Alfred Jarry's (1873-1907) creation of the monster-tyrant Ubu in his play Ubu Roi was a watershed in theater history and brought him instant notoriety following its Paris premiere in 1896. In this concise, critical biography, Jill Fell explores this and the many achievements that this multi-talented and influential writer and playwright crammed into his short life.

Drawing on numerous anecdotes and the early publications of the College de 'Pataphysique, Fell traces Jarry's growth and influence, as he rapidly established his literary reputation as a prose writer, journalist,...