Ulysses
Ulysses
Free DownloadUlysses chronicles the passage through Dublin of Leopold Bloom during an unremarkable day, June 16, 1904. The title alludes to the hero of Homer's Odyssey, and there are many parallels, both implicit and explicit, between the two works.Written from 1914 to 1921, the novel was serialized in the American journal The Little Review from 1918, until the publication of the Nausicaa episode led to a prosecution for obscenity. The book was first published in its entirety in Paris in 1922, but was banned in both the United States and United Kingdom until the 1930s. The work was blacklisted by Irish customs.
Book Excerpt
ITY.
Phantasmal mirth, folded away: muskperfumed.
AND NO MORE TURN ASIDE AND BROOD.
Folded away in the memory of nature with her toys. Memories beset his brooding brain. Her glass of water from the kitchen tap when she had approached the sacrament. A cored apple, filled with brown sugar, roasting for her at the hob on a dark autumn evening. Her shapely fingernails reddened by the blood of squashed lice from the children's shirts.
In a dream, silently, she had come to him, her wasted body within its loose graveclothes giving off an odour of wax and rosewood, her breath, bent over him with mute secret words, a faint odour of wetted ashes.
Her glazing eyes, staring out of death, to shake and bend my soul. On me alone. The ghostcandle to light her agony. Ghostly light on the tortured face. Her hoarse loud breath rattling in horror, while all prayed on their knees. Her eyes on me to strike me down. LILIATA RUTILANTIUM TE CONFESSORUM TURMA CIRCUMDET: IUBILANTIUM TE VIRGINUM CHORUS
FREE EBOOKS AND DEALS
(view all)
Popular books in Banned Books, Fiction and Literature
More books by James Joyce
(view all)
Readers reviews
3.6
LoginSign up
Yes, it's hard to read, and there are stretches where you have to read it out loud to see what he's doing, and it will almost certainly take you more than one try to get all the way through it. But the effort and patience you put into it is repaid a hundredfold.
One of the half-dozen greatest works of fiction ever written in the English language, full stop. Don't be intimidated.
One of the half-dozen greatest works of fiction ever written in the English language, full stop. Don't be intimidated.
- Upvote (0)
- Downvote (0)
A frustrating book that indulges in throwing pointless literary tricks and styles, obscure historical references, and a boat load of nonsense at the reader, which ultimately confuses rather than enlightens. Go ahead and read it if you're masochistic and enjoy a nice tension headache. From my perspective, this is THE most overrated novel in existence.
09/07/2009
Unreadable. Completely opaque.
08/20/2009
Wow!
03/17/2009
What most people never tell you about Ulysses is that it is hilarious! Joyce is so playful and goofy, while at the same time weaving a creation that is dauntingly circular and complex. Even if you thought Dubliners or Portrait of the Artist were a bit dry, you should still give Ulysses a try. Joyce finally put some personality in his writing, and gobs of it. This is a very funny book (and a monumental literary accomplishment).
06/25/2008
