Books

London: John Lane The Bodley Head, 1936. First English edition printed in England. xiii, [3], 766 pp. Original green buckram, spine lettered in gilt, with Eric Gill’s Homeric bow design on front board. Top edge gilt. Spine sunned, as usually seen, some slight handling wear to covers; an excellent copy. Of a total edition of 1000 copies, this is one of 900 on Japon vellum, designated “Presentation Copy” on the colophon and inscribed by the publishers to Eric Gill, “E.G. from the publishers Oct. 3, 1936” and with Gill’s bookplate to the front pastedown. October 3, 1936 was the date of publication, according to Slocum & Cahoon (A23). Like the publication history of all editions of Ulysses, that of this edition, the first to be printed in England, is complicated and somewhat fraught. The Bodley Head published Ulysses in an edition limited to 1000 copies, its first publication in its complete form in Britain, following the successful appeal against the ban on Ulysses in…

"Ulysses" is a complex and multi-layered novel that takes place over the course of a single day, June 16, 1904, in Dublin, Ireland. It follows the lives and experiences of three central characters: Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom, and Molly Bloom. Stephen Dedalus is a young aspiring writer and artist, a character partially based on Joyce himself. He struggles with his identity, his relationship with his deceased mother, and his place in the world. Leopold Bloom, a middle-aged Jewish man, is the novel's central figure. He works as an advertisement canvasser and has a deep affection for his wife, Molly. Throughout the day, Bloom encounters various events and people as he navigates Dublin. His experiences and thoughts are depicted in a stream-of-consciousness narrative style, offering insight into his musings on life, love, and his surroundings. Molly Bloom, Leopold's wife, is introduced in the final episode of the book. Her interior monologue, famously known as the "Penelope" episode, showcases her thoughts, desires, and memories, providing a different perspective on the events of the day. The novel is divided into 18 episodes, each employing a different narrative technique, style, or literary device. Joyce experiments with language, employing puns, allusions, parodies, and various linguistic styles to reflect the characters' thoughts and the vibrant atmosphere of Dublin. "Ulysses" draws heavily on Homer's "The Odyssey," with each episode mirroring an episode in the ancient epic and paralleling the adventures of Odysseus. The title itself references the Latinized name of Odysseus, and the novel explores themes of journey, identity, exile, and the human condition. Throughout the book, Joyce tackles various aspects of human experience, including politics, religion, sexuality, art, mortality, and the mundane details of everyday life. The novel is celebrated for its rich literary innovations, intricate structure, and depth of meaning, but it's also renowned for its challenging and experimental nature, which can make it a demanding read for some audiences.