Ulysses by James Joyce Readalong & Re-Readalongs (2014, 2016); Audio Listen-Along (2017) Showing 1,801-1,850 of 1,985

[Pink]

;)

[Petra]

I finished today.
The audio experience is really wonderful. I've thoroughly enjoyed this listening.

I liked Molly's section. It was lustful...much more than I remembered it to be.
I found that Molly started out with a touch of anger in her voice, yet by the end her voice was soft.
When I read this, I came away with the idea that there was hope for a rekindled sexual life for Molly & Leopold. However, in this version, it sounded as if Molly is more resigned. She's happy enough to be with Leopold but (maybe) almost any man who was reliable would be fine, too. The end bit, with the "yes", made it sound like she'd married him because.....well, why not? He's as good as any other man. Not a sounding endorsement for Love.
Do you think that Molly was ever in love with Leopold? Do you think she's currently in love with him, and her dalliance(s) are because he can't come close to her sexually?

Something to ponder for next time. LOL!

All in all, a wonderful experience.

[Pink]

I think when I read it the first time, I was more hopeful that Molly would rekindle her love with Leopald and that her affair was just a short lived mistake, as she had trouble communicating her unhappiness within her marriage. After listening, I was left with the impression that Molly was after a good time and sexual encounters wherever she could get them. I think the change in my perception is partly due to how her part was read and partly due to me noticing more this time around! I'd still like to think that she originally loved Leopald and that there's hope for them as a couple.

[[deleted user]]

Great thoughts, Petra and Pink. I was left with a lower opinion of Molly after the audio experience. I felt that she was looking for outside sexual experiences. When I read the book, somewhere--I don't remember where--it was said or hinted that Molly wasn't actually having affairs, it was a misunderstanding between Bloom and her. But I'm now left with no doubt that she was actively unfaithful. I also think that if Molly and Bloom could have connected on their grief for Rudy, their relationship could be healed.

You realize what this means? At some point I have to read it again to see where my confusion comes from!

[Petra]

2018, Terri......2018.... LOL!

I agree. I've thought that Molly & Bloom disconnected at the death of Rudy because they didn't handle the grief together and were still both grieving apart. But the audio left me with other thoughts and Molly comes out as colder and less committed to their marriage, right from Day one.

I think Molly definitely had affairs....not with everyone that Bloom listed, though. She is certainly having an affair with Boylan. Is it possible that this is her first consummated affair? Something to discover next time, I guess. :D

[Pink]

How strange that the audio listening has left us all with different opinions of Molly than we had after reading.

[Gill]

And how strange that there seemed to be so much more sex in the soliloquy than when we read it.

Is it made clear that it was Bloom who made the decision that they weren't going to have sex after Rudy died?

[Cosmic]

Pink wrote: "How strange that the audio listening has left us all with different opinions of Molly than we had after reading."

Have any of you tried to read Ulysses as an allegory? If so were there any comments made about this? When i listened in 2016 i thought you all were pulling my leg that you thought she was faithful.

The group Brain Pain is reading Ulysses and will discuss it June 16. I need to renew my commitment to listen to it this year.

[Petra]

Happy Bloomsday everyone!

Today's GR quote of the day is the opening line of Ulysses:

Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed.

Happy Bloomsday! A hundred and thirteen years ago today, Leopold Bloom set off on his epic wander around Dublin in James Joyce's Ulysses.

[Angela M]

Happy Bloomsday to my Ulysses loving friends!

[Pink]

Thanks for the reminder, Happy Bloomsday everyone!

[[deleted user]]

Happy Bloomsday! I feel like I can celebrate raucously since I've now read Ulysses twice!

[Gill]

I can't believe this. Hospitals isation is such a bad thing.

I forgot it was Bloomsday.

Though to be fair, on 16th I did know it was 17th on the morrow!

[Gill]

Petra, does that mean it's your hubby's birthday today?

[Petra]

No worries, Gill. There's another Bloomsday next year. You were missed, I must say, and I'm so glad that you popped in today.

You remembered! Yes, it was hubby's birthday. We had a lovely dinner and too much cake.
I baked a cake today but we'd had enough yesterday, so I cut it into squares and froze it for later.

If you aren't home already, I hope you are soon.

[Pink]

Petra, I'm glad your husband had a good birthday!

Gill, I hope you're doing okay. Hopefully next bloomsday will be better for you :)

[[deleted user]]

Petra, I'm hip to too much cake! Today is Father's Day in the US, so I made chocolate cherry brownies for my dear husband. The cherries just came into season here, and they're beautiful.

Gill, best wishes for your continued improvement. :)

[Petra]

Chocolate cherry brownies sound delicious, especially made with fresh picked cherries. Yum!

[Gill]

Things are going ok thanks, all. I can't believe that I've been busy with things medical since May 22nd! What a shock to my system! Anyway, at last I'm clearing some space and time for reading!

[Pink]

Glad to hear that Gill :)

[Petra]

Gill, I'm glad. It's nice that your time is becoming your own again. Take time for you now in all things non-medical.

[[deleted user]]

Gill, glad to hear the good news. Hope you enjoy your reading. :)

[Chrissie]

I' ve gotten the books too. I have tried to read this before and failed.

How far have people read? Are we all reading at our own speed?

Petra, thanks for all the info you have given us!!!!!!

Are people reading this alongside other books? It seems so.

I am a bit scared of he whole thing. It is daunting, and I have failed several times before.

Or maybe you have all finished reading this?????????

Are we to click on the episod links above in message 2 when we have completed that episode?

I have gotten an audiobook narrated by Jim Norton. Does anybody else have him as narrator?

[Petra]

Yay! Chrissie!!!

Chrissie, we're always here. If you post, we'll respond.
We finished this listen-along on Bloomsday (June 16th) but we're always wanting to comment on Ulysses.
This is a very active group.

Most of us (all?) have read this more than once. This thread is 3 Read-Alongs long.

The episode links in Post 2 is to make it easier to find the discussion on that episode. You can then comment (as a "reply") and we'll know what your comment is referring to.

I'll check my audio version. I can't remember the narrator.....it's probably listed somewhere in the read-along posts.


Welcome, Chrissie!!!!

[Petra]

Found it, Chrissie:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I listened to the narration by Donal Donelly and Miriam Healy-Louie.

[Chrissie]

Petra, I have not started yet, but I have the audibook. I will be starting it in September probably. As I go through it I will click on the episodes in message two.

Did you finish the book? I' ll be happy if I just get through it.......

I picked up my audiobok where you got two for one credit at Audible so I didn't have a choice of narrators but many said Norton was OK.

Thanks for answering me so long after completing the book.

[Petra]

We all finished the book....a few times. :D
Ulysses is addictive when you've got a great group like this one. We're all here for you, Chrissie, as soon as you start.
The first time can be daunting but with this group, you'll make it through and enjoy it.

[Chrissie]

Wonderful, thanks for the encouragement.

[Pink]

Oh exciting! I always love posts on this thread!

Chrissie, the first time I read the physical book. Last time I listened to that same audiobook by Jim Norton. It's a brilliant narration, so no worry there. There's also a female narrator for Molly's much smaller parts and she does an excellent job too. We all very much enjoyed our audio experience, as it brought out different things in the text, that sometimes we hadn't noticed before. This book is easy to feel daunted by and you can get lost forever in notes or analysis, but it's also fun to just go it alone and let the words wash over you, without trying to find meaning in everything. I found all of the discussions on here very helpful and enjoyable. My suggestion if you find yourself struggling, is not to read it all at once. We took a few months on each readalong and I think it benefits from a slower reading, but tackle it however it works for you. Good luck!

[[deleted user]]

Chrissie, I second what Pink said. It was hard for me to let go of trying to understand everything, but it's imperative to do this. When you go with the flow you'll find yourself confused at times, but on the next page or in the next sentence you'll find something beautiful, something that speaks to you. (I did the written book once followed by the audiobook, as Pink described.)

[Chrissie]

Pink, good to know that Norton is good! I am so happy to have help from you guys. Your advice to just sit back and let the words wash over me and see how I think is a way of looking at it that I like. I mean, I am NOT studying this for university, I just want to see how the book affects ME and if it gets ME thinking and about what it makes me think.

I am worried that if I put it down when it bores me, I will never pick it up again. Also you get sort of disrupted in you thoughts, thrown out of where you were, if you know what I mean. I hesitate on reading it bit by bit. well, I will see when I start.

Thank you, Pink, for your encouragement. I saw you gave it four stars, and Petra five and Leslie three. I WONDER how this will go for me.

I hope I don't get too lost b/c that will give me trouble............

[Chrissie]

Terri wrote: "Chrissie, I second what Pink said. It was hard for me to let go of trying to understand everything, but it's imperative to do this. When you go with the flow you'll find yourself confused at times,..."

Oh gosh, so you have done it twice!

Yep I am going to have to keep in mind your advice about NOT worrying when I am confused....... As you see, this is exactly what I am worried about, see my last paragraph to Pink.

[Pink]

My first time I worried quite a bit that I didn't get everything, or anything! Then I realised I never would understand it all and so I just enjoyed what worked for me. One good thing is that all the chapters are quite different in their style, so if you hit one that you don't like, there will be something quite different up next!

[Chrissie]

Pink wrote: "My first time I worried quite a bit that I didn't get everything, or anything! Then I realised I never would understand it all and so I just enjoyed what worked for me. One good thing is that all t..."

Pink, information like that is VERY good to know!

[Petra]

Chrissie, I agree with both Pink and Terri. I've also read the book (twice) and listened to the audio. The story releases more information with each reading. There is no way to understand it entirely and the first reading can be daunting.
As Pink says, let the words wash over you and don't fret about not understanding everything. The story will come through.
There will be confusing spots. Just mention them here. We'll all give you our understanding of it and you can decide. The earlier posts will help, too, since we probably got stuck in the same place at one time or another.

I'm so glad this thread is active again.

[Chrissie]

Petra, wow three times! OK, I will just listen, and NOT get upset about that which I don't understand. At least I will try.

[Petra]

This group made me do it. LOL! This is a really fun group.

[Chrissie]

You don't seem to have regretted your decision.

[Petra]

LOL! Not at all....and I'd do it again.

[Pink]

Petra wrote: "LOL! Not at all....and I'd do it again."

Is that a commitment to another readalong?!

[Petra]

Gulp.......
not at the moment? I'm up to my ears in Proust and Vanity Fair. Ulysses would put me under. LOL!

[Petra]

You????

[Pink]

Well I wouldn't say no to another reading, but not until at least 2018!

[Petra]

Okay, then.......2018......let's plan.

Chrissie, what have you done??!! LOL!

[Chrissie]

OMG, a book that you read over and over again! How in the world do you do that .......when there are so many books that have not yet been read?!

This is some strange book that I have to experience from end to end.

Petra, so you are reading Vanity Fair. That is on my wishlist for someday in the future.

[Pink]

I never re-read books Chrissie, for that very reason that there's not enough time to get through everything even once. Ulysses is different though!

I also have Vanity Fair on my shelf, I keep delaying for another time, but I've been doing that for about 10 years now!

[Chrissie]

Pink wrote: "I never re-read books Chrissie, for that very reason that there's not enough time to get through everything even once. Ulysses is different though! "

That says a lot.

I toy with the idea of starting Ylysses while I read other books at the same time........but I seem incapable of doing this. I am nearing the end of Last Hope Island: Britain, Occupied Europe, and the Brotherhood That Helped Turn the Tide of War and I cannot just stop. I cannot put off finding out what lies ahead in this book.

So a good book I cannot interrupt with another and a bad book will end sooner the sooner I get to the end. If I should stop in the middle I will not ever return. If I think the book is average, I need to know if it will improve; some books do.

[Pink]

Perhaps if you always read one book at a time, this will be the best way for you to tackle Ulysses as well. Plenty of people plough through it in one go, without taking breaks for other books. Only you can tell what works for you once you get started.

[Chrissie]

Pink, well I will see how I feel as I read the book.

[Petra]

Ulysses is the exception for me, too, when it comes to rereads. I rarely reread a book but Ulysses draws me in.

I still find it too dense (?) for a straight-through reading. Luckily, the episodes are so different that it doesn't feel wrong to stop and take a break.
The audio was different, though. I could listen to that straight through.

Chrissie, you'll find your way through this one. The key is to wonder aloud and ask the questions. There will be many questions and thoughts. :D