Books

[Three volumes]. High quality facsimiles, with almost identical weight, size, fonts, art, wrappers, and texture to the true first editions. Lolita printed in two volumes with green paper wraps. Tropic of Cancer in illustrated paper wraps, with facsimile "For Subscription Only" band around middle of book. Ulysses in blue paper wraps with title in black on front cover. All with a touch of wear to corners of wraps, a fine set. This set was available to subscribers only, and includes the publisher's pamphlet with information on each book's creation, initial publication, and reception from audiences worldwide. Housed in matching cloth clamshells, titles listed in gilt on green morocco labels affixed to spines. Due to varying degrees of graphic language and sexual content, the original manuscripts of Ulysses, Tropic of Cancer, and Lolita were not accepted by publishers in the home countries of the author's, but were released by Olympia Press in Paris. Despite their controversial nature, these three titles are now essential works in english canon.

"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.