A unique, creative volume, both a guidebook to contemporary Dublin (circa 1989) and the Dublin of Joyce's "Ulysses", and a guide to interpreting the text of "Ulysses." The book contain eight tours of Dublin corresponding (though not strictly chronologically) to the inner and outer voyages of Leopold Bloom on "Bloomsday," (June 16, 1904) the day chronicled in "Ulysses."

A great deal of the text is included, along with explanations of Joyce's historical, religious, place-name allusions, as well as information on how to follow Bloom on his walking and riding tour of Dublin. (Bloom walked, took trams, trains, and hose-drawn conveyances, today's visitor is told how to use DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) to negotiate Bloom's wanderings that day. Some of the city remains as it did in 1904; others have places have changed, partially as a result of being mentioned in the fictional "Ulysses." For example, Sandycove Tower, which was a real tower in 1904, and is the initial setting of "Ulysses." It is now the site of the "James Joyce Museum." The bar of the old "Jury Hotel" (one of 60 actual establishments mentioned in "Ulysses") has been transported to Zurich and renamed the "James Joyce Pub."

Because Joyce set "Ulysses" in the Dublin he knew, and based many of his characters on people he knew, the walking tours transcend (as does the book) the objective "what's there" and the subjective "how did Joyce write about it." It is truly a remarkable book, fascinating for those familiar with "Ulysses," and/or those who are taking either armchair or actual tours of Dublin. Includes many cites from the book (with excellent annotations and references to places in Dublin), anecdotes about Joyce, maps of the walking tours, three appendices (including "The Movements of Leopold Bloom and Stephan Dedalus on 16 June, 1904), and a useful index. Very highly recommended.

A unique, creative volume, both a guidebook to contemporary Dublin (circa 1989) and the Dublin of Joyce's "Ulysses", and a guide to interpreting the text of "Ulysses." The book contain eight tours of Dublin corresponding (though not strictly chronologically) to the inner and outer voyages of Leopold Bloom on "Bloomsday," (June 16, 1904) the day chronicled in "Ulysses."

A great deal of the text is included, along with explanations of Joyce's historical, religious, place-name allusions, as well as information on how to follow Bloom on his walking and riding tour of Dublin. (Bloom walked, took trams, trains, and hose-drawn conveyances, today's visitor is told how to use DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) to negotiate Bloom's wanderings that day. Some of the city remains as it did in 1904; others have places have changed, partially as a result of being mentioned in the fictional "Ulysses." For example, Sandycove Tower, which was a real tower in 1904, and is the initial setting of "Ulysses." It is now the site of the "James Joyce Museum." The bar of the old "Jury Hotel" (one of 60 actual establishments mentioned in "Ulysses") has been transported to Zurich and renamed the "James Joyce Pub!" And some things apparently do not change: The brothel setting of "Circes" is still "one of Dublin's danger areas where street crime is common...and [the area] should be treated with caution." Because Joyce set "Ulysses" in the Dublin he knew, and based many of his characters on people he knew, the walking tours transcend (as does the book) the objective "what's there" and the subjective "how did Joyce write about it."

This is a truly remarkable book, fascinating for those familiar with "Ulysses," and/or those who are taking either armchair or actual tours of Dublin. Includes many cites from the book (with excellent annotations and references to places in Dublin), anecdotes about Joyce, maps of the walking tours, three appendices (including "The Movements of Leopold Bloom and Stephan Dedalus on 16 June, 1904), and a useful index. Very highly recommended.

The Orchises Press edition stands out for three reasons. The first is that it reproduces--with impressive attention to detail--the first edition of Joyce's novel. The second reason is that the large, widemargined pages add the pleasure of reading to the pleasure of reading Ulysses (there is something missing, after all, in the insubstantial, tinytype levity of the paperback editions). Finally, the weight of the paper, the strength of the binding makes this edition one that will last (and you will not, as with the paperback editions, be forced to transcripe all your notes from a book that falls apart after three readings). For those who seek the "authenticity" of a first edition, who admire Joyce or who will be studying the novel for years to come, this is the edition to buy.

This is a wonderfully crafted book -- the physical object, that is, and not just the text. (Because if you're willing to pay this much for a copy of "Ulysses" you obviously take that for granted.) The volume is larger in size than typical hardcover books today, meaning that the type is a decent readable size and the margins are generous (for the note jotting fiends among us). Great care has clearly been taken in the choice of paper and the sewn binding, which allows the book to lay flat during reading and insures years of re-reading. Although there is no dustjacket the cover is made of very durable material; various cover protectors can be found to stand in or, for the really paranoid, a slipcase can be made or found. It should be added that the text is presented as originally published, so there are no notes or glosses to help the first-time or casual reader; neither are the episodes keyed to any of the line numberings found in other editions. However, those wishing to refer to notes would be best off buying one of the helpful readers' companions by Gifford or Blamires anyway. In relation to other available editions, this one occupies a vast middle ground between the throwaway mass-market paperbacks on the one hand and the out-of-reach collectors' editions on the other. The book's durability and elegant though understated presentation should prove most attractive to those readers who intend to read the text again and again, whether for pleasure or for study. In short, this volume is a keeper.

I was a friend of the late author's and therefore recuse myself from any sort of critical review, but am anxious to let others know of its availability. It is a model of Joycean analysis, in my opinion, written in an elegant, spare style and with great good humor. He has made a significant discovery that should excite and illumine both Sherlockians (Bill was a member of the BSI and prodigious contributor to the Baker Street Journal) and Wakers.

Here you can find pure and beautiful words from the century author! Lovely to read simple words from the author who wrote ULYSS. because this book is out of print,have a taste:

STRINGS IN THE EARTH AND AIR

MAKE MUSIC SWEET

STRINGS BY THE RIVER WHERE

THE WILLOWS MEET.

THERE'S MUSIC ALONG THE RIVER

FOR LOVERS WANDERS THERE

PALE FLOWERS ON HIS MANTLE

DARK LEAVES ON HIS HAIR.

ALL SOFTLY PLAYING

WITH HEAD TO THE MUSIC BENT

AND FINGERS STRAYING

UPON AN INSTRUMENT.........

In a helpful, lucent introductory chapter, Mackey (Univ. of South Carolina) makes intelligible--even to the nonphilosopher--the distinction between classical mechanics and postmodernism and the role of chaos theory in mediating between the two. According to Mackey, philosophers from Aristotle to Einstein have viewed nature as a machine--deterministic, evolving through a chain of cause and effect, potentially knowable, and governed by the laws of logic. By contrast, postmodernism views life, and language, as and ultimately unreal. To find a middle ground, Mackey turns to chaos theory, which "accepts the indeterminateness and interrelationships emphasized in postmodernism yet affirms the existence of an aboriginal reality." In a dense and insightful analysis of Ulysses, Mackey applies this theory to the life of Leopold Bloom, finding him at the end of the book a man who has been left stronger and more hopeful by the trivial and accidental events of the day, but no less uncertain about his future. Equipped with endnotes, this book will serve upper-division undergraduates through faculty.

Being of Irish descent, I am very particular about hearing Irish stories in recorded form. There are some really good editions out nowadays. But this one is the best. I knew I was in the presence of greatness when I beheld the wonderful packaging, and it just got better the longer I listened to these truly wonderful stories. My favorite is one I've read many times, by Joyce, entitlled "The Boarding House." Here it is transformed into something that is difficult to describe and thrilling to experience. The narrator, who must be Irish, has perfectly deciphered Joyce's intent. He has also given us some of the very finest renditions of Irish stories I have ever encountered. "The Weaver's Grave" comes to life as if by magic. There is wonderful music here and very lifelike sound effects that are very skillfully and gently woven into the fabric of these great works. It is such a pleasure to listen to these recordings, you will be listening over and over again, as I have.

A companion piece along with O Hehir's GAELIC LEXICON FOR FINNEGANS WAKE as well as Bonheim's LEXICON FOR THE GERMAN IN FINNEGANS WAKE, this text is an invaluable reference tool for reading Joyce's last great work. Simple, concise, this work lists the Finnegan word or phrase on the left, the Latin or Greek derivative in the center of the page, and the author's interpretation of the correlation between the two on the right hand portion of the page. O Hehir does this for a phenomenal 514 pages. While using various other secondary texts to assist me through the Wake, I found this to be most helpful for Joyce knew Latin, a little Greek, as well as a handful of other languages (including Gaelic and German--being Irish and having listed in Trieste). Furthermore, I was surprised to find that Joyce had left a large portion of the Latin terms and phrases untouched throughout the Wake, thus making this text all the more important. The other 140 pages that comprise this gem is a Greek and Latin lexicon for the rest of Joyce's works. Indeed, a must-have for any Joyce fan or scholar.

Old but still worthy of respect, this is a collection of most of the works by James Joyce that could reasonably be described as Critical. Here we see Joyce in many guises - youthful literary hack, angry old man protesting against breach of copyright, and above all explainer of Irish and English culture to the Italians. The most fascinating pieces in the book are a series of lectures Joyce gave in Italian on the subjects of Irish history, James Clarence Mangan, William Blake and diverse other topics. Those who've attempted to claim Joyce as an apolitical webmaster or conservative elitist (I'm talking to you, Roger Scruton) are in for a shock. His socialism and proto-post-colonialist sense of historical injustice are in full display.

These are, to be sure, the kind of thing you read not because you're interested in the subjects under discussion (who, apart from elderly Irish poets, cares about James Clarence Mangan?) but because you're interested in what Joyce has to say about them. All his criticism is of the strategic rather than tactical kind, the kind of criticism certain writers engage in so as to clear the ground for their own efforts. He's no John Updike, prepared to write 2000 words about anybody he happens to find interesting.

Apart from a vacuous introduction by Guy Davenport, this is a fascinating book. I'm sure it's far from complete, seeing as nobody can even agree about where Joyce's books stop and his drafts begin, but it'll do until time and decay simplify the picture. Joyce is the great pathfinder of modern Irish writing. Hail to the Chief.

My mum Joan Wilson is mentioned a few times in this book. I found the book informative regarding what was going on around her at that time.My mum set up the YWCA to care for woman involvbed with the war effort.

I have listened to Setlock's readings, this one in particular, many times. He is very close to Joyce's voice, in interpretation and execution. The readings are masterly. This recording just grows and grows on you.