Sign in with Facebook
David Cerruti's Reviews > Ulysses
Ulysses
by
by
David Cerruti's review
bookshelves: favorites, s-o-c, irish-writers
Jun 16, 2010
bookshelves: favorites, s-o-c, irish-writers
Read 2 times. Last read June 16, 2010 to May 13, 2011.
First posted in 2011. [Revision dates in brackets]
**** SPOILER ALERT ****
Plot synopsis:
Man walks around Dublin.
Nothing important happens.
You probably knew that.
In this large community of good readers, excellent readers, and writers of outstanding reviews, I’m standing out as barely mediocre. So the idea of my reviewing Ulysses is absurd. But I did finish it, after 3 starts. In lieu of a review, I’ll just give some tips to help those who gave up, or never started it.
First, read the GR reviews (and comments), especially the one by Paul Bryant. [Edit 12-7-2014] Paul’s magnum opus exceeded the GR size limits, and had to be posted in 2 parts.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/2...
Q. Whoa, that review is longer than a short story. How can that help me?
A. Print it out, and keep a copy handy. It’s an episode by episode review, so just refer to it before starting the next episode. You could also see Wikipedia.
Q. Do you recommend any other reviews?
A. [Edit 9-10-2014] Fionnuala's review is excellent. Also see the GR group Odysseus to Ulysses. “This group will be reading first Homer's The Odyssey, for which we plan to take around two months, and then James Joyce's Ulysses, which may take about three months.� They are starting Ulysses in October, 2014.
Q. I saw Jessica’s comment: “See, here's a new problem I've identified with Joyce: he needs to be read in a mental Irish accent, which I find exhausting to keep up.� That’s discouraging. What should I do?
A. Do what I did; take the easy way out; get an audiobook.
Q. GR lists at least 9 different audio editions. Which do you recommend?
A. The first audio book I chose was a disaster, which I’ll explain later. For my third attempt, I found the 2004 edition by Naxos Audiobooks, read by Irish actors Jim Norton and Marcella Riordan. It is 27 hours of beautiful reading by wonderful voices. Don’t confuse this with the abridged 1994 edition by the same publisher and readers. Thank you New York Public Library.
Q. [Edit 12-7-2014] Is there anything wrong with the Jim Norton reading?
A. I found nothing wrong, but there is one thing to consider. The recording has a high dynamic range. The inner thoughts of Bloom are soft and gentle, while the bellowing of Buck Mulligan is at full volume. This is what you would expect from a stage and screen actor of Norton’s caliber. If you are listening to speakers in a room, then it will sound great. If you are using headphones or earbuds, you will need to adjust the volume frequently. Just use a headset with a convenient volume control.
Q. What was the audiobook you didn’t like?
A. That was by Recorded Books, read by Donal Donnelly and Miriam Healy-Louie. It has an interesting introduction, noting the many editions, copyrights, and editing errors in the book’s history. Episode 18, Molly’s soliloquy, was read beautifully by Miriam Healy-Louie. Unfortunately, the rest of the recording was flat and painfully slow (43 hours long).
Q. Won’t I miss a lot by listening instead of reading?
A. That depends on how you listen. Regardless of how careful you listen, there will be misunderstandings. It helps to have a paper or PDF copy handy. Take this example from Episode 11: “Bloom ungyved his crisscrossed hands …� I heard �unjived�, and thought it might refer to hand jive, a term not used during Joyce’s lifetime. Since I didn’t have a paper copy, I checked a public domain PDF for the correct spelling. Gyve = a shackle or fetter, especially for the leg. Cited usage: Romeo and Juliet - “Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves …� One advantage of PDF is quick word or phrase searches.
Q. Do I need a reader’s guide to understand the classical references?
A. Not unless you are writing a dissertation. Don’t ruin a good reading experience with too much analysis. Would you really enjoy episode 13, Nausicaa, as much if you knew that Gerty, the charming young woman on the beach, represented Nausicaa, the daughter of King Alcinous of Phaeacia? No, you would be too busy thinking about Homer, and miss the fun part that follows. [Edit 9-28-2014] I’ve changed my mind. I’ve just started a rereading, and will be referring to A Reader's Guide to James Joyce by William York Tindall.
/book/show/1...
It covers Joyce’s major works, and devotes 114 pages to Ulysses. That’s brief enough to not interfere with the main reading. Even more helpful is the GR discussion group Odysseus to Ulysses. [Edit 2-15-2022] I wish I had read James Joyce in 90 Minutes by Paul Strathern before starting Ulysses. It provides helpful information about Joyce and Irish culture.
Q. What’s up with this goofy Q & A format?
A. Sorry about that. It’s just a gimmick. All of episode 17 is Q & A.
Q. Your other reviews are so short. Why is this one longer?
A. So short! Excuse me, how about concise and to the point. This review is longer because it needs to be. Like Paul says: “It’s a big book.� Or Ambrose Bierce: “The covers of this book are too far apart.�
Q. I don’t think I’ll like all the stream-of-consciousness. Can I skip it?
A. No, don’t skip it. It’s the best part. You will love it if you get the right introduction. Try listening to The Waves by Virginia Woolf. Or better yet, start at the end, with episode 18, Penelope. This is Molly’s soliloquy, and my favorite part. All of the episodes can stand alone. There is almost no continuity, so order is not important.
Q. Wait. Isn’t episode 18 all one sentence?
A. That depends on the edition. Apparently, Paul’s copy is 90 pages in one sentence with no punctuation. Both of my PDF copies have 3 periods, so that must mean 3 sentences. Wikipedia says it has 8 run-on sentences without punctuation. If you are interested in very long sentences, see this blog post by Ed Park in the NY Times:
Q. [Edit 9-28-2014] What’s this nonsense about 90 pages and no punctuation! Surely, you’re joking. That’s unreadable.
A. It’s no joke. It reads and flows because it’s stream-of-consciousness. If you think that’s hard to read, consider a rabbi reading a Torah (304,805 letters on a parchment scroll, with no punctuation).
Q. Do you have any other advice?
A. Yes. Start reading now, before Bloomsday, June 16. And make a commitment to finish before the next Bloomsday. [Edit 9-10-2014] When you start, don’t stop until the final yes.
[Epilog 12-7-2014] The second time around was even more enjoyable. Special thanks to Kalliope, Book Portrait, and ReemK10 (Paper Pills), the moderators of the GR group Odysseus to Ulysses. The discussions and links to other references make this group a valuable resource. I hope GR will keep the entire discussion online indefinitely.
**** SPOILER ALERT ****
Plot synopsis:
Man walks around Dublin.
Nothing important happens.
You probably knew that.
In this large community of good readers, excellent readers, and writers of outstanding reviews, I’m standing out as barely mediocre. So the idea of my reviewing Ulysses is absurd. But I did finish it, after 3 starts. In lieu of a review, I’ll just give some tips to help those who gave up, or never started it.
First, read the GR reviews (and comments), especially the one by Paul Bryant. [Edit 12-7-2014] Paul’s magnum opus exceeded the GR size limits, and had to be posted in 2 parts.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/2...
Q. Whoa, that review is longer than a short story. How can that help me?
A. Print it out, and keep a copy handy. It’s an episode by episode review, so just refer to it before starting the next episode. You could also see Wikipedia.
Q. Do you recommend any other reviews?
A. [Edit 9-10-2014] Fionnuala's review is excellent. Also see the GR group Odysseus to Ulysses. “This group will be reading first Homer's The Odyssey, for which we plan to take around two months, and then James Joyce's Ulysses, which may take about three months.� They are starting Ulysses in October, 2014.
Q. I saw Jessica’s comment: “See, here's a new problem I've identified with Joyce: he needs to be read in a mental Irish accent, which I find exhausting to keep up.� That’s discouraging. What should I do?
A. Do what I did; take the easy way out; get an audiobook.
Q. GR lists at least 9 different audio editions. Which do you recommend?
A. The first audio book I chose was a disaster, which I’ll explain later. For my third attempt, I found the 2004 edition by Naxos Audiobooks, read by Irish actors Jim Norton and Marcella Riordan. It is 27 hours of beautiful reading by wonderful voices. Don’t confuse this with the abridged 1994 edition by the same publisher and readers. Thank you New York Public Library.
Q. [Edit 12-7-2014] Is there anything wrong with the Jim Norton reading?
A. I found nothing wrong, but there is one thing to consider. The recording has a high dynamic range. The inner thoughts of Bloom are soft and gentle, while the bellowing of Buck Mulligan is at full volume. This is what you would expect from a stage and screen actor of Norton’s caliber. If you are listening to speakers in a room, then it will sound great. If you are using headphones or earbuds, you will need to adjust the volume frequently. Just use a headset with a convenient volume control.
Q. What was the audiobook you didn’t like?
A. That was by Recorded Books, read by Donal Donnelly and Miriam Healy-Louie. It has an interesting introduction, noting the many editions, copyrights, and editing errors in the book’s history. Episode 18, Molly’s soliloquy, was read beautifully by Miriam Healy-Louie. Unfortunately, the rest of the recording was flat and painfully slow (43 hours long).
Q. Won’t I miss a lot by listening instead of reading?
A. That depends on how you listen. Regardless of how careful you listen, there will be misunderstandings. It helps to have a paper or PDF copy handy. Take this example from Episode 11: “Bloom ungyved his crisscrossed hands …� I heard �unjived�, and thought it might refer to hand jive, a term not used during Joyce’s lifetime. Since I didn’t have a paper copy, I checked a public domain PDF for the correct spelling. Gyve = a shackle or fetter, especially for the leg. Cited usage: Romeo and Juliet - “Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves …� One advantage of PDF is quick word or phrase searches.
Q. Do I need a reader’s guide to understand the classical references?
A. Not unless you are writing a dissertation. Don’t ruin a good reading experience with too much analysis. Would you really enjoy episode 13, Nausicaa, as much if you knew that Gerty, the charming young woman on the beach, represented Nausicaa, the daughter of King Alcinous of Phaeacia? No, you would be too busy thinking about Homer, and miss the fun part that follows. [Edit 9-28-2014] I’ve changed my mind. I’ve just started a rereading, and will be referring to A Reader's Guide to James Joyce by William York Tindall.
/book/show/1...
It covers Joyce’s major works, and devotes 114 pages to Ulysses. That’s brief enough to not interfere with the main reading. Even more helpful is the GR discussion group Odysseus to Ulysses. [Edit 2-15-2022] I wish I had read James Joyce in 90 Minutes by Paul Strathern before starting Ulysses. It provides helpful information about Joyce and Irish culture.
Q. What’s up with this goofy Q & A format?
A. Sorry about that. It’s just a gimmick. All of episode 17 is Q & A.
Q. Your other reviews are so short. Why is this one longer?
A. So short! Excuse me, how about concise and to the point. This review is longer because it needs to be. Like Paul says: “It’s a big book.� Or Ambrose Bierce: “The covers of this book are too far apart.�
Q. I don’t think I’ll like all the stream-of-consciousness. Can I skip it?
A. No, don’t skip it. It’s the best part. You will love it if you get the right introduction. Try listening to The Waves by Virginia Woolf. Or better yet, start at the end, with episode 18, Penelope. This is Molly’s soliloquy, and my favorite part. All of the episodes can stand alone. There is almost no continuity, so order is not important.
Q. Wait. Isn’t episode 18 all one sentence?
A. That depends on the edition. Apparently, Paul’s copy is 90 pages in one sentence with no punctuation. Both of my PDF copies have 3 periods, so that must mean 3 sentences. Wikipedia says it has 8 run-on sentences without punctuation. If you are interested in very long sentences, see this blog post by Ed Park in the NY Times:
Q. [Edit 9-28-2014] What’s this nonsense about 90 pages and no punctuation! Surely, you’re joking. That’s unreadable.
A. It’s no joke. It reads and flows because it’s stream-of-consciousness. If you think that’s hard to read, consider a rabbi reading a Torah (304,805 letters on a parchment scroll, with no punctuation).
Q. Do you have any other advice?
A. Yes. Start reading now, before Bloomsday, June 16. And make a commitment to finish before the next Bloomsday. [Edit 9-10-2014] When you start, don’t stop until the final yes.
[Epilog 12-7-2014] The second time around was even more enjoyable. Special thanks to Kalliope, Book Portrait, and ReemK10 (Paper Pills), the moderators of the GR group Odysseus to Ulysses. The discussions and links to other references make this group a valuable resource. I hope GR will keep the entire discussion online indefinitely.
Sign into ŷ to see if any of your friends have read
Ulysses.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
Finished Reading
June 16, 2010
–
Started Reading
June 16, 2010
– Shelved
May 13, 2011
–
Finished Reading
May 14, 2011
– Shelved as:
favorites
February 2, 2015
– Shelved as:
s-o-c
May 17, 2017
– Shelved as:
irish-writers
Comments Showing 1-8 of 8 (8 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Petra in Tokyo
(new)
-
rated it 2 stars
May 13, 2011 02:50PM
I'm reading it right now. I like the language but its not the easiest of books.
reply
|
flag
I'm just about to start rereading this....been about 20 years - for a personal project.
I read it years ago, want to try again but can't find my copy, been searching in stores for about 2 months. I hope to get it done by next Bloomsday 2012.
Thanks, Elham. I don’t think it is necessary to read anything before Ulysses. Remember the Nike motto: “Just do it!�
I have to tell you David, that your comments in the groupreads group really helped me to continue reading. Reading about your experiences and how it took 3 takes for you to be able to finally finish Ulysses encouraged me to keep going on this very difficult journey.Love the Q and A format!
Glad you reposted this, David. It's a lot of fun and very perceptive. And there's ŷ history in here too—which some day may require its own Reader's Guide!
I'm imagining Goodreaders in 2122 needing answers to the following questions:
Who were the Kalliope, Book Portrait and Reem trio who read both Homer and Joyce and lived to tell the tale?
And tell us about Paul Bryant and why he had such a big following in the early 21st century?
Ditto for the person called Manny.
And what about that Fionnuala person who had no followers at all� how weird is that?
Fionnuala Lirsdottir writes: “And what about that Fionnuala person who had no followers at all� how weird is that?� There is nothing weird about that. The reason is FEAR. No man would dare ‘follow� the daughter of Lir, the sea god.
