. Cohn compares Mallarme's work to that of James Joyce in "its devotion to the written word." -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

This book was originally a dissertation presented at Yale University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Cohn provides an in depth analysis of the 1914 poem, phrase by phrase, and also includes a copy of the poem in a pocket on the back cover. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.