Books

First edition, number 918 of 750 copies on handmade paper numbered 251 to 1,000, here in a contemporary morocco binding with the distinctive original blue front wrapper bound in. As recorded in Sylvia Beach's notebook, kept from 21 May 1921 to 1 July 1922 to account for the original customers of Ulysses, this copy was first purchased by the Parisian bookseller J. Terquem on 1 March 1922. The work was published on 2 February in the traditional three-tiered French format aimed at both connoisseurs and readers. There were 100 signed copies printed on Dutch handmade paper, 150 large-paper copies on vergé d'Arches, and 750 copies on vergé à barbes forming the trade issue. Perhaps the key text of 20th-century English literature, the book also proved a major test case for laws of freedom of expression. "Forced underground by censors,... this was a crypto classic already before it was read, a subversive colossus" (Sherry, p. 1). Its creator is one of the great geniuses of all literature: "Joyce, not to mince words, is Ireland's Shakespeare, its Goethe, its Racine, its Tolstoy" (Sutherland). Quarto (231 x 177 mm). Contemporary black half morocco, spine lettered and ruled in gilt, central gilt device in compartments, black cloth sides, sides and corners ruled in gilt, floral patterned endpapers, top edge gilt. Original front wrapper bound in at end. Bound without initial fly title. Large bookplate depicting a classical Greek scene, engraved by the American artist Victor Basinet (1889-1956) for Walter Z. Lane in 1932, on front pastedown. Small abrasion to corners of front cover, inner hinges cracked but sound, one hinge repaired at prelim, tide mark to upper margin of final blanks, title page and following few leaves lightly creased, bottom corner of letterpress bumped, occasional neat pencil markings to text. A very good copy. Horowitz, Census, p. 132; Slocum & Cahoon A17. Vincent Sherry, Joyce: Ulysses, 2004; John Sutherland, "Ireland's Shakespeare", The Guardian, 10 Feb. 2004.

"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.