1.89k reviews for:

Ulysses

James Joyce

3.64 AVERAGE


Brilliant dramatised reading of the complete text from RTE.
Made in 1982 with many fine Irish actors.
Available as a free podcast with explanatory talks as well.
RTE Ulysses Page

There's nothing I can say about Ulysses that hasn't been said many times before. It's enormously challenging, yes. But it's not unfocused or difficult for the sake of being difficult. It all holds together as a beautiful, powerful, and cohesive work about grief, connection, humanity, sex, religion, Ireland, and everything else. It's inventive and fresh even a hundred years later. I loved reading it and love how it lingers in my mind.
reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Wreszcie koniec. Książka niewiarygodnie długa o absolutnie niczym szczególnym, jakby się spojrzało w losową plątaninę jakiegoś mężczyzny. Przypomniała mi jedynie jacy oni są ochydni. Często się wzdrygałam, bo o jakimś durnym dziadostwie myślał. Ogólnie dużo z niej było "fuj". 
Jeśli jednak chodzi o nią z punktu widzenia literackiego, to rozumiem, czemu jest tak chwalona. To pierwsza książka używająca strumienia świadomości, korzystająca również z wielu różnych stylów pisarskich, jak sztuka podczas pobytu Blooma w burdelu albo naukowa rozprawka, podczas powrotu dwóch głównych bohaterów do domu Blooma.
Jest to jednak książka, którą trzeba analizować. Ma sens czytanie jej na studiach, czy podczas analiz literackich, gdzie ma się przed sobą tekst i różne opracowania. Wiele rzeczy było dla mnie niezrozumiałych, ponieważ nawiązywało do Irlandii na początku XX wieku. Nie miałam pojęcia o wielu z tych rzeczy i spływały po mnie co po niektóre dialogi czy sceny.
Zastanawiałam się czy nie jest to również lekki przerost formy nad treścią z tym wyliczaniem dziesiątków podobnych rzeczy. Nigdy chyba nie zrozumiem tego w tekstach literackich.
Ogólnie męczarnia, którą można docenić, jak się ma świeży, czysty umysł, nie zmęczony po całym dniu. Historia jak dla mnie niewiarygodnie nudna, ale sposób napisania bardzo ciekawy i zdecydowanie pomocny do lepszego obeznania się z pisarstwem.

Some classics really are as good as everyone says they are. I found myself getting misty-eyed as I turned the final pages of "Ithaca" and then "Penelope". I've spent a year in the company of Bloom, Stephen and Molly, and I miss them already!

The Senior Seminar I took was on Joyce and we spent about 6 weeks on this book and that wasn't nearly enough. I recommend getting the annotated version and keeping the two books together. Also, reading in a book group wouldn't be a bad idea (especially if you devote a year to the process). Typically, by the time you get to the 5th chapter you're likely to be lost. That said, investing time into this can be extremely rewarding. It's a marvel of literature and more accessible than Finnegan's Wake.

i hate this book. 5 stars.

What a fantastic idea that one person could create such a thing. Every human should read this at some point in their lives.

Took me ten months and a class to read...yes...was it worth it....yes...will I read it again....yes..I said yes I will Yes.

Second reading May 2015. My desert island book that makes me wish I was stranded on a desert island. Next reading will be the audiobook read by Jim Norton to capture the lyric qualities of this magnificent book.

Two stars for the struggle. When I was focused at the beginning, it wasn't too bad, but then I ran out of time to just sit and read this for hours, and it turned into a horror story. I finally just forced myself through. Wouldn't recommend it unless you're really truly up for a challenge and have quite a bit of free time.

I'm finished with this beast of a book! Hazza!
Seriously though, if you're going to start it, you've gotta finish it. The last chapter alone ties everything up and leaves you well fulfilled.
But don't read this if Train of Thought is not for you. You will become frustrated and hate this brick. I did at times, but I still enjoyed the bulk of it.