James Joyce and the Making of Ulysses

by Frank Budgen, Clive Hart (Introduction)

In Zurich in 1918 and 1919, the English painter Frank Budgen and the Irish writer James Joyce met almost daily to walk, talk, and drink wine; their talk, among other things, was of the complex novel Joyce was then writing. This captivating study is the record of these conversations, and of a
continuing friendship, as well as an acute critical commentary on the work itself. The only first-hand account available of the growth of Ulysses , the book is here reissued in its original form, together with Budgen's essays of 1939-41 on Finnegan's Wake , his deeply felt obituary of Joyce, and his
"Further Recollections" of 1955. An introduction by Joyce scholar Clive Hart draws on much unpublished material to trace the history of the book, and pay a personal tribute to Frank Budgen, his friend, who died in 1971 at the age of eighty-nine.

Genres: Literary Criticism, Biography, Criticism, Ireland, Literature, Biography Memoir, Nonfiction

394 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

Reviews

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Besides Stuart Gilbert's book about Ulysses, this is the other excellent book that covers the origins of Ulysses and can be a handy companion as you follow Bloom across Dublin. Highly readable and insightful, I can recommend this to any fan or potential reader of my favorite book!

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joyce was initially wary of Budgen because he thought he might be a spy sent by the British Consulate. In time he learned that Budgen was the rare sort of individual who could be his friend -- an ordinary man of intelligence. His account of Joyce during this period is a product of that friendship. Joyce was inclined to manipulate scholars, and the fact that Budgen was not one, and not even a writer, gave him license to be honest, which is what makes this book so valuable. (Several times more valuable, in my opinion, than Stuart Gilbert's analysis.)

Some of the accounts in the book will be familiar to those who have read Ellmann's biography (because this is where Ellmann got them) but in Budgen's hand the stories seem to grow more organically. He reveals both the brilliance and the weirdness of the man -- Joyce's fascination with women's drawers, for example -- while at the same time offering a serviceable synopsis of Ulysses.

80% of the book focuses on Ulysses, and the time that Budgen spent in Zurich with Joyce while he was working on it. The "other writings" focus mainly on Finnegans Wake, and they don't succeed as well because he naturally feels the obligation to throw some light on Joyce's Book of the Dark. The last essay is an exception. Budgen puts away his pretention to scholarship and tells a few more stories, which is where he excels. He isn't a particularly brilliant or insightful scholar -- he's just a fairly intelligent everyday bloke who knows how to tell a story. I would imagine this is why Joyce enjoyed his company, and why he shared more with Budgen than he did most other men.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Honestly, if you're in a hurry, you could probably just read this instead of Ulysses. Most of Joyce's most virtuosic passages are quoted in full by Budgen. It's ~60% synopsis and direct quotes, 20% analysis, and 20% background gossip about his friendship with Joyce (primarily in Zürich). Full of funny details*, a poignant eulogy, and generally good takes, with the notable exception of a couple anti-Semitic discursions in the 1934 piece.

* Joyce: "White wine tastes like electricity. Red wine smells and tastes like beefsteak."
Joyce was scared of dogs and nuns.
"Sirens" was written in the joyous initial glow of post-WWI peacetime.
etc,etc

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in full after completing "Ulysses," and found it a great way to recap what I had read in Joyce's classic. Most of this volume is commentary on each episode of "Ulysses," making it a suitable reader's guide. It was satisfying to go into each episode in prose detail, although the commentary on "Penelope," at only five pages long, was disappointing in its brevity. Moreover, some of Budgen's analysis feels dated both at the superficial and deep levels.

As Budgen was personally acquainted with Joyce, having even read some drafts of both "Ulysses" and "Finnegan's Wake," there are some interesting bits of trivia about Joyce's life woven throughout each chapter. In particular, Budgen details Joyce's literary and musical preferences in Chapter IX (p. 175-183) that may help scholar-readers decipher any meaning to be found in his oeuvre. On the flip side, the final chapter digresses into expository prose on "Finnegan's Wake" (referred to as "Work In Progress") that doesn't fit with the rest of the text. The third edition concludes with "Further Recollections of James Joyce" that offer further reflections.

[B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really a mixed bag. There are some great anecdotes and insights here but you have to wade through a lot of boringly 20th century pontificating about the eternal binaries of European/Asiatic, Masculine/Feminine &c.

The first few chapters are great, but Budgen soon runs out of his most memorable conversations with Joyce and insteads fills the pages with his musings about the wisdom of Mr. Deasy, the irritating nature of Jews and other such crap. His lengthy summaries of individual chapters were probably useful in an age when Joyce needed some championing but in the fullness of time they only serve as a platform for Budgen to showcase his misunderstandings and rather reductive opinion about the Way the World Works.

[Kevinkrisciunas · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are thinking of reading James Joyce's Ulysses, this is a must-read book prior to scaling that mountain. Frank Budgen was an English painter who became a friend of Joyce's in Zurich. This book has many interesting biographical insights based on face to face conversations. The 18 chapters of Ulysses are laid out, with extensive quotes. Toward the end, however, Budgen has way too many quotes from Finnegans Wake. Long ago I read that book by Joyce too. But seriously, what native English speaker really needs to read a work of fiction with puns in Norwegian and 13 other languages?

[Sam Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just a guide to "Ulysses" (and Joyce's other books) and a series of snapshots of JJ in Zurich, this is an outstanding book about art, creation, and portraiture. Joyce had wanted to be a painter, and Budgen turned out to be a dandy writer. Joyce loved to talk about his book, and Budgen was a fine, sympathetic interlocutor, unafraid to point out errors in, for instance, maritime terminology. Fans of Nora will find a number of anecdotes highlighting her fearless naiveté.

[Michael Linton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine book with some great nuggets throughout. Although, about half the book is a summary of Ulysses. The final chapter also covers Finnegans Wake which was Work in Progress at the time. Definitely worth reading for various insights peppered throughout.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still on the fence whether one should read Ulysses first or the making of it. Perhaps, Ulysses is never made for people read only once.

[Big Hard Books & Classics · Rating 5 out of 5]

The INSIDE shite!

[Josh Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book's title a bit of a misnomer. I can see its value as a primary source from which to write the history of Joyce's composition of Ulysses. In itself though, this is not a history - it is a romanticized portrait of that history. The biggest problem I had with this book is its liberal use of direct quotations (especially from Joyce) that we have no reason to believe are real.

Also, even accepting those conversations' verisimilitude, there is an issue with completeness: we get bits and pieces of discussion about the writing of Ulysses, but the bulk of the book is breezy plot summary and just -below-the surface analysis. We don't learn about the process of composition of each chapter, we learn about the contents of each chapter, and then occasionally about Joyce's process in general.

All that said, AS a romanticized-history-cum-summarizing-general-analysis, this book is a good read. This book is like the extra contents on a DVD - you know you're being sold a bill of goods, but it is packaged well and is enjoyable even so. It's definitely better than the Gilbert book.

Perhaps the best reason to read this is to see where the "party line" in early Joyce scholarship (or maybe better, early Joyce advocacy) comes from.

[Henry Sturcke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those who know more than I do about Ulysses and its author, James Joyce, say that this is best of the voluminous secondary literature. I started it immediately after finishing Ulysses, and found it enhanced my enjoyment of what I had read. Budgen was present at the creation, so to speak, in that he and Joyce met nearly daily while both lived in Zurich during World War 1 and while Joyce was immersed in his ten-year project. A rough outline of the contents and style of each of the sections of the book are interspersed with his insights into the man. A final chapter deals with what was long called Work in Progress as parts were published, eventually Finnegans Wake. I always thought that book would be too obscure for me, but with Budgen's encouragement, I might even tackle that one of these days. He makes it sound enjoyable to read. This, too, is a good read, although no substitute for reading Ulysses itself.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am torn between three stars and four - the insight and the details that come out of the interactions between Budgen and Joyce by itself is very rewarding, and the analysis of Ulysses is very informative. However, Budgen gets repetitive, and he starts to depend too much on the quotes from Ulysses three-quarters through the book. The intent of the chapter on "Works in Progress" never seems to be successful, and definitely relies far too much on copying the text.
Still absolutely required reading for all Joyceans - obviously the source of most of the quotes attributed to Joyce about his work - and the biggest Joycean of all, Frank Delaney cites it so often.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read and a real treasure. Budgen was an artist and a friend of Joyce. He did not enjoy a formal education, but wrote very well. Part of the book is a retelling of Ulysses, but sprinkled with personal ancedotes--some massaged--about his interactions with Joyce that illuminate the text.

He goes on to talk about "Work in Progress", which would become Finnegan's Wake. Included is a eulogy he wrote after Joyce's passing, and another brief biography.

Not only critical reading about Joyce, but truly enjoyable and unique reading as well.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A painter's (and friend of Joyce's) observations on the creation of *Ulysses.* Out of print, but very interesting...for anyone who loves Joyce.

[Nayer]

A new Survey to his books' minds.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very engaging, and an excellent companion to Ulysses.