The action in James Joyce's novel Ulysses takes place on a single day in Dublin, Ireland--June 16, 1904. It is said that that day marked James Joyce's first outing with his future wife, Nora Barnacle. In the book, the protagonist is Leopold Bloom (his wife is Molly Bloom). Ulysses may be the great novel written in the English language; it may well be the greatest unread novel in English, along with Moby Dick.
It is a great book even if not the most accessible. The final chapter of Ulysses is a wonderful lyrical love poem, the poem of "Yes." (Read it to find out what I mean.)
There are events celebrating Bloomsday all over the world (and the day has been celebrated beginning in 1954, the 50th anniversary of June 16, 1904). One event going on in Cleveland is a marathon reading of Ulysses at Nighttown, the great pub of Brendan Ring in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Of course Brendan's pub is named after the redlight district of Dublin that James Joyce knew and featured in his novel.
There was a nice article on the Nighttown reading of Ulysses that appeared in the Plain Dealer, the storyt is available at cleveland.com at this link:
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/06/fans_of_irish_writer_james_joy.html
To your memory and artistry, James Joyce. Slainte!
Showing posts with label James Joyce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Joyce. Show all posts
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Friday, May 21, 2010
The Irish Writer James Joyce
Recently I've gotten interested in the Irish writer, James Joyce.
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was born in Dublin, Ireland on February 2, 1882, and died in Zurich, Switzerland on January 13, 1941. Joyce is often acclaimed as one of the greatest writers of his era, but his two most famous books, Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake, are rarely read. A collection of short stories, The Dubliners, might be more accessible and more widely read than his two monumental works.
I've been reading a biography of James Joyce by Richard Ellman; it could have been titled "More Than You Wanted to Know about James Joyce." I have written a biography (co-authored with Judy Bechtel Blackburn, Building the Beloved Community: Maurice McCrackin's Life for Peace and Civil Rights), so I have some sense of the work involved. Ellman's work is a quantum leap beyond our book in the detail of Joyce's life and writings. I can't imagine how Ellman found out so much! Let's just say that this is a brilliant and fascinating work, and has increased my understanding of James Joyce tremendously. [more coming]
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was born in Dublin, Ireland on February 2, 1882, and died in Zurich, Switzerland on January 13, 1941. Joyce is often acclaimed as one of the greatest writers of his era, but his two most famous books, Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake, are rarely read. A collection of short stories, The Dubliners, might be more accessible and more widely read than his two monumental works.
I've been reading a biography of James Joyce by Richard Ellman; it could have been titled "More Than You Wanted to Know about James Joyce." I have written a biography (co-authored with Judy Bechtel Blackburn, Building the Beloved Community: Maurice McCrackin's Life for Peace and Civil Rights), so I have some sense of the work involved. Ellman's work is a quantum leap beyond our book in the detail of Joyce's life and writings. I can't imagine how Ellman found out so much! Let's just say that this is a brilliant and fascinating work, and has increased my understanding of James Joyce tremendously. [more coming]
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Get Ready for Bloomsday, June 16th!
On June 16th we celebrate "Bloomsday," named after Leopold Bloom, one of the two main characters in James Joyce's novel Ulysses. The novel celebrates a day in the life of Leopold Bloom and his wife Molly, and is set in Dublin, Ireland. A nice discussion of this novel is available on Wikipedia at this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_(novel). There is also a discussion of Bloomsday on Wikipedia at this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloomsday.
I have received an email telling of a Bloomsday event at the Cleveland Heights tavern/nightclub called "Nighttown." Nighttown is run by Irishman Brendan Ring, and is named after the red-light district of Dublin mentioned in Ulysses. Between 4 and 6 PM on Tuesday, June 16th, people will read Episode 10 of Ulysses at the pub (I'd prefer reading the incredible ending of Episode 18!).
Nighttown is one of Cleveland's treasures--and probably one of the great jazz venues in the country (not just jazz, but Irish music and other kinds of music). The pub has its own website: www.nighttowncleveland.com. The pub's address is 12383 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44106. Phone 216-795-0550.
I have received an email telling of a Bloomsday event at the Cleveland Heights tavern/nightclub called "Nighttown." Nighttown is run by Irishman Brendan Ring, and is named after the red-light district of Dublin mentioned in Ulysses. Between 4 and 6 PM on Tuesday, June 16th, people will read Episode 10 of Ulysses at the pub (I'd prefer reading the incredible ending of Episode 18!).
Nighttown is one of Cleveland's treasures--and probably one of the great jazz venues in the country (not just jazz, but Irish music and other kinds of music). The pub has its own website: www.nighttowncleveland.com. The pub's address is 12383 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44106. Phone 216-795-0550.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Happy Bloomsday! June 16, 2008
Today I'm sure you, like me, are celebrating "Bloomsday," honoring James Joyce and the protagonist of his novel Ulysses, Leopold Bloom. June 16, 1904 was the day celebrated in the novel. Thousands of people from Dublin, Ireland to Dublin, Ohio honor the events of that day. In Dublin, Ireland, people will move from place to place in the great city described in the novel.
Ulysses is a difficult book, but sections of it sing out to all, not just Joyce specialists. Yes, you will love the ending of the novel. Yes, in the end, it is lyrical and romantic, and beautiful, Yes.
Lift a glass to love and life! Slainte!
Ulysses is a difficult book, but sections of it sing out to all, not just Joyce specialists. Yes, you will love the ending of the novel. Yes, in the end, it is lyrical and romantic, and beautiful, Yes.
Lift a glass to love and life! Slainte!
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