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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
I read it as a challenge, and it was certainly challenging. There’s a lot of fascinating poetry in the various uses of language, but the exhaustive examination of every minor avenue of investigation got wearying. Maybe I’ll try it again in a few years.
I thought I’d find something profound there but it was only just a different way of writing than was previously seen at the time. Toooo much preoccupation with penises and ladies’ feet. Too many instances of white male ideology. Loquacious drivel from under-developed man-babies attempting to express their impotence at being emotionally repressed in their stifling Victorian era. Yes, I comprehend that their incessant Hamlet rants and all of the queer innuendo are very much a product of that time period. No, I don’t think being able to capture the way humans think on paper is particularly poignant at all. Almost 30 hours of chittering children complaining about how the world has done them wrong because they are male, being baffled about “The Great Feminine Mystique,” and shaming themselves continuously for failing their dead mothers...if I craved any of these things I’d just hang out with my tweenie son and his friends for a day and a half. At least they don’t feign erudition. DNF @ 12 hours (yes, I know this is considered white patriarchy cannon, but clearly it is not for everyone).
Lots and lots I didn't understand, but wordplays and insights and jokes and general hilarity and wisdom enough to last a lifetime, so I'm very very happy that I kept going till the not-so-bitter end. I simply loved the last chapter.
Review (not of the book, of the reading experience!) in Danish on my blog: http://labeet.dk/litteratur/ulysses/
Review (not of the book, of the reading experience!) in Danish on my blog: http://labeet.dk/litteratur/ulysses/
Trying to review in a paragraph or two, a book which I could study for years without running out of things to say, might be a difficult task. It is of course everything that is said about it: genius, turgid, ridiculous, sublime, difficult, poetic, profound, bizarre, irreverent, etc. - it's hard to disagree even with things said by those who hated it while maintaining that I loved it. One element I was surprised by was how funny it is, I remember Dubliners being occasionally funny but I found this regularly hilarious and I'm not sure that is mentioned enough in its praise.
Above all, my main takeaway is: god I'm glad I'm reading this in the 21st century with the internet in my pocket. I feel the need to understand everything as I read so if I were trying to read at the time of publication I'd have needed to do so in a library well stocked with perhaps a dozen different language dictionaries and encyclopedias on everything but especially Irish history, greek mythology, Victorian parlour music, Judaism, and so on...
There's an arrogance to writing a book as long as this and expecting people not to lose interest, meaning I start long books with a bit of resentment already brewing and need to be won round. But having loved his previous two novels meant Joyce had a bit of credit in the bank and I was quickly on side. It's the longest book I've ever read and it took forever, but I already miss it and was almost itching to start again. Hard to spend nearly nine weeks in the minds of a few characters without a feeling of grief at the final separation.
Above all, my main takeaway is: god I'm glad I'm reading this in the 21st century with the internet in my pocket. I feel the need to understand everything as I read so if I were trying to read at the time of publication I'd have needed to do so in a library well stocked with perhaps a dozen different language dictionaries and encyclopedias on everything but especially Irish history, greek mythology, Victorian parlour music, Judaism, and so on...
There's an arrogance to writing a book as long as this and expecting people not to lose interest, meaning I start long books with a bit of resentment already brewing and need to be won round. But having loved his previous two novels meant Joyce had a bit of credit in the bank and I was quickly on side. It's the longest book I've ever read and it took forever, but I already miss it and was almost itching to start again. Hard to spend nearly nine weeks in the minds of a few characters without a feeling of grief at the final separation.
Ulysses is the best damn example of whatever the hell it is. I don't think I'll ever read, or there'll ever be, another book like Ulysses, lord help us all. Certainly I reckon it's absolutely a work of genius, but so is Einstein's Theory of General Relativity, but I'm not likely to read that either.
Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes smutty (a character fantasizes cleaning chamber pots through an awfully unconventional method), chockfull of references that I get maybe 25% of if I'm being real kind to myself, and unapologetic. It's admirable and unbridled chutzpah to dedicate the entire third chapter to Stephen Dedalus's stream of consciousness rambling, when the only things that ACTUALLY happen in the chapter is he watches a dog pee, he writes a little, and picks his nose.
And that's long before an unnamed narrator spends a chapter grumbling about how he sure doesn't like one of the main characters and throws a tin at him, and a later a woman meditates on how large her lover's thing is.
I have no interest in ever re-reading, or revisiting, this nightmarishly long snapshot of someone's brain. But I don't think I have much choice, since I'll probably think about it for a long time.
Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes smutty (a character fantasizes cleaning chamber pots through an awfully unconventional method), chockfull of references that I get maybe 25% of if I'm being real kind to myself, and unapologetic. It's admirable and unbridled chutzpah to dedicate the entire third chapter to Stephen Dedalus's stream of consciousness rambling, when the only things that ACTUALLY happen in the chapter is he watches a dog pee, he writes a little, and picks his nose.
And that's long before an unnamed narrator spends a chapter grumbling about how he sure doesn't like one of the main characters and throws a tin at him, and a later a woman meditates on how large her lover's thing is.
I have no interest in ever re-reading, or revisiting, this nightmarishly long snapshot of someone's brain. But I don't think I have much choice, since I'll probably think about it for a long time.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It feels like I've run a marathon and I've finally crossed the finish line! I's throughly great to finally be done with this book and I have a new respect for myself! Did I enjoy reading it? Not enough to ever read it again but I definitely enjoy it now that I've finally finished and can look back at the amazing kind of book I just went through. That such brilliant people like James Joyce have ever existed, is throughly amazing! Next to this I'm just an ape looking for ways to copy the humans, not succeeding ever because I'm just not at that level of intelligence! But I can appreciate that such people do exist and that they want to share their intelligence with us mortals ;).
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
stephen dedalus is the most accurate depiction of someone in their early 20s: broke, stuck in their hometown (but telling everyone they’re getting out of here), getting into fights with their friend outside a bar, getting upset they weren’t invited to a party, claiming that nobody understands their “art”
Life Goal Achieved! You all know that I am definitely not a genius. And this book is not enjoyable much of the time. However, it is an incredible, monumental exploration of the written word. It is important. And the Penelope (Molly Bloom Soliloquy) Chapter was so divine that it should have been labeled the original Vagina Monologue. The audio performance of that was perfection.
I had to read, listen, and study my way through this book. I am so glad to no longer be in the dark.
This is how I did it, and it wasn't the perfect plan, but it worked.
I figured it was finally time to take the plunge when everything in my life kept popping up as James Joyce. Last fall I read "The Most Dangerous Book" which told me the story of the publication / obscenity battle. That was mainly due to the Molly Chapter, although the middle chapter was also a scrumptous read-between-the-lines tale, in which Bloom encounters a sea nymph posing as a beautiful young woman, and gets his own pleasure from her. Seriously, anyone wanting to write anything about romance or sex, needs to read this chapter. Pure genius at saying it without saying it, and leaving the rest to the imagination.
Several months ago I found an old hardcover US Edition of Ulysses at the Library and picked it up for a mere quarter. I'm not fool; that was sign enough that it was time to plunge in. (The Greeks would be proud).
So, I pulled out my Odyssey, mainly the audio version but also the Harvard Series, and I also bought an audio of Ulysses, as well as an audio course on it. My plan was to listen to them all basically a chapter at a time, and that what both a good and a bad way to do it. It was good because it helped it all make sense while it was fresh. It helped me keep plunging on. I'm not sure that I know an American born child of the 80s that would find much to understand or like about the book, except the two previously mentioned chapters. But even had I been Irish born, the course would have been a must.
I didn't really want to study about it before hand, so I didn't realize that the chapters didn't actually correspond, because Joyce presented them as they occurred, rather than as they were relayed in the Greek fashion. I also didn't realize how very loosely it is based on the great Greek wandering tale. So the course was invaluable, and it didn't matter that much if the timing was off a bit. Reading it mixed in gave great relief from some of the chapters.
Because some of them were so strange, and long, and puzzling that they even almost put the publisher off. (Yes, hearing that in the course did make me feel better). The publisher had Joyce to explain, I had the course. The whole idea of demonstrating different writing techniques (Joyce, the ultimate showoff) would have completely escaped me, I think. At least, the newspaper chapter was easy to pick up on, as was the great Ivanhoe romantic style.
Some of the chapters I actually enjoyed. Many I hated. Some of the "Odyssey" I liked, some of it I didn't love. It didn't have the same feel for me as the "Iliad", even the audio version. But I loved every single class. The course was awesome.
And then, there is Molly Bloom. She made a believer out of me. That man was a genius. The audio and in fact the whole journey, was made worthwhile just for Molly Bloom's moment. My stream of consciousness isn't near so fascinating.
I had to read, listen, and study my way through this book. I am so glad to no longer be in the dark.
This is how I did it, and it wasn't the perfect plan, but it worked.
I figured it was finally time to take the plunge when everything in my life kept popping up as James Joyce. Last fall I read "The Most Dangerous Book" which told me the story of the publication / obscenity battle. That was mainly due to the Molly Chapter, although the middle chapter was also a scrumptous read-between-the-lines tale, in which Bloom encounters a sea nymph posing as a beautiful young woman, and gets his own pleasure from her. Seriously, anyone wanting to write anything about romance or sex, needs to read this chapter. Pure genius at saying it without saying it, and leaving the rest to the imagination.
Several months ago I found an old hardcover US Edition of Ulysses at the Library and picked it up for a mere quarter. I'm not fool; that was sign enough that it was time to plunge in. (The Greeks would be proud).
So, I pulled out my Odyssey, mainly the audio version but also the Harvard Series, and I also bought an audio of Ulysses, as well as an audio course on it. My plan was to listen to them all basically a chapter at a time, and that what both a good and a bad way to do it. It was good because it helped it all make sense while it was fresh. It helped me keep plunging on. I'm not sure that I know an American born child of the 80s that would find much to understand or like about the book, except the two previously mentioned chapters. But even had I been Irish born, the course would have been a must.
I didn't really want to study about it before hand, so I didn't realize that the chapters didn't actually correspond, because Joyce presented them as they occurred, rather than as they were relayed in the Greek fashion. I also didn't realize how very loosely it is based on the great Greek wandering tale. So the course was invaluable, and it didn't matter that much if the timing was off a bit. Reading it mixed in gave great relief from some of the chapters.
Because some of them were so strange, and long, and puzzling that they even almost put the publisher off. (Yes, hearing that in the course did make me feel better). The publisher had Joyce to explain, I had the course. The whole idea of demonstrating different writing techniques (Joyce, the ultimate showoff) would have completely escaped me, I think. At least, the newspaper chapter was easy to pick up on, as was the great Ivanhoe romantic style.
Some of the chapters I actually enjoyed. Many I hated. Some of the "Odyssey" I liked, some of it I didn't love. It didn't have the same feel for me as the "Iliad", even the audio version. But I loved every single class. The course was awesome.
And then, there is Molly Bloom. She made a believer out of me. That man was a genius. The audio and in fact the whole journey, was made worthwhile just for Molly Bloom's moment. My stream of consciousness isn't near so fascinating.