Books

London: John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1936. First Edition, English Issuance, First Authorized English edition, one of 900 copies only, printed on special Japon vellum papers, probably the most beautiful First Edition of ULYSSES ever printed. Tall, thick, royal 8vo, publisher’s original full green polished linen buckram with the gilt lettering and pictorial decoration of the gilt bow designed by Eric Gill on the upper cover and spine, housed in the rare printed dustjacket lettered in black on the upper cover and on the spine and decorated with the bow in red on the spine panel. [xvi], 766 pp. A well preserved copy, the covers of the green cloth in bright and beautiful condition without any of the fading typical to the book, the back just a bit mellowed at the tips, the dustjacket with the price still intact and showing some light aging and some evidence of use or handling, but whole and without major defects or substantial wear, some tidying up to the verso. A pleasing…

"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.