Rating: 
Summary: The book 'they' don't want you to read.
Review: I've always laughed at X-Files fans, but I'm beginning to suspect a conspiracy. For years now, all I've ever heard is 'Ulysses' is unreadable, obtuse, unwieldly. It is anything but, being outrageously funny, unstoppably readable, dementedly inventive. Why would 'they' want us not to read it? Although it has saturated modern culture, Joyce's frightening lessons have been ignored or emasculated - film, literature, art, music are as timid and cliched today as they ever were, as if 'Ulysses' had never existed. 'Ulysses' demands that we think for ourselves, it bursts with inchoate possibilities we must take up for ourselves. Of course we shouldn't read it. But you really must get this edition (Oxford World Classics, edited by Jeri Johnson). go to 'Ulysses' bald, as I have done so many times, and you will probably throw it down after three pages, frustrated, annoyed, anchorless in a river of unfamiliar words, ideas, style. Johnson's annotation here is scrupulous. For each chapter, she registers the Homeric paralells, she discusses the various schema (each chapter has its own colour, art (eg literature, medicine), body organ etc.), she offers a brief critical precis of what is going on. Her notes, explaining historical literary, popular etc. allusions, are indispensible. With the exception of the (mercifully few) Stephen Daedalus chapters, as dense and (generally) dull as their hero, the book is a joyous breeze (well, almost). This in itself is a betrayal of Joyce - we are supposed to be jolted, confused, lost, such is the nature of modern life Joyce wanted us to taste. But he provided all his friends with clues, and we're just as good as them, right? There's no point talking about the discrete ingenuity of each episode, the depth of character, the unheard-of realism in describing their emotional and intellectual lives, the satire, the comedy, the seething anger at authoritarianism, communal idiocy and intellectual myopia, the parodies and pastiches of all literature and other cultural products. Like all great post-modern works (and like Godard, Picasso, Stravinsky, Joyce is a fertile POST-modernist, not a strangulated modernist), it will be impossible to read previous literature in the same way before, while it makes almost everything that came after it seem diluted and half-hearted. Leopold Bloom has been called a bourgeois everyman, but if only he was. His kindness, his (however unmethodical) voracious curiosity, his self-awareness, his humour, are as unusual in 1904 Dublin, as they are in our racist, money-mad, mean-minded, self-obsessed, greasy-tilled society today (I mean Ireland of course). My favourite episode is 'Sirens', the ultimate fusion of everything that is 'Ulysses' - character, language, humour, style, parody, satire, anger, emotion. Life. Now for the Wake!
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Summary: Joyce can teach one how to write.
Review: If you haven't read Ulysses yet, and feel daunted by the wildly different, extremely strident reviews of it, read on and I'll try to explain why this novel is worth your while.
First, a brief summary. Ulysses attempts to capture what life was like in Dublin, Ireland, at the start of the twentieth century. It doesn't do this like a history book, solely in terms of political events and noteworthy individuals; rather, it attempts to convey the nature of the day-to-day lives of ordinary people by following its protagonist, an inoffensive fellow named Leopold Bloom, around the city. (It occasionally switches to following a young man named Stephen Dedalus, whom Bloom meets eventually, but Bloom is the main character.) It describes the things that transpire in the world around Bloom, as well as the thoughts that go on inside his head.
Ulysses contains many disparate literary styles, but none are gratuitous; all are used in the service of the novel's themes. Joyce wanted to show how poetry, history, heroism, romanticism, and indeed all of human civilization, can be found slumbering in each individual, no matter how mundane his life might be. This comes to the fore in chapter 14, in which Bloom goes to a maternity ward to convey his best wishes to a woman in labour. When he arrives, he meets a bunch of drunk medical students who make callous remarks that make him uncomfortable; after some time, the nurse comes in and announces that the woman successfully gave birth, which relieves Bloom's anxiety. In addition to these simple events, the chapter tells the entire history of England. That is, the first paragraph is written in monosyllabic Druidic calls, the second approximates the style of ancient Latin historians, the third glides into early Anglo-Saxon poetry ("before born babe bliss had"), then it switches to Chaucer and medieval prose, and so on, the style of each paragraph moving a little bit forward in history, until it collapses into a mix of modern slang in the end.
Thus, in numerous prose styles, the chapter recreates the birth and life of the English language itself, without warning the reader that it's doing this. In essence, it shows the history of a whole civilization in an original way. But the important part is, it never stops making sense; the plot and the dialogue keep progressing along with the style. Thus, the birth of a child is shown alongside the birth of the whole English language, indicating that civilization is born anew with every new human being. An ordinary birth is made to look like the culmination of all of English history, thanks entirely to this method of describing it. You don't have to have read Chaucer and Shakespeare and Gibbon to appreciate this chapter; Joyce read them for you, so all you have to do is watch the language change.
This happens all the time throughout the book. For instance, chapter 13 finds Bloom wandering around on a beach, where some teenage girls are hanging out and talking. Without further ado, the book inserts itself into the mind of one of these girls. Her thoughts aren't anything amazing: basically, she just wants to fall in love with a handsome man, be loved in return, and be happy. However, in describing these thoughts, Joyce adopts the style of a dime-store romantic novel of the sort that are marketed to teenage girls: it's rife with sentimental, flowery prose like "the summer evening had begun to fold the world in its mysterious embrace." The thing is, this style accurately reflects what folks go through during their teenage years: it's got the same heightened emotion, the same vague yearning, the same feeling one gets when falling in love for the first time, that this has never before happened to anyone else and will never happen again, the same romanticism and idealism. Thus, it's remarkably easy to sympathize with the girl, again solely due to Joyce's technique.
That's probably the biggest reason to read Ulysses: all these styles and epic analogies are founded on a powerful emotional centre. Some folks like to say that this book is a "celebration of life," or something to that effect. Well, in my opinion, it's a book about loneliness more than anything else. A large part of the book consists of Bloom's internal monologues, creating the impression that he's constantly hounded by unwelcome thoughts. When he's not running into hostile nationalists or petty gossips, he thinks about his adulterous wife. Then, in chapter 14, he meets Stephen Dedalus, decides to follow him out of the maternity ward and into the red light district, and then brings him home. Bloom, whose own son died eleven days after being born, feels fatherly affection toward Stephen; yet, Bloom and Stephen have nothing to say to each other. They engage in some small talk, but Stephen clearly doesn't take Bloom seriously, and Bloom doesn't really know how to approach Stephen. Then, Stephen, who is the closest thing to a friend that Bloom has met all day, leaves. Bloom goes upstairs and goes to sleep next to his wife; the final chapter is told from his wife's point of view, and it becomes abundantly obvious that her perception of her own husband is often wrong, and always strangely detached, as if he's not close to her at all despite living under the same roof. The style is breathtaking, rhythmic stream-of-consciousness, highlighting the sadness of this emotional distance between the characters.
So, don't feel threatened by the style. Ulysses is very readable; true, each chapter has its own style, but most of the styles are perfectly accessible, and make the plot more engaging. All the "difficult" parts don't happen until the second half, giving you time to get accustomed to Joyce's idiosyncrasies (he doesn't tell you when he's moving from objective description to internal monologue, but after a while, you can usually tell). Just you try it on.
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Summary: Over Rated Sensationalism
Review: It was later said when Joyce was dead and buried that he had confessed to a close friend that "Uylsses" was a complete fabricated joke that he used to get revenge at the world with. He was drunk most of the time he had put pen to paper and he threw so much of the text out that its suprising that most people hold this pretentious amateurish work as the greatest novel of the last one hundred years. The prose is vague, uninspiring and chatoic, there is no plot line what-so-ever, it's just a meandering stream of undelicate and unsophisticated garble from a minor artist.
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Summary: Masterpiece
Review: Not nearly as difficult as it is proclaimed to be, this book seems to have taken Nietzsche's advice to heart: A great writerwrites at such an elevated level that most people cannot understand him. This is absolutely true of Ulysses, as the convoluted meditations of the characters and abrupt jumps from reveries and memories to actual events do a marvellous job to perplex the reader.
Content: Countless riddles, allusions, metaphors, even intended misspells complicate the reader's life but hardly make this philosphical novel unreadable. Yes, philosphical novel, something you can meditate on after reading. Also, it seems that James Joyce has decided to intertwine modernism, Homer, Irish history, human ethics, and his view on religion and life alltogether, in parts creating a pulp of dense bombast. The modernist techniques are somewhat amusing at first, but after advancing deeply into the book they seem nothing more than ostentatious display by Joyce of his masterful writing ability. There are some faint references to sex and bodily functions, but so subtle as to leave me in mystery of the reason for its ban. Disseminated over a variety of subject, Ulysses does not fail to include relgion and allocate to it a share of the onus. However absurd the concept of religion is, it does serve a purpose in a few of the chapters. Also, Ulysses is famous for its blatant Homeric parallel: each chapter of Ulysses modeled on a Homeric adventure or character. It is truly amazing how the two are combined. To understand the content of this literary behemoth with more insight, one might consult either Pinkmonkey.com (free) or Cliffnotes, both equally helpful.
Characters: The characters could have used a lot more dimensionality. Frugal on polishing their facets, James Joyce seems to be using them as puppets to mouth his philosophy and not much more. Usually a protagonist attracts empathy of the reader, but Joyce did a poor job with his characters as they seem very distant in their meditative drivel. In other words, there wasn't a single way I could relate to them. Even Joyce's flaccid attempt at adding flaws to their character by assigning obscenities, made them no more human or real. Perhaps simplifying the embellished bombast would have helped in understanding them.
Overall: Despite its many flaws (e.g. length, verbosity, etc...) there is no other book that deserves your attention as much as this particular one. If you will just find perseverance to bear through Joyce's daunting baffling narration, you will be delected to have found it (perseverance) to finished such a marvellous literary accomplishment. Having said that, I favor "The Portrait of The Artist as a Young Man" by Joyce over Ulysses.
Rating: 
Summary: Mission Accomplishable
Review: O.k. to start with...for all of you out there who are interested in reading "Ulysses" but are intimidated by all of the rest of you out there who say it's unreadable, take my advice. Read this book. It's absolutely ridiculous to say this book can't be read. I can't say you're going to find it interesting or enjoyable, but you can read it.There are people who would have you believe you have to wage a massive campaign of pre-"Ulysses" study before delving into Joyce's novel. I've heard it's necessary to read biographies of Joyce, read all of his other literature, read about the history of Dublin, read Greek mythology...even study Dublin city maps!!! Don't you believe any of this. "Ulysses" is perfectly approachable having read none of the above. I admit that reading "Portrait of the Artist" first is helpful, and at least having some passing knowledge of "The Odyssey" won't hurt, but being familiar with these other works will only help you appreciate some of Joyce's nuances. Being unfamiliar with them will not prevent you from digesting "Ulysses." Now, for the book itself. Is "Ulysses" good? That's become an almost irrelevant question to ask. Do you have to like "Ulysses?" No. Do you have to admit that it is the greatest novel ever written? No. Anyone denying that the book was influential in altering the course of literature would just be foolish. However, I don't think "Ulysses" is the be-all and end-all of 20th Century literature, and the new ground that Joyce broke would have been broken anyway had he not done it first. He was certainly an innovator, but other authors (Faulkner comes to mind) use Joyce's modernist approach to fiction and do it better. For ultimately, Joyce is a lousy storyteller. Notice I did not say he is a lousy writer. One can't deny the absolute mastery of language apparent in "Ulysses." But Joyce is almost completely unable to connect with his reader. Parts of this novel come close to doing just that, but in between there are vast numbers of pages of dull, dull prose that set out to be as incomprehensible as possible. What was Joyce afraid of? Was he scared that what he actually had to say wasn't either particulary interesting or profound, so he had to bury it underneath layer after layer of obscure allusions and writing styles? I didn't understand every part of "Ulysses," and I don't believe all of these so-called Joyce experts do either, despite the massive amount of critical study done about it. However, understanding every single part of the novel and understanding the novel are two different things, and I believe I understood "Ulysses." And what I found is that it's not the beast everyone's made it out to be, but neither is it particulary interesting or profound. In short, I would recommend that everyone read "Ulysses," if for no other reason than that you can have an opinion on it. I won't be reading it again, so I guess I'll have to just live in ignorance of all the hidden delights Joyce offers his readers. I neither loved it or hated it---there are many books I've enjoyed reading less and many more books I've enjoyed reading much more. Before reading "Ulysses" I was reluctant to state that I didn't like Joyce's writing, feeling that any opinion about Joyce without having read his masterwork would be uneducated. Well, I've read the damn thing now, and I can state with a very educated opinion: "I do not like Joyce's writing."
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Summary: He laughed to free his mind from his mind's bondage.
Review: They list and in the porch of their ears I pour...I mean who writes lines like that?? So here's my explication/review: Ulysses : Political Commentary And Sensuality James Joyce was a famous contributor to the 18th century literary tradition. Nevertheless, Joyce's use of the supernatural is all too often mistaken for social commentary in Ulysses. Below, it will be proven that Ulysses's Surrealist overtones and views on hate are not evidence of Joyce's surrender to love. This claim is buttressed by three points: (1) the Surrealist views of Ulysses's protagonist, Tom Joad, (2) Joyce's triumphant use of satire in the work, and (3) the author's employment of human nature, showing the influence of the the British Modernist school. First, Joyce's male sympathies are evident in Ulysses. To indicate that Ichabod Stephenson is the work's villain, the author makes his dialogue simple. Ishmael Maxwell is a famous character for this very reason; it is also meaningful that scholars--by seeing him as an avatar of Joyce's Minimalist views--have misinterpreted the character King Adams's role in the book. Furthermore, consider that Ulysses was not so much written by Joyce as belched forth in a fit of sublime inspiration. Ulysses's use of incest is in keeping with its Constructivist point-of-view. Captain Stephenson is a far from marginal character; in fact, it is through him that many of Joyce's 18th century influences show through. Last, Ulysses cannot be fully understood without examination of the post Minimalist school of Roman literature. Many teens see the book's closing scene as the most enduring; I, however, do not. Nick Daniel is a witless character for this very reason; this is definitely why One-Eyed Caulfield is such a monumental character. It's easy to forget that Ulysses was the most brilliant work of its time. Perhaps it's time that scholars reevaluated their estimation of the book. Though contemporaries found Joyce's use of dystopic future-vision ponderous, history will vindicate Ulysses. Q. E. D. -- Quite easily done. The End
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Summary: It is a great book after all
Review: This is in the eyes of most literary critics the greatest novel of the twentieth century, and a major addition to the Western literary Tradition. So much has been said about it in so many ways that I will free to chip in my less than two cents without doing the reviewer's ordinary task of describing the work, and telling the reader what it is all about. Bloomsday is a day on the literary calendar of the world. And Daedalaus, and Leopold Bloom and Molly are with K. and Falstaff, and Sancho and Pickwick in the cast of world - literary creations whose image is part of the collective human consciousness generation to generation as most real human beings are not.
Ulysses is not easy to read even if one takes a Gilbert Stuart or some other modern guide , and figures out what each section with its own separate style, technique, theme parallel in the Odyssey is all about. And there are parts and not simply small parts which bore in their incomprehensibility as only Finnegans Wake will exceed. But there are also, and this is all through the work great lyrical passages of course culminating in Molly Blooms yes I said I will yes. There is too I suppose the particular pleasure of trying to figure out all these literary mysteries and these hidden hints in the multi- layered language of the text. Already Joyce here is moving toward the creation of his own language and the portmanteau and pun principles are richly at work. In Oxen of the Sun he writes the history of the English language parodying its styles. And the whole theme of parodying rewriting alluding to the great work, and somehow superseding it are in the frame of the work ( Before Bloom and before Daedalus there was a real Ulysses) Joyce's effort to write in one day the whole of human experience and to make too of the form of catalogue encyclopedia a higher way to art is part also of the transformation of popular forms into the highest art forms. Shakespeare did it on many levels and so must Joyce, as Hamlet Daedalaus reminds it. Ulysses at publication time was revolutionary to many in its putting on the page the lusts and obscenities , the sexual thoughts and even ' experiences' of its characters. It too broke the frame of convention in a whole host of other ways including through the shifting centers of its narrative consciouosness- the way it tells and does not tell its story. The sheer lyric musical beauty of Joyce's prose is poetry at its best .And the epiphanies on oval leaves are revelations of the beauty in language itself its sheer joyful joycean playing. And how can I having read through with dismay so much of the hidden and not so hidden anti- Jewish character of so many in the Tradition not be hearted by the warm feeling which flows toward the good souled Leopold Bloom. If I were to complain about graduate school time reading through the longest longeurs in Joyce I would nonetheless always keep in mind that one wee bit of an Irishladdie allalone went out there and by himself only made a masterpiece all mankind can make its own by reading and rereading before running on to riverun from bend of bay to swerve of shore past Howth Castle and environs
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Summary: Der, I like stories!
Review: This is one of those books that "smart" people like to "read." Well if being smart means liking this, count me out! I don't know if it's modern, post-modern or what: but I know this much, I'd rather just curl up with "Bridges of Madison County" for a good cry! I don't understand why such a 'great' author can't seem to come up with a straightfoward plot that makes sense. I'd like to have seen Leopold patch things up with Molly, am I right? I mean, let's get down to brass tacks: don't we all hate those intellectuals who consider this one of the century's 'finest works of literary craft'? I mean these are the people who put "Citizen Kane" in the top ten...and totally ignored "Life as a House"! (No offense, but Orson Welles is no Kevin Kline!) Unless Oprah puts it on her book list, I won't be picking this one up again, that's for sure.
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Summary: Ulysses is a materpiece
Review: While I have a number of quibles about what Random House/Modern Libary put on their 100 best list, I had no problem at all with what they put first. If I had to pick one book as the best book of the century, it would by Joyce's Ulysses. It's a book I first read about 25 years ago and have returned to it every couple of years since. Ulysses is a rich, complex book that works on many levels. Most people tend to focus on its experimental prose, which Joyce used to both explore his characters and to widen the scope of his novel. But, beneath all of this, Ulysses is a novel of character, a profound look at the human condition. The book experimentation works because it is grounded on the story of Leopold Bloom, who is fundamentally a decent, likeable man. It's also the story of Stephen Daedalus, who, while somewhat of a prig, is a very intersting person, whose thoughts and ideas are exciting to follow. The more I think about it, the more I think that it'll soon be time to read Ulysses yet again.
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Summary: the GREATEST novel ever published if...
Review: you have the attention span to tackle it. I suggest buying Gifford's annotations to have in hand while you do.
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