Transition (literary journal)

Transition was an influential literary journal founded in 1927 by Eugene Jolas and his wife, Maria McDonald Jolas, in Paris. Published until 1938, it served as a significant platform for avant-garde and modernist writers of the interwar period.

Transition's primary aim was to challenge conventional literary forms and explore new modes of expression. It embraced experimentation and was a staunch advocate for linguistic innovation, stream-of-consciousness narration, and subjective perspectives. The journal was particularly receptive to works that pushed the boundaries of language and explored the unconscious mind.

Key figures associated with Transition included James Joyce, whose "Work in Progress" (later Finnegans Wake) was serialized within its pages. Other notable contributors included Gertrude Stein, Samuel Beckett, Ernest Hemingway, Franz Kafka, Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams, and Kay Boyle. The journal also featured works by Surrealist artists and writers, including André Breton and Salvador Dalí.

Transition played a crucial role in shaping the literary landscape of the 20th century. It introduced new writers and movements to a wider audience and fostered a spirit of artistic experimentation that profoundly influenced subsequent generations of authors. Its legacy continues to be felt in contemporary literature, where its emphasis on innovation and linguistic exploration remains a powerful force. The journal is now recognized as a vital archive of modernist literary experimentation.