Books

Paris: Shakespeare and Company, 1926. The first printing of Ulysses to have the type entirely reset, work accomplished with Joyce’s participation, the 8th printing overall and one of the key Shakespeare and Company printings, very early and desirable. Small 4to, in a handsome contemporary binding of three-quarter dark-blue morocco over blue cloth boards, the spine divided by bands ruled in gilt, one compartment lettered in gilt. The original blue wrappers, printed in white as issued by Shakespeare and Company in Paris, are bound in at the front and back. (6), 735 pp. A very desirable copy in contemporary binding, the paper still quite fresh and all very sturdy and sound. A handsome book with only light evidence of age. ONE OF THE KEY PRINTINGS BY SYLVIA BEACH’S SHAKESPEARE AND COMPANY OF THIS LANDMARK OF 20th CENTURY LITERATURE. It is the first reprinting of the work to use entirely reset type. The work was accomplished with Joyce’s participation. The copy is…

"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.