Books

First edition. Number 44 of 100 numbered copies printed on Van Gelder paper and signed by James Joyce. Original blue wrappers. Joints and spine ends expertly restored. Very light wear, occasional foxing and browning. An excellent copy. Half morocco slipcase. The signed, deluxe first edition of Ulysses is the most sought-after book of 20th-century literature. T.S. Eliot told Virginia Woolf after reading Ulysses, "How could anyone write again after achieving the immense prodigy of the last chapter?" Gertrude Stein commented, "Joyce is good. He is a good writer. People like him because he is incomprehensible and anybody can understand him." The first edition appeared in three forms, each numbered: 100 signed copies on Dutch handmade paper, 150 copies on large paper, and 750 ordinary copies. RARE. Many of the issue of 100 signed copies were bound by the subscribers in the French fashion, and many are in institutional collections. As a result, very few copies in original wrappers…

"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.