tfl@security.UUCP (Tom Litant) (06/17/83)
I find it difficult to compare Joyce with anyone else. However, I can give you some info that will either scare you off Joyce, or make reading him a more enjoyable experience. Joyce was a very "technique oriented" writer. What I mean by this is that his books have a very definite structure and content based on literary, mythic, and religious allusions. If I were to rank his writings in terms of difficulty, it would go this way: Portrait of the Artist Dubliners Ulysses Finigan's Wake For each of the above, however, I suggest that you buy a book of lit crit, and read it in conjunction with the corresponding Joyce book. We simply do not have the requisite classical education these days to be able to catch all of the allegory. In addition, it helps to get a copy of the record of Joyce reading Finigan's Wake, since this book is written in dialect (Irish). Allegory and lit crit bullsh*t asside, Joyce has a terrific command of the english language and dialect, paints glorious pictures of Ireland (have to go there sometime), and is well worth the effort to read. "Mulligan stew for Bloom..." (grace slick from AFTER BATHING AT BAXTERS's)
don@allegra.UUCP (D. Mitchell) (08/16/84)
Karl: I was talking about W.S. Burroughs, not E.R. Have many people tried reading Joyce? "Portrait of an Artist..." is a great book, and not at all difficult to read. It traces the life of its main character from about age 4 to his early twenties. What is really interesting about this book is the stream of consciousness style. The world is viewed thru the eyes of the main character as he develops. It starts out with him listening to stories about Moo Cows, goes thru the pain of adolescence and finally into the age of reason. "Ulysses" is more formidable. I have started it once and stopped about 100 pages into it. I think my attention span is long enough now that I plan to read it in the near future. The most famous part of this book (which I have skipped to and read) is the soliloquy at the end; one of the greatest masterpieces of stream of consciousness style: Yes because he never did a things like that before as ask to get his breakfast in bed with a couple of eggs since the City Arms hotel when he used to be pretending to be laid up with a sick voice doing his highness to make himself interesting to that old faggot Mrs Riordan that he thought he had a great leg of and she never left us a farthing all for masses for herself and her soul greatest miser ever was actually afraid to lay out 4d for her methylated spirit telling me all her ailments she had too much old chat in her about politics and earthquakes and the end of the world let us have a bit of fun first God help the world if all the women were her sort down on bathing suits and lownecks of course nobody wanted her to wear I suppose she was pious because no man would look at her twice I hope Ill never be like her a wonder she didnt want us to cover our faces but she was a welleducated woman certainly and her gabby talk about Mr Riordan here and Mr Riordan there I suppose he was glad to get shut of her and her dog smelling my fur and always edging to get up under my petticoats especially then still I like that in him polite to old women like that and waiters and beggars...