Another of Donleavy's "eventual best-sellers," The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B ranks as one of the author's finest achievements and certainly as the epitome of his renowned ability to meld humor and sadness. The characters, as with all of Donleavy's best work, are among the most memorable in modern fiction. Singer Van Morrison mentions this book in a Rolling Stone interview, remarking about how vividly Donleavy captured scenes from the Ireland he remembered from growing up.
As I've been contacted by fellow JPD fans and those associated with him, it is this story, either in novel or play form, that is the most beloved and sustains the most impassioned responses. I've often been asked why I'm doing this site and all the work involved with its contents. I tell them to read this story. This story has also been adapted for the stage by Donleavy. See BBBB - Plays for more information.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
First draft, notes and working pages, early - mid 1960s
Courtesy of the JP Donleavy Archives. Thanks to JPD and Bill Dunn (archivist) for this entry. Photo © Bill Dunn 2007.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Cloth
| Delacorte Press, New York, November, 1968 - ISBN 0440004845 - 403 pages
First trade edition. (ISBN issued after printing).
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Cloth
| Delacorte Press, New York, December, 1968 - ISBN 0440004845 - 403 pages
2nd Delacorte printing. (ISBN issued after printing).
To purchase books by J.P. Donleavy, go to the Buyers' Guide.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Cloth
| Delacorte Press, New York (no date given except Copyright 1968 - 403
pages
Book club edition. Similar to trade printings but for jagged front page edges and brighter blue inside cover flaps.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Cloth
| Delacorte Press, New York, January, 1969 - ISBN 0440004845 - 403 pages
3rd Delacorte printing. (ISBN issued after printing).
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Cloth
| Eyre & Spottiswoode, London, 1969 - 438 pages
First UK edition.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Cloth
| Delacorte Press, New York, April, 1969 - ISBN 0440004845 - 403 pages
4th Delacorte printing. (ISBN issued after printing).
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1969 - 400 pages
First Penguin edition (designated for sales outside the UK only).
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps
| Dell, New York, October, 1969 - ISBN 44000471125 - 438 pages
First US mass paperback edition.
balthazar b's byrdefulde brydningsår
Wraps
| glydendal, København, 1969 - 422 pages
Danish translation. Gray wraps with color dust jacket.
balthazar b's byrdefulde brydningsår
Binding?
| glydendals bogklub, København, 1969 - 422 pages
Danish translation. Bookclub edition.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Cloth
| Eyre & Spottiswoode, London, 1969 - 438 pages
2nd E&S printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Cloth
| BCE/BOMC, London, 1969
Book of the Month Club edition.
Title?
Binding?
| Glydendal, Stockholm, 1969
Swedish translation.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps
| Dell, New York, December, 1969 - ISBN 44000471125 - 438 pages
2nd Dell printing.
Die bestialischen Selgkeiten Des Balthasar B
Cloth
| Bertelsmann, Gütersloth, 1969 - 379 pages
German translation.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Cloth
| Taiwan (no date given) circa late '60s - 401 pages
Asian piracy of Delacorte Press edition, in English. About half the thickness
of the authorized versions, green boards instead of black as with all authorized
Delacorte Press printings of this title. Back cover photo of Donleavy is poor-quality
reproduction (probably from a photocopy).
De Beestachtige Bekoringen van Balthazar B
Wraps
| Uitgeverij De Bezige Bij, Amsterdam, 1970 - ISBN 9023403169 - 400 pages
Dutch
translation.
De Beestachtige Bekoringen van Balthazar B
Wraps | De Bezige Bij, Amsterdam, Literaire Reuzen Pocket, LRP #316, 1970 - 402 pages
Dutch translation.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps
| Dell, New York, July, 1970 - ISBN 44000471125 - 438 pages
3rd Dell printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1970 - 400 pages
Variant first Penguin edition (designated for sales inside the UK only).
Le bestiali abitudini di Balthazar B
Cloth | Garzanti, Milano, 1970 - 414 pages
Italian translation. From the library of J.P. Donleavy. Cover photo by Bill Dunn. Very special thanks to J.P. Donleavy and Bill Dunn for adding this to the Compendium site.
Die bestialischen Seligkeiten des Balthasar B
Cloth
| Hermann Luchterhand, Verlag GmbH, Neuwied and Berlin, 1971 - 500 pages
First
German translation. Again, many thanks to Hanne Behrens, who through her
Antiquarit
Labyrinth provided this edition and many of the other non-English
language editions listed on this site.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1971 - 400 pages
2nd Penguin printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1972 - 400 pages
3rd Penguin printing.
Las bestiales bienaventuranzas de Balthazar B
Wraps | Gigante, Barcelona 1972 - 356 pages
Spanish translation.
Les Beatitudes de Balthazar B
Wraps
| denoël/LN, Paris, 1973 - 420 pages
First French translation. Soft cover with stiff, glossy dust jacket.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1973 - 400 pages
4th Penguin printing.
Die bestialischen Selgkeiten Des Balthasar B
Cloth
| Bertelsmann, Gütersloth, 1973 - 379 pages
German translation. Book club edition. Special thanks to Thomas Reginek for information on this edition and cover scan.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps
| Dell, New York, August 1974 - 379 pages
First Dell Laurel printing.
Die bestialischen Selgkeiten des Balthasar B
Wraps
| Rowohlt, Reinbek b., Hamburg 1974 - 315 pages
ISBN 3499117053
German translation. Special thanks to Thomas Reginek for information on this edition and cover scan.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1974 - 400 pages
5th Penguin printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1975 - 400 pages
6th Penguin printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps
| Dell, New York, November, 1977 - ISBN 0440304717 - 379 pages
2nd
Dell Laurel printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1977 - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
7th Penguin printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps
| Dell, New York, 1979 - ISBN 0440304717 - 379 pages
3rd
Dell Laurel printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1979 - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
8th Penguin printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1980 - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
9th Penguin printing.
Neprijetne blaženosti Balthazarja B
Binding? | Obzorja, 1980 - 472 pages
Slovinian translation.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1982 - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
10th Penguin printing.
Las Bestiales Bienaventuraanzas de Balthazar B
Wraps | Bruguera (Libro Amigo), Barcelona, 1983
Spanish translation.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, Middlesex, 1983 - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
11th Penguin printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, London, 1987 - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
12th Penguin printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps
| Atlantic Monthly Press (now Grove/Atlantic) July, 1988 - ISBN 0871132257
- 400 pages
First
AMP printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, London, 19?? - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
13th Penguin printing. No printing date given.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, London, 19?? - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
14th Penguin printing. No printing date given.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, London, 19?? - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
15th Penguin printing. No printing date given.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps
| Atlantic Monthly Press (now Grove/Atlantic) 19?? - ISBN 0871132257 - 400
pages
2nd AMP printing. No printing date given. Slightly thinner than first printing because of thinner paper.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, London, 19?? - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
16th Penguin printing. No printing date given.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Penguin, London, 19?? - ISBN 140030565 - 400 pages
17th Penguin printing. No printing date given.
Les Beatitudes de Balthazar B
Wraps
| Folio #987 - an imprint of denoël, Paris, 2000
- 587 pages
French translation. Awful cover art.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Grove Press, New York, May, 2001 - ISBN 0802137962
First Grove printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Grove Press, New York, 2003 - ISBN 0802137962
2nd Grove printing.
The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B
Wraps | Grove Press, New York, 2006 - ISBN 0802137962
3rd Grove printing.
Bezuzdná blahoslavenství Baltazara B.
Argo, Czech Republic,
2009 / 420 pages
ISBN 9788025701508