Book Description

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man portrays Stephen Dedalus's Dublin childhood and youth, providing an oblique self-portrait of the young James Joyce. At its center are questions of origin and source, authority and authorship, and the relationship of an artist to his family, culture, and race. Exuberantly inventive, this coming-of-age story is a tour de force of style and technique. ... Read more

Reviews (185)

My Humble Opinion
James Joyce is a hero. Writing with a exceptionally unique style that fits the corresponding drama perfectly, he is able to involve several underlying themes that help advance the meaning of the book. The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is rich in detail and offers vital insights into Joyce?s art of portraying the internal struggles that all of us face within the drama of a single character, Stephen Dedalus. Perhaps the most salient brilliance of Joyce?s ability is painting the picture of simbolism and theme to allow the reader to internalize everything he reads.
The book opens in a rather ambiguous way. Jumbled phrases across the opening pages provoke images of confusion and disorder in the reader?s mind. Joyce masters the Stream of Consciousness style of writing, which reflects the spontaeous thought process that all of us experience. It is especially notable at the beginning when he describes the unfocused thoughts of the baby Stephen. With a light touch of humor Joyce reminds us how simple life was for all of us back then when all we had to worry about was the discomfort of ?wetting the bed?
(Portrait 1).
The reader then re-lives his life as he joins in with Stephen?s. We are first exposed to the unjust treatment from others when the bully Wells shoves Stephen into the nearby cesspool. The imagery is more than intense here when he comes out of the pool grimy, disgusting, and smelling like a sewer. Joyce even pencils in the detail about rats wallowing around in the pool. The theme of unjustice continues as Stephen is punished publicly for losing his glasses, something that he had no control over. The Catholic Father Dolan flogs him across the hands for ?intentionally? losing them so he wouldn?t have to study.
Another interesting piece of information that James Joyce includes for the benefit of the reader putting himself in the place of Stephen is the theme of physical beauty. Stephen experiences love all throughout the piece, starting first with the innocent love notes that he writes to a small girl his age, building to the prostitute with whom he has his first sexual experience, and culminating finally with the woman on the beach who he is infatuated with. This sexual passion arouses sympathetic feelings within the reader from all backgrounds. Everyone has experienced that true feeling of wanting to be with someone else.
My favorite part in the story is how Joyce deals with the issue of remaining true to religion, particularly the Catholic Church. Stephen is troubled by the fact that there is so much corruption within the church. He sees the imperfections within the church, but yet he somehow continues. Other characters present Joyce with the opportunity to let us look deep into the heart of Stephen and examine how he struggles. Much of Joyce?s audience has struggled with the decision of remaining true to the Catholic Church in spite of its many corruptions, or pioneering a new generation of religious loyalty elsewhere.
Towards the end of the novel Joyce touches on a reoccuring theme: freedom. Being free from religion as well as being free from Ireland (or the restraints that bound some individual). Again Joyce delicately works his way into the lives of his readers; all are faced with decisions of leaving their past lives, whether they be entrapped in the pits of smoking or the despair of being overweight, all of the readers of Jame Joyce are faced with that decision sooner or later. Stephen sees his escape from the island with drawing back to strength from the Greek artisan Dedalus, who crafted his own wings to escape. It seems that all of us somehow need to draw on strength from the past to give us motivation for the future. Many rely on examples from their parents. Others trust in counsel and advice given through the scriptures. All are in search of help from the past to live a better future.
All in all, Joyce masters his work and is able to assist the reader in making his own decisions in his own life while doing it through the life of his central character. If I were anything but American, I might consider moving to Ireland.

one of the best books of the twentieth century
"A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" is easily one of the greatest books of the twentieth century. Rarely is such a mastery of the English language encountered. James Joyce has an almost uncanny ability to create images and feelings out of words. He manages to describe a place and also the feelings of the main character when he's in that place with teh same set of words.
The story itself is almost inconsequential. As I read it I was so caught up in Stephen's self-destructive spiral that I could never pass any sort of moral judgement. I had to like Stephen because he was so human. His dilemmas and his emotions were so real, and Joyce was able to bring them to life with his words.
As a previous reviewer has said, it is true that to understand certain parts of the book, it helps to have a little background on Irish politics at the turn of the century (or at least know who Parnell is) but a few minutes of internet research will do that for you. As for strange words and slang, the language becomes more elevated as Stephen grows up (a touch of genius, if you ask me) so that's not really much of a problem. Stephen's final break with tradition as he answers the call of Daedalus, his namesake, is magnificent to read. All in all, this book is definitely worth the read.

The best edition of "A Portrait"
Depending on one's taste and level of concentration, James Joyce's "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" is either tedious flop or a wonderful cornerstone of world literature. (I believe the latter.) I won't go into a discussion of "A Portrait" here because if you are looking at this particular Viking Critical edition, you've already committed yourself to reading it. The value of this edition lies in the critical essays and notes at the end. The notes will help the reader along, as they explain some of the terms and/or conditions that are particular to Joyce's Ireland. The essays are, each and every one, valuable tools. Whether it's an examination of Joyce's life, the creation of "A Portrait", the influences it would have, etc., every essay is a heavy-weight that enchances an understanding of the book. (At least it did for me.) If you're seriously considering reading "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" this is the edition to use.

Beautiful
Sure its pretentious, frustrating, difficult, etc., but it is also such a rewarding read. Boring sections like chapter 3 with the church sermon set up excellent ones, such as the end of Chapter 4, with Stephen's epiphany, which I must say is the most beautiful, glorious thing I have ever read. the emotion and symbolism (such as Stephen Dedalus taking flight from society much like his Greek namesake Daedalus did from an island) is simply overwhelming. I had to read this for a college english class (as well as write an essay on it) but i still enjoyed it. the stream of conciousness style may be too difficult and odd for some but i found a nice break from other literature, which is more than i can say for the similar novel To the Lighthouse by Woolf (also extremely good stylistically, but much less interesting). brilliant, but not a good introduction to joyce for those still in high school or not used to reading challenging literature. I would recommend "The Dead" to try him out first.

Largely unintelligible.
Cut straight to the chase here: I tried really hard, I really did. But after a while I couldn't read more than a sentence without losing concentration, and then noticing half a page later that I had no idea what was going on.

It's painfully dull, and frustratingly difficult. I thought it was alright at first, but before you realise it, your man Stephen Dedalus is 16 or something, and then he may be older, but you've no idea when it happened.

I enjoyed all the guilt he was feeling at visiting pros, and the five page description of hell (or more), and in the end it was a real shame that I had to stop reading it. I was almost 300 pages in, and just realised there was absolutely no point in continuing since it was sending me to sleep, but I was so close to the end!

So anyway, there it is. I didn't want to slag it off, but if I can't get through it there's nothing more I can do. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although several biographers have thrown themselves into thebreach since this magisterial book first appeared in 1959, none havecome close to matching the late Richard Ellmann's achievement. To befair, Ellmann does have some distinct advantages. For starters, there'shis deep mastery of the Irish milieu--demonstrated not only in thisvolume but in his books on Yeats and Wilde. He's also an admirablestylist himself--graceful, witty, and happily unintimidated by hisbrilliant subjects. But in addition, Ellmann seems to have an uncannygrasp on Joyce's personality: his reverence for the Irishman's literaryaccomplishment is always balanced by a kind of bemused affection forhis faults. Whether Joyce is putting the finishing touches on Ulysses, falling downdrunk in the streets of Trieste, or talking dirty to his future wifevia the postal service, Ellmann's account always shows us a geniusand a human being--a daunting enough task for a fiction writer,let alone the poor, fact-fettered biographer. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

No one gets it like Richard Ellman
Richard Ellman was this nation's foremost Joyce scholar for almost three decades, and his great, vast biography is perhaps the best ever written of a literary figure. This book is a wonderful fusion of Ellman's unique critical vision and rigorous biographical technique. Beyond his obviously deep understanding of the subject, Ellman writes in an engaging, eloquent prose that kept me interested for the 750-page sprawl of the book. Going in, I was a vague admirer of Joyce's work; coming out, I felt ready to go forth to encounter for the millionth time the farthest reaches of his fiction.

Joyce's Shadow
Richard Ellmann's biography is by far the most comprehensive and readable book on the life of this Irish genius. Ellmann takes us through Joyce's quarrels with his family,church and nation, "the nets," his courtship and family life with Nora, and most importantly, shows the biographical link between Joyce's life and work.This book is a treasure.

Portrait of the artist as a young and old man
Twenty two years ago I was enrolled in Richard Ellman's class on James Joyce at Emory University and when I was introduced to him by the head of the English Department I was informed that Ellman was the best informed authority on Joyce since 1941 when that person was of course Joyce himself.

This expertise is demonstrated in this, the definative work on Joyce and his work. In it Joyce not only recounts the particulars of his life (he also edited collections of Joyce's letters so he was more than familiar with the twists and turns of that extraordinarily disorderly life). Professor Ellman was also an authority on the Irish literary scene, producing studies on Yeats, Becket (with whom he regularly exchanged letters) and Wilde. To master not only the works of Joyce is a feat in an of itself, but to master the works of all of the leading Irish modernists probably is a unique accomplishment unknown in scholarship.

It is perhaps a facile observation to note the numerous biographical details with which Joyce invested his life. The date of 16 June 1904, known as "Bloomsday" was the day when Joyce first "stepped out" with his companion/wife Nora. It does provide a great deal of insight into what Joyce chose to put into the books and what he chose to discard. This book provides unprecedented insight (except perhaps Leon Edel's books on Henry James) into the creative process.

What is sad about this book is the difficulty one can have in locating a copy. I was fortunate in finding it readily available when I spent six weeks studying all of Joyce's works with Professor Ellman. It is unfortunately difficult to locate now. There are other books on Joyce that are out there, but few have been accepted as universally as this one.

If you want to know all the twists and turns of the mind that gave the world Dubliners, Portrait of the Artist and Ulysses, there is no better work than this one.

Learn about the Dublin Ulysses' Odyssey through Life
Richard Ellmann the late author of many scholarly biographies of literary luminaries (such as Oscar Wilde and William Butler Yeats) has written a classic work on James Joyce (1882-1941). The paperback version I read was an updated edition based on the 1959 book, This latest edition adds news material on Joyce.
James Joyce was a wanderer who never saw Dublin after 1912. The expatriate author lived in lower middle class circumstances with his longsuffering wife Nora Barnacle who he didn't marry until 1931. The Joyce family lived in Trieste, Paris and Zurich where the author died in his late 50s. Joyce eked out a living as a teacher of English and translator. He spoke several languages as was the most erudite major author of the century.
Ellman's work is very detailed with footnotes and letters on almost every page. This may prove distracting to the general reader. Be warned that this work is scholarly and is not written in a popular style.
Ellmann discusses the genesis of such classics as Joyce's
Dubliners, Ulysses and the almost incomprehensible Finnegan's Wake. Joyce's life was centered around his writing and his family of Nora and the two children Georgio and Lucia )who had severe mental problems). His life was not an exciting one but a journey of the human intellect and soul to the mountaintop of the most innovative writing of the age. Joyce had severe difficulties in his eyesight suffering over a dozen operations to help his eyes. He was an eccentric Irish bard who sang his songs to all who would seek to explore his world. No one is more associated with Dublin that this Dante of the Irish capital.
This biography took me over a week to read. It is slow going and not a page turner. It is, however, the one work you must read if you seek to understand Joyce. Ellmann has done his homework and produced a literary life masterpiece.

classic
I was prompted to read this by Tom Stoppard's glowing recommendation of it in "Travesties." Ellman certainly brings the liveliness of James Joyce's life to life, describing everything from his practical jokes to his desparate financial straits -- meticulous to the point of noting the times when Joyce entered the lottery. I'd read the original 1958 edition, and I'm curious how the revised edition would stand against that now-honoured text.

For more Ellman, I highly recommend his collection of essays, "a long the river run." ... Read more

Book Description

Since the publication of Richard Ellmann's James Joyce in 1959, Joyce has received remarkably little biographical attention. Scholars have chipped away at various aspects of Ellmann's impressive edifice but have failed to construct anything that might stand alongside it. The Years of Bloom is arguably the most important work of Joyce biography since Ellmann. Based on extensive scrutiny of previously unused Italian sources and informed by the author's intimate knowledge of the culture and dialect of Trieste, The Years of Bloom documents a fertile period in Joyce's life.

While living in Trieste, Joyce wrote most of the stories in Dubliners, turned Stephen Hero into A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and began Ulysses. Echoes and influences of Trieste are rife throughout Ulysses and Finnegans Wake. Though Trieste had become a sleepy backwater by the time Ellmann visited there in the 1950s, McCourt shows that the city was a teeming imperial port, intensely cosmopolitan and polyglot, during the approximately twelve years Joyce lived there in the waning years of the Habsburg Empire.It was there that Joyce experienced the various cultures of central Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. He met many Jews, who collectively provided much of the material for the character of Leopold Bloom. He encountered continental socialism, Italian Irredentism, Futurism, and various other political and artistic forces whose subtle influences McCourt traces with literary grace and scholarly rigour. The Years of Bloom, a rare landmark in the crowded terrain of Joyce studies, will instantly take its place as a standard work.

"This book changes our entire view of Joyce's Trieste. It establishes the city as a vibrant microcosm of three cultures. Joyce was born in Dublin, but as John McCourt shows, he grew up in Trieste."-Colm Toíbín ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A terrific resource, and a good read too
Like many other readers of Joyce, I considered Trieste to be merely "anywhere but Dublin" -- i.e., it was significant to the author only because it was where he began his self-imposed exile from Ireland. In his writings, I felt, Joyce never really left Dublin, and he could as well have been in Mombasa or Ulan Bator for all the effect that his city of residence had on his work. So this book was a revelation to me: although Joyce originally landed in Trieste by happenstance, he quickly grew to feel at home there, and the city provided a cosmopolitan, ethnically diverse, and culturally rich environment in which his art grew to maturity.

McCourt provides ample and convincing evidence of the degree to which Joyce's experiences in Trieste influenced his most important works, from the Triestine puns in "Finnegans Wake" to the main characters of "Ulysses," and how productive he was as a writer during his years there. What I found especially fascinating were the details McCourt unearthed about the rest of Joyce's life: in his perennially unsuccessful pursuit of financial stability, he was (inter alia) a partner in a cinema, a bank clerk, and a would-be exporter of Irish woolens; his domestic life was continually in uproar (Nora lacked his facility at learning languages, and was marooned at home with a series of babies and, from time to time, Joyce's transplanted siblings); but he was a good English teacher, and, through his private tutoring, he became acquainted with many financially and intellectually influential members of Triestine society. (The influence went both ways: the writer/businessman Ettore Schmidt was on the verge of giving up his literary ambitions when Joyce convinced him not to, and he went on to write several classic novels under his pen name, Italo Svevo.)

This book was originally a doctoral dissertation, and it suffers at times from the graduate-student tendency to include Absolutely Every Detail relevant to one's subject (I sympathize: been there, done that). But, in general, it's readable, clearly written, well organized, and, although the basic structure is chronological, the author gives each chapter enough of a thematic focus to make it more than a mere recitation of dates and events. I found the book entertaining as well as informative, and I feel it's a valuable resource for anyone interested in Joyce or, for that matter, in early 20th century European literary history.

Superbly researched, documented and accessibly written.
John McCourt's The Years Of Bloom: James Joyce In Trieste, 1904-1920 is a remarkable and original contribution to Joycean studies. McCourt was able to acquire information never before published about Joyce's activities in the years he resided in Trieste, and which influenced his career as one of the truly great writers in the English language. Superbly researched, accessibly written, thoroughly documented, and impressively presented, The Years Of Bloom is a major work of outstanding scholarship and a welcome, enduring, seminal contribution which will be part of every college and university reading list and reference collections on the life and writings of James Joyce. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The return of a classic: This biography of the young James Joyce is "a remarkable exposition of the relationship between a famous man and [his] brother."--T. S. Eliot.

Stanislaus Joyce was more than his brother's keeper: he was at various times his brother's co-dependent, touchstone, conscience, and biggest fan. The two shared the same genius, the same childhood influences, and had the same literary instinct, but in Stanislaus it was channeled into sober academic pursuit, while in James it evolved into gaiety, wild whimsy, and at times sodden despair.

Covering the first twenty-two years of James Joyce's life in Dublin and Trieste, My Brother's Keeper is a window onto the drama that was his youth. Thanks to Stanislaus's superb memory and sure hand, here we find the Dublin of Dubliners: the streets, neighbors, churches, and unforgettable eccentrics. Here we see the model for Ulysses' Simon Dedalus: James' father, a dour and violent figure when in his cups. Here are the Joyces in their own home, and the minor characters that pepper A Portrait of the Artist: Eileen, Leopold Bloom's comely daughter; Mrs. Riordan, the surly teacher; Mr. Casey, the political agitator. And finally, here is Trieste, a place of exile for Stanislaus but a retreat for James. Stanislaus Joyce has fashioned both an invaluable primary source for his brother's opaque masterpieces and a loving memoir of his brother's early life. ... Read more

Book Description

Arguing that "the appearance of difficulty is part of Joyce's big joke," Burgess provides a readable, accessible guide. "Burgess has written a study of the most brilliant and humane of twentieth-century humanists"--Philip Toynbee, The Observer. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Burgess is not the best
To my mind, Burgess is one of the least interesting commentators on Joyce. (Don't get me started on what a poor linguist he is--"Mouthful of Air," for example, is terrible.) He rarely gets beyond the obvious, at least not without getting it wrong. Rather than spending time reading Burgess, I would recommend that those interested in understanding Joyce turn instead to Richard Ellmann, Hugh Kenner, and Stuart Gilbert--all of whom are superior critics.

One Great Mind Parses Another
If you are looking for a fairly short, easy to digest introductory guide to Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake, this is it. Anthony Burgess, in addition to being a witty novelist and critic, also had the chutzpah to publish an abridged version of Finnegan's Wake, so you know he knows his stuff! This is not a page by page explication of Joyce's complex works, ala Gifford or Gilbert, but more like a defense for the intelligent reader who may be wondering if these novels are worth the time.

It is wonderful that the cover of this June 2000 paperback reissue has features an image of Joyce looking away, his face hidden from the reader. Joyce remains an enigma-- a sparkling inspiration to readers who enjoy thinking about the questions and don't care about definitive answers.

If you've read A Clockwork Orange or Nothing Like the Sun and are curious about Anthony Burgess' critical work, this is one of his best performances.

interesting, a linguist reviewing THE linguist
Author on author, linguist on linguist. A great read for, if nothing else, to see how one great British mind interperts another. Reissued for a good reason.

ReJoyce fair readers, for your guide to the labrynth is here
Without a doubt, an attempt to read the works of James Joyce, one of the most demanding authors to live (and one of the best as well) comes with no small amount of trepidation. But thankfully, the Joycian disciple Anthony Burgess has written the book for both the neophyte and the seasoned lover of Joyce's work. ReJoyce features pretty much all that is needed to tackle his canon. The fascinating autobiographical sketch and the analysis of the early works are merely a fitting prelude to the bulk of the book, which is devoted to Joyce's dizzying last two novels, Ulysses and Finnegans Wake. The critical analysis of the last two is both brilliant and eminetly approachable, and more than any of the other volumes of scholarly work on Joyce's last two novels, Burgess's analysis helps to make them both understandable and enjoyable. Without a doubt, ReJoyce is among the best guides to Joyce out there on the market now, and well worth it for both the longtime reader or the newcomer to Joyce

This book is one of the most delightful companions to Joyce
Anthony Burgess is best known as the author of brilliant novels such as A Clockwork Orange and Enderby; but he has also produced a substantial body of non-fiction, including several works about James Joyce. I suppose it is only natural that one of my favorite pieces of Joyce criticism would be penned by one of my favorite novelists, a writer who has never concealed the influence of Joyce upon his own deft games with language.

ReJoyce does not attempt to explicate or annotate the entire Joycean canon, nor is it exactly a biography. Rather, it is a very personal "reading" of Joyce; a delightful "companion" and a brilliant illumination of his narrative technique. According to Burgess, "My book does not pretend to scholarship, only a desire to help the average reader who wants to know Joyce's work but has been scared off by the professors." Reassuring, but a bit disingenuous -- Burgess's work, though clear and easy to read, never panders to the "simple," and he stocks its pages with enough insight and revelation to impress even the most demanding professor. His primary focus is Joyce's use of language, and he takes great delight in exploring the structure, intentions, and psychology that underpin Joyce's revolutionary technique. But what differentiates -- and elevates -- ReJoyce from most other works of similar Joyce criticism is the clarity and liveliness of Burgess's own unique style. Burgess writes with a lucidity and wit which is rare in academic scholarship, and he never once comes across as being dry, obscure, or condescending. Not a book written by a professional critic, this is a book written by one very talented author about another: and the fact that Joyce was not only a fellow writer but something of a personal hero makes it a very enjoyable reading experience! His sense of admiration of Joyce's genius is liberally mixed in with a playful sense of irreverence, and this mix of guileless enthusiasm and intellectual appreciation enlivens every page.

In structure, the book is elegantly simple but highly effective. Burgess follows Joyce as a writer, tracing his development from his days as a nine-year-old Parnellite to his last years working on Finnegans Wake. Joyce's life is seen as a humanist journey; self-cast into the role of Daedalus, he was on a quest to "rival the primal Creator" as he fashioned increasingly more complex worlds, all aiming for the "ennoblement of the common man." Burgess relates Joyce's life through the framework of his writing, placing each work in a historical context which illuminates Joyce's family, his society, and his own changing ideas about his role as a writer. Against this background, Burgess highlights the many factors which played a hand in shaping Joyce's style, and shows how Joyce himself responded to these forces. Burgess sees a synergistic relationship between Joyce's technique and the image of "reality" it was trying to reflect, a tension which engendered a constant, almost dialectical pressure, forcing his prose to continually evolve in order to meet new demands. He points out that each of Joyce's works contains the seeds of the next, and that from every set of resolutions sprang a more difficult set of problems -- issues that could, in turn, be resolved only through another quantum leap of language and style. This is not to say that Burgess sees Joyce as merely automatically reacting to forces beyond his control; but he does envision Joyce's work as moving towards a single destination. (Destinyation?) In discussing Portrait, Burgess remarks: "The roots of Ulysses are here -- to every phase of the soul its own special language; Finnegans Wake must seem, not a wilful aberration from sense, but a logical conclusion to that premise." True to this vision, all of ReJoyce unfolds below the shadow of Finnegans Wake, the "man-made mountain" and inevitable "terminus" for Joyce's remarkable journey. All roads lead to riverrun. . . .

A deeply spiritual humanist at heart, Burgess is not only concerned with Joyce's amazing technique; he's also intent on showing the spirited "jocoseriousness" which animates his work, and he keeps returning to the themes of integrity, joyousness, and resurrection. As Philip Toynbee has very accurately remarked, "Mr. Burgess has written a brilliant and humane study of the most brilliant and humane of twentieth-century novelists." Burgess makes a very good case not just for Joyce's significance, but for his importance as well: Joyce should be shared by everyone, not kept to the scholars and the critics. But that is not to say that Joyce is easy: he offers us a challenge, and part of being fully aware, fully alive, is saying "yes" to that challenge: "when we have read him and absorbed even one iota of his substance, neither literature nor life can ever be quite the same again. We shall be finding an embarrassing joy in the commonplace, seeing the most defiled city as a figure of heaven, and assuming, against all odds, a hardly supportable optimism." Strong words, and spoken straight from the heart. Again, this is one of my favorite books of Joyce criticism, and no other work has both so influenced and reflected my reading of Joyce. I highly recommend it to beginner and enthusiast alike!

--Allen Ruch, The Brazen Head ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Le Sinthome and James Joyce
Congratulations to Roberto Harari (and Luke Thurston for his translation)! This is a must reading for those interested in coming to an understanding of Lacan's late work on le sinthome in relation to James Joyce. It is one of the clearest explanations in the literature on this very complex relationship.
Le sinthome was a late development of Lacan during a period where he was attempting to represent the subject in terms of three interconnected rings, the Borromean knots. Each ring represented one of the three main orders (Symbolic, Imaginary, and Real). Many of the key concepts he had developed in the 50s and 60s now reappeared within various configurations of knots. It was Lacan's ongoing interest in James Joyce that sparked the idea that Joyce's writings were applicable to an understanding of a fourth order, le sinthome, which sustained consistancy in the psychic apparatus. Unfortunately, Lacan's late works of the 1970s were replete with exposition of a variety of knots but with little in terms of clear explanations. Harari's work breaks through this impass. It also encourages the reader to converse with his book, not simply to put it to memory. In fact, I found myself cross-referencing his work with other less accessible works to work out a variety of complex points on the knots and le sinthome. Harari's book was a key to overcoming various impasses.
For many of us interested in understanding this material we have had to spend much time in studying literature that not only is equally as challenging as Lacan's, but not necessarily clarifying at all. Harari breaks through this barrier. And he adds his own spin on important ideas presented by Lacan. Some may disagree with his spin, but it is a refreshing elucidation of otherwise inaccessible material.
Sure, there are dogmatic Lacanians who insist on singular readings of Lacan; but this is fiction. And there are factional disputes over the "correct" reading; but let us get beyond this and engage important scholarly work that provides insights into one of the truly great discoveries in psychoanalysis: le sinthome. Lacan's late work still awaits the scholarly field to genuinely engage this material. And there is much to be done!
If we can judge a book by how much it clarifies and encourages further thought on a subject, this book is exceptional.

Superficial or just plain Supercilious?
Had I seen the review a 'Superficial Reading of Lacan, December 11, 2002', prior to reading Harari's book I would not have read it. For me this would have been a mistake. As a PhD candidate working on Joyce and Deleuze, I have found it enormously productive. It has forced me to completely rethink the chapter I have devoted to Lacan, as this originally relied too much on the negative critique contained in Deleuze and Guattari's Anti-Oedipus. I now believe that the 'final' Lacan of Seminar 23 onwards, particularly 'Le Séminaire de 20 January 1976, Le sinthome, 1975-76', but also the earlier 'Le Séminaire. Livre XIX. Ou pire, 1971-72', have not received sufficient attention, whether or not they have been officially suppressed. I owe this to Harari and to this book.
It now seems evident to me that the later Deleuze of The Fold: Leibniz and the Baroque, and the 'final' Lacan, through their respective use of mathematical topology, come much closer in their ultimate theorisations than I had previously thought possible. For me it is particularly significant that Lacan used Joyce so productively in order to bring about his own final theoretical advance. His topological approach makes it much more arguable for me to relate Deleuze and Deleuze and Guattari's more fragmented use of Joyce to a schizoanalytic reading of Finnegans Wake. This will, I believe, prove particularly productive, at least for me and my dissertation.
Clearly my particular perspective is not one which will necessarily encourage others, who have an interest in Lacan or Joyce, to buy this book. I must therefore mention the extremely varied and rich variety of themes which the book contains, including Lacan's reading of Joyce as himself an analyst who brings about not simply Joycean doubles speaking Wakease, but an inventiveness in the analysand/ reader, through poetry and creativity, which changes our very discourse and allow us a new perception of the world. Nevertheless, as this is my review, I will stress one of the themes which is particularly important for me, as this should appeal to other likely purchasers of the book. This is the way in which Harari develops Lacan's thought on the Joycean epiphany, by showing that the Thomist notion of quidditas or 'whatness', which Lacan apparently did not find particularly 'striking', is absolutely decisive in Joyce's thinking and implicitly so in Lacan's development.
Deleuze and Guattari coined the concept of haecceity or 'thisness' to express their key notion of 'becoming' as an essence which did not result in a subjective identity. This I see as a very similar if not identical concept to quidditas. Deleuze implicitly linked haecceity to Joyce's 'epiphanic machine', in his comments on Stephen Hero, by noting that essence itself determines the conditions of its own incarnation. Harari too notes Joyce's privileging of 'whatness' ' through 'the epiphany', in Stephen Hero ' as a fundamental motif of his aesthetic thought which is realised in its fullness in Finnegans Wake. He shows that the occurrence and writing of the lived epiphany for Joyce turns his symptom into the Lacanian sinthome, as a revelation of the Real and its productive possibilities through the Symbolic. The revolutionary development in Lacan's thought at this point in finding the Real no longer 'impossible' but actually productive strongly links his thought, to my mind, to the equation of the Real with reality which had previously separated Deleuze and Guattari's theorisations from those of Lacan.
Harai concludes that Lacan has swept the way clear for a 'post-Joycean psycho-analysis', which is our own. From my perspective this can be no other than Deleuze and Guattari's schizoanalysis. Lacanians will no doubt disagree, and Harari, I must stress, makes no such connection, but to ignore or belittle this book does no service I believe to either Lacan or Joyce, leave alone Deleuze and Guattari.
James Davies, University of Leeds.

Superficial Reading of Lacan
So far the English translations of Harari's work on Lacan have shown themselves to be substandard and superficial from both the perspective of psychoanalytical practice and Lacanian scholarship. Perhaps this is because they are transcriptions of seminars he gave, rather than written texts carefully worked over and developed. In short, Harari's work would benefit from some careful editorial work, integrating more concrete textual references-- for instance, actually quoting text relevant text --and spending more time developing a context for the arguments he's articulating. Harari simply lacks the speaking skills that Lacan himself possessed. Harari often contents himself with simply restating what Lacan [presumably] says in seminar X and XXIII, giving little or no commentary or conceptual analysis. This point should have already been evident in Harari's reading of seminar X which required a seventy page introduction by Shepherdson in order to situate Harari's work. Such a lengthy introduction suggests that the work itself is not doing its job, and this point is demonstrated by a reading of the text, which, while replete with Lacanian diagrams, has very little of interest to say about them that couldn't already be gathered from other seminars. When Harari does engage in commentary his points are often trite, focusing on irrelevant trivia-- and sometimes hero worship? --rather carefully developing Lacanian concepts in light of the greater body of his thought. This annoying tendency is especially clear in his analysis of seminar XXIII, which spends more time rambling on in a rather romantic way about Joyce, rather than focusing on the novel new concepts that Lacan there develops. Harari's text would be defensible if it provided us with a brilliant and novel reading of Joyce in Lacanian terms, but it does not even manage that in that it restricts itself to the most superficial observations of Joycian texts... Observations that are immediately evident to anyone who has even the most rudimentary knowledge of contemporary literary theory. All of this produces a rather comic effect when Harari tells us that he is attempting to correct the rampant misreadings of Lacan promulgated by the Millerian school. How can you correct a misreading if you barely offer a reading yourself? It is likely that those curious about Lacan's unpublished seminars will continue to buy his work; but such people would do better to save their money and either read these texts in the French themselves or await their translations. ... Read more

Book Description

James Joyce's self-referential, allusive, and pun-filled works are widely recognized as the signature pieces of European modernist literature, and helped hasten the 20th Century break from traditionally recognized forms of prose. He repeatedly explored the themes of childhood and adulthood, and youth and maturity while simultaneously widening the boundaries of the novel.

This collection includes selections from his most important works: Ulysses, Finnegan's Wake, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Dubliners. The most fascinating treat here is the landmark recording of James Joyce reading selections from Ulysses. This rare recording was made in 1924, and Joyce's reading provides the singular experience of hearing the work as he intended it to be read.

Also providing the unique insight of spoken-word to these wonderful works are the accomplished, sensitive and expressive performers Cyril Cusack, Siobhan McKenna, Jim Norton, Colm Meaney, and E.G. Marshall.

Reviews (3)

Great to experience...
I had a brief introduction to James Joyce by reading "Araby" ions ago in high school, and was looking to become more acquainted with his works. This collection performed by Gabriel Byrne was a joy to listen to...who better to hear it from than a Dubliner and a great actor to boot?! Although I was debating whether or not it was better to read his works directly before listening to any interpretation, film or audio alike, I don`t regret it. In fact, I think it will help me appreciate Joyce more when I go back to read the works featured. The chamber music as well left me thinking of another time and place, adding a nice backdrop for the dialogue.

An excellent reader for an excellent author
Listening through the 'James Joyce Collection' is pleasure itself. The four cassettes offer the best of Joyce's shorter works (short parts of 'The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man', short stories from 'The Dubliners' and poems from 'Chamber Music'). Even those who find Joyces's big works difficult will have an excellent time listening to these pieces of work. The short stories and poems are enchanting as they portray Joyce's Dublin and Dubliners, the stories are of a riveting kind. Byrne's sensitive, lively performance renders them all the more enjoyable. The gentle brogue of the Irish actor gives you an additional touch of authenticity. The 'James Joyce Collection' is well worth buying if you're yearning for an intense auditive and literary experience.

Experience Joyce as he was meant to be!
The James Joyce Audio Collection is a captivating and enjoyable set of Joyce's best works, read by Joyce himself and three other wonderful performers. The Joyce readings are amazingly remastered, and it is an "epiphany" to listen to a writer like Joyce to read from "Ulysses," his most inspired and personal work. Other highlights of the collection include Cyril Cusack's spirited readings from Joyce's "Portrait of An Artist as a Young Man" This passionate performance brings Joyce's prose to dazzling life and it is an unforgettable experience. This collection is a great way to experience Joyce's literature as it was meant to be; lyrical and vibrant. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although Edna O'Brien has never trafficked in James Joyce'shead-over-heels brand of high modernism, she does have a couple of characteristics in common with her great predecessor. After all, both authors engaged in a profoundly ambivalent excoriation of their native Ireland. And while O'Brien's sexual politics can make Joyce seem like a fusty Edwardian by comparison, both novelists got a certain amount of flack for their erotic frankness. So this latest match from the Penguin Lives series seems like a good one--and largely lives up to its promise. O'Brien makes no pretense of competing with Richard Ellmann's immense, magisterial portrait. Instead she has concocted in James Joyce something that resembles one of her own novels: a spirited, lyrical, and acerbic narrative that just happens to feature the author of Ulysses in the starring role.

Having experienced the constrictions of Irish life firsthand, O'Brien is particularly good on Joyce's downwardly mobile childhood. Was his resulting hatred of his native land exaggerated? Apparently not:

No one who has not lived in such straitened and hideous circumstances can understand the battering of that upbringing. All the more because they had come down in the world, a tumble from semi-gentility, servants, a nicely laid table, cut glasses, a piano, the accoutrements of middle-class life, relegated to the near slums in Mountjoy Square, the gaunt spectral mansions in which children sat like mice in the gaping doorways.

Reviews (13)

A Joycean Primer
As is almost consistently the case, the series of biographies produced under the collection of Penguin Lives has once again succeeded in providing a palatable doorway through which the hungry but busy reader can find the substance of an important if historically tough writer or artist. Edna O'Brien, herself an accomplished writer, here provides us with a fellow Irishman's view of the incredibly important writer James Joyce. Though most of us have at least read his 'Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man' and have seen plays and film adaptations of some of his other works, few of us feel we understand this complexly brilliant mind enough to say that approaching 'Ulysses' or 'Finnegan's Wake' would be easy reading. O'Brien gives us not only the chronology of Joyce's life, she also picks up on individual instances in his youth and manhood that served as fodder for his detailed novels of his Irish heritage. The writing is brisk, acerbic, challenging, and ultimately rewardingly educational. Finish this brief history and you most probably will run to the book shelf for another go at the master!

A perceptive account of a monster of a writer
Irish writer Edna O'Brien's brief (179 page) biography of James Joyce was aimed at people like me who are curious about Joyce's life, but not curious enough to undertake Richard Ellman's definitive but massive biography. O'Brien venerates Joyce's writing, but recognizes the high cost to most everyone who had any contact with Joyce.

Although she argues (without convincing me) that Joyce was not a misogynist, she does not attempt to defend him from being viewed as a monster; instead, she answers her question "Do writers have to be such monsters in order to create? I believe that they do."

O'Brien provides interesting responses to Joyce's life and lifework. Hard-core Joyceans will already have processed Ellman's biography--regarded by some as the best biography of any writer ever written. The somewhat curious have a fine guide in O'Brien. Her book is generally readable, and I am inclined to trust her sense (as a novelist, as an Irish novelist) of what in Joyce's fiction is autobiographical.

The volume is an excellent match of biographer and subject, like Edmund White's biographical meditation on Marcel Proust that began the series of Penguin Brief Lives, a welcome antidote to the mountains of details that make so many biographies daunting.

a great writer on a great writer
Biographies in this series are the perfect fun size. Light, but long enough to have a lot of real stuff in them, more than a mere introduction.

The very first sentence of this book invites you into Joyce with an imitation of his writing style, & after that Edna O'Brien shares generously & mellifluously her great understanding of the man, his life, & his work, drawing on scholarly commentary of his books & from the journals & letters of him & the people around him so that you know how they all felt about his life & their lives in themselves & for the purposes of this biography in relation to him. It's so well-written & so interesting -- what a life he had, crazy as he was, that -- I could hardly put it down. Edna O'Brien's great interest in him comes across truly.

Short but sweet
I read this book at the Jersey shore. Joyce's life was as bizarre as his fiction. This book gives you an insight into what Joyce was trying to do with "Ulysses" and later "Finegan's Wake." Of course, the Ellmann bio is still the definitive. This is a great little read with sand and roasted peanuts.

A Singular Genius
This is one of several volumes in the Penguin Lives Series, each of which written by a distinguished author in her or his own right. Each provides a concise but remarkably comprehensive biography of its subject in combination with a penetrating analysis of the significance of that subject's life and career. I think this is a brilliant concept. My only complaint (albeit a quibble) is that even an abbreviated index is not provided. Those who wish to learn more about the given subject are directed to other sources.

When preparing to review various volumes in this series, I have struggled with determining what would be of greatest interest and assistance to those who read my reviews. Finally I decided that a few brief excerpts and then some concluding comments of my own would be appropriate.

On Joyce and Ireland: "Of all the great Irish writers, Joyce's relationship with his country remains the most incensed and yet the most meditative. Beckett, a much more cloistered man, was unequivocal; he made France his home and eventually wrote in French and though his elegiac works carry the breath of his native land, he did not expect Foxrock, his birthplace, to be etched in the consciousness of the world. Joyce did. He determined to reinvent the city where he had been marginalized, laughed at and barred from literary circles. he would be the poet of his race." (page 15)

On criticisms of his portrayal of Dublin: Joyce "said he was not to be blamed for the odor of ash pits and rotted cabbage and offal in these stories [i.e. in Dubliners] because that was how he saw his city. 'We are foolish, comic, motionless, corrupted, yet we are worthy of sympathy too,' he laughed haughtily and added that if Ireland were to deny that sympathy to its characters, the rest of the world would not. In this he was mistaken." (page 78)

On his deteriorating health: "The strains were beginning to show. he had endocrine treatment for his arthritis, had to have all his teeth removed and was fitted with permanent plates. His eyesight so worsened that he had only one-seventh normal vision. He was given iodine leeches for his bad eye but soon it was clear that they would have to operate." (page 130)

On his enigmatic nature: "The truth is that the Joyce [others] saw was a fraction of the inner man. No one knew Joyce, only himself, no one could. His imagination was meteoric, his mind ceaseless in the accruing of knowledge, words crackling in his head, images crowding in on him 'like the shades at the entrance to the underworld.' What he wanted to do was to wrest the secret from life and that could only be done through language because, as he said, the history of people is the history of language." (pages 165-166)

As is also true of the other volumes in the "Penguin Lives" series, this one provides all of the essential historical and biographical information but its greatest strength lies in the extended commentary, in this instance by Edna O'Brien. She also includes a brief but sufficient "Bibliography" for those who wish to learn more about Joyce. I hope these brief excerpts encourage those who read this review to read O'Brien's biography. It is indeed a brilliant achievement. ... Read more

Book Description

An introduction to one of the most complex writers of the 20th century. B/W illustrations throughout. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

pretty good intro to joyce for the money
it won't pass you in a high level college course but it's got lots of info- a great intro and primer i'd have to say!

Should be read BEFORE reading any of Joyce's works...
This is an excellent introduction to the life and writings of James Joyce, the former being essential to understanding the later, on any level. Mr. Norris's text and Mr. Clint's illustrations (which are actually rather functional) bring a sense of insight to any who attempt to take on one of the most complex writers in Western literature. The outline of "Ulysses" is excellent, and Mr. Norris even takes on the daunting task of begining to explain what has to be one of the most utterly demanding books ever, "Finnegan's Wake," and illustrates, literally, that it is not just some great joke or jibberish as others who probably have tried and failed to interpet, claim it is. And the keen advice from Mr. Norris, although rather pedestrian, disproves the popular notion of Joyce being unreadable. I would strongly recommend this and any of the other editions in this excellent series (I have since purchased, "Introducing Kafka.")

Excellent insight and introduction into Joyce's work.
Introducing Joyce really gives the reader insight into Joyce's methods of writing, how much of his work was autobiographical, and helps one better grasp this great writer's unique style. I was also amused with the interesting illustrations throughout the book. These illustrations make it impossible for the reading to become at all monotonous. One learns many things that are incorporated into his work that you would never know without reading this book. Overall, an excellent way to prepare for the experience of Joyce's writing. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Thought provoking and insightful...
Aesthetic Autobiography is a fascinating study of the transmutation of life fact into fiction. Nalbantian's basic premise is that one's fictionalization of one's own life reveals more about an individual than an individual's earnest attempt at self documentation by way of a "memoir." The first chapter is an analysis of autobiography proper; in the second chapter Nalbantian introduces theories of "aesthetic autobiography," and in the subsequent chapters she relates her model of a shared aesthetics to the giants of twentieth-century autobiography. For example, writers of aesthetic autobiography share a concentration on a place, a childhood memory, and a beloved family member. In additon, they each utilize a concrete element as an anchor in time. It is a very creative work, and any individual interested in the creative process, the transmuation of life fact into fiction, will find this study essential and illuminating.

How much is too much?
The constant edification of authors reaches a sickening degree when their lives are marched out like so much cannon fodder. Are they interesting people? Undoubtedly. Worthy of print? Surely. Worthy of endless reams of print that never stops? You get the idea ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Representations of "the Jew" have long been a topic of interest in Joyce studies.Neil Davison argues that Joyce's lifelong encounter with pseudo-scientific, religious, and political discourse about "the Jew" forms a unifying component of his career. He offers new biographical material, and presents a detailed reading of Ulysses to show how Joyce confronts the controversy of "race," the psychology of internalized stereotype, and the contradictions of fin-de-siècle anti-Semitism. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Superb account of Joyce's perceptions of Jews.
An essential guide to understanding Bloom's perception of himself. Davison makes it clear that Joyce's undrstanding of Jews was fluid. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

"Wherever you find a firehouse, you will likely find a firedog or a story of one."

Working dogs are an often-overlooked segment of the canine population. The Firefighter’s Best Friend provides a rare look into a specific type of these dogs—those who have lived or currently live in the firehouses of Chicago. From the mutts in the 1870s who led the horse-drawn fire wagons, to citywide heroes, to the contemporary dogs that provide security, assistance, and companionship to today’s firefighters, the history and lore of Chicago firedogs is as rich as the city’s cultural heritage.

Whether at a fire, in the firehouse, or on the public relations circuit, these mascots play an important role in the day-to-day functioning of the Chicago Fire Department. They climb ladders, sound the alarms, fight fires, save children, break up fights, roll hose, exterminate vermin, protect property, and donate blood. And these public servants can play as hard as they work. . . playing basketball, visiting taverns and ballparks, socializing with neighborhood dogs, starring in the news, dining in style, and even hopping rides on the "L" and buses all by themselves. Trevor Orsigner and Drew Orsinger take readers on a tour of Chicago firehouses in their quest to document the lives and legends of every known Chicago firedog past and present.

As seen inDog & Kennel and Animal Fair magazines, and in the popular Dogs with Jobs television series.

A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance "I Am Me Camp" for children who have been hospitalized for burn injuries, a cause near to the hearts of Chicago firefighters. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Firedog Heros
In the past few years, firefighters have gotten increased, and deserved, attention and respect. But what of "that firefighter who is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year"? That is the way Commissioner James T. Joyce of the Chicago Fire Department describes the firehouse dog in the introduction to _The Firefighter's Best Friend: Lives and Legends of Chicago Firehouse Dogs_ (Lake Claremont Press) by Trevor J. Orsinger and Drew F. Orsinger. It is no exaggeration to say that these dogs are for the most part not ornaments, not pets, but working dogs, busy with their responsibilities and taking them seriously. The authors are not firemen, but like many people, they admire firemen, and they realized that though there are volumes to record the history of the Chicago Fire Department, there were none devoted to its dogs. For some reason Chicago has a lot of these dogs, perhaps more than anywhere, and the stories here are funny, loving, and inspiring.

It is commonly thought that firedogs are just for show, good public relations for fire departments. They do get trotted out for photo ops and in parades, but many of the dogs here have valued roles as real worker dogs. Engine 30 has a dog named Thirty, a Dalmatian that has made 14,000 runs over the past nine years. Once on the scene, many dogs are eager to get into the work, helping to haul hoses or even entering buildings that are on fire. Many of the dogs are useful ratters. Dogs who stay in the firehouse are charged with guarding the valuables the firemen leave behind. It is significant that Chicago firehouse dogs do not have normal dog lifespans. Some of them die in the line of duty, boldly accompanying their men into burning buildings. Bruno of Engine 19 died from cancer caused by repeated smoke inhalation. Dogs do fall off speeding engines. Rags of Engine 24 stepped into water that had been electrified by a fallen wire and died, but his death ensured that his firemen avoided the same fate. One dog after another here is described as meeting death by being hit by a car at the scene. Sometimes dogs are too slow to move out and are run over by their own trucks, and more than one has been killed by being shut in the big firehouse door. Sometimes the fire station is in a bad part of town and the residents attack the dogs as symbols of authority. The other great hazard is obesity; the firemen all love to give their dogs table scraps.

There are lots of fine pictures here of dogs happily sitting on their engines, climbing ladders, marching in parades, posing for formal pictures with their crews, obligingly wearing fire hats, and being petted by guys who love them. There are plenty of dogs named Smokey here, and also Sparky, Ashes, and even Arson. There are stories of the far less successful firepig, fireduck, firegoose, and firegoat. There are great stories of heroic dogs, and if one or two have become exaggerated in the retelling by the firemen, that is only a tribute to the love and respect the firehouse crews bear for their mascots. ... Read more

Book Description

"In 1963…there was no way I could have known, sitting in a classroom on that beautiful campus in Ohio, that by raising my hand I would be going to war in Vietnam and that I would see things, hear things and do things that most people cannot imagine."—James Joyce.

The author was drawn into the United States Army through ROTC, and went through training to fly helicopters in combat over Vietnam. His experiences are notable because he flew both Huey "Slicks" and Huey "Gunships": the former on defense as he flew troops into battle, and the latter on offense as he took the battle to the enemy. Through this book, the author relives his experiences flying and fighting, with special attention given to his and other pilots’ day-to-day lives—such as the smoke bombing of Disneyland, the nickname given to a United States Army–sponsored compound for prostitution. Some of the pilots Joyce served with survived the war and went on to have careers with commercial airlines, and many were killed. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

War story from a human angle
I'm not normally a reader of non-fiction war stories, especially in first person, but "Pucker Factor 10" caught my attention from the beginning all the way to the very end. Joyce brings the reader into the realm of realism, from family history, personal apprehensions, his somewhat inadvertant role as a helicopter pilot during the heat of battle, his impressions of soldiers and his humanity toward the enemy which brings chills to the reader. Meanwhile, just when I least expected, I found myself belly laughing his wit. This book is a must for anyone who enjoys true-to-lie accounts of how it was in the air trenches.

the best book
i think this is the best book ever

Best non-fiction book about Vietnam
There are few books I would read in one sitting. This is one of them. The recollectionns of Jim Joyce may open the hearts and minds of other vets who had similar experiences. Jim Joyce is an excellent writer and his recollections of the war will certainly help other vets to deal with past memories, bad and good. The book would make a fine play or even a movie. I hope he continues writing.

Coming of Age
Pucker Factor 10 was a very enjoyable journey as the author turns "of age". It flows extremely well, and has a good balance of humor and sobriety, peppered with perspective. It, of course, will resonate with the Vietnam era helicopter pilots but with those who served in any capacity in the Vietnam War---as well as those who didn't. It is entertaining, in a "Mash" sort of way. ... Read more

Book Description

This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on June 22, 1995. The length of the article is 122279 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Aesthetic Autobiography: From Life to Art in Marcel Proust, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf and Anais Nin.
Author: John L. Brown
Publication: World Literature Today (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 1995
Publisher: University of Oklahoma
Volume: v69Issue: n3Page: p658(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description

(series copy)

These encyclopedic companions are browsable, invaluable individual guides to authors and their works. Useful for students, but written with the general reader in mind, they are clear, concise, accessible, and supply the basic cultural, historical, biographical and critical information so crucial to an appreciation and enjoyment of the primary works. Each is arranged in an A-Z fashion and presents and explains the terms, people, places, and concepts encountered in the literary worlds of James Joyce, Mark Twain, and Virginia Woolf.

As a keen explorer of the mundane material of everyday life, James Joyce ranks high in the canon of modernist writers. He is arguably the most influential writer of the twentieth-century, and may be the most read, studied, and taught of all modern writers. The James Joyce A-Z is the ideal companion to Joyce's life and work. Over 800 concise entries relating to all aspects of Joyce are gathered here in one easy-to-use volume of impressive scope. ... Read mor