Brain Pain discussion
This topic is about
Ulysses
Ulysses - Spine 2012
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Questions, Resources and General Banter - Ulysses
Jim wrote: "The edition of Ulysses on our group bookshelf isn't currently available in the U.S.One alternative is this version, which is the same text and introduction by Declan Kiberd, but without the end notes.
Ulysses ..."
There are many fun reviews of Ulysses on Goodreads, but the one so far that has caught my ear (yes, I read it, not listened to it, but the tempo is what reached me) is the one by Ceridwen. If you read it, I encourage catching at least part of the Marx Brothers video she links. About half way through is enough ....! lol!
I highly recommend checking out Frank Delany's "Re:Joyce" podcasts. Around 5 minutes a week deconstructing Ulysses. Now on episode 80, part way into chapter 2. Probably 20 more years or so worth of podcasts to come. http://blog.frankdelaney.com/re-joyce
Whitney wrote: "I highly recommend checking out Frank Delany's "Re:Joyce" podcasts. Around 5 minutes a week deconstructing Ulysses. Now on episode 80, part way into chapter 2. Probably 20 more years or so worth of..."Thanks, Whitney. It's easier to get the episodes in order through iTunes podcasts.
Whitney wrote: "I highly recommend checking out Frank Delany's "Re:Joyce" podcasts. Around 5 minutes a week deconstructing Ulysses. Now on episode 80, part way into chapter 2. Probably 20 more years or so worth of..."So. Cool. Thanks!
Just when you thought there weren't enough Ulysses reference materials available... An online hypertext concordance of Ulysses:
http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~rac101/conco...
Brant wrote: "Just when you thought there weren't enough Ulysses reference materials available... An online hypertext concordance of Ulysses:
http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~rac101/conco..."
Looks like a neat resource, but I am stumbling on how to use it. I clicked on a key word, but it wasn't clear what I got? (I also tried copying into the search box, but for those I did, I got 0.)
Lily wrote: "There are many fun reviews of Ulysses on Goodreads, but the one so far that has caught my ear (yes, I read it, not listened to it, but the tempo is what reached me) is the one by Ceridwen."Here is the link to Ceridwen's review:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Just to add to Lily's comment: reading "Ulysses" is not just a quest for meaning, it is also about fun and enjoyment.I have only read it once (recently), and ultimately decided to make the quest for meaning secondary to the quest for pleasure.
Once you relax with the text a bit, it becomes easier to read and it even starts to reveal some of its secrets.
You don't have to spot or unravel every secret to enjoy it.
Perhaps, this is why people who read it again enjoy it so much.
I wrote some supposedly fun things on the front page of my review:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
The more detailed, but still informal, review is here:
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/2...
I'm planning my assault on this venerable north face of English Lit. with two primary guides, who shall Sherpa me (hopefully) across the summit:
The New Bloomsday Book: A Guide Through Ulyssesand
Ulysses AnnotatedThe latter is annotated to the point of almost being useless to read along with, and the former helps the reader a great deal, but lacks the intense and ridiculous depth where essentially every word is dissected like a frog in biology class.
While of course I know I don't need to do it that way, and many people will just read the book and enjoy it, for me this is part of the fun.
Will wrote: "...for me this is part of the fun."Like :)
Will wrote: "I'm planning my assault on this venerable north face of English Lit. with two primary guides, who shall Sherpa me (hopefully) across the summit:[bookcover:The New Bloomsday Book: A Guide Through U..."
I'm kind of new to the Joyce game, and I think I need to getta my tuttsi fruttsi for this book (nailed it, Ceridwen). I was curious: how did you happen to choose these particular guides?
Did a lot of reading ABOUT reading the book, and these looked to be the two more referenced books, then I looked at online samples of them to get a feel for them.
Mod
I'm using Gilbert's James Joyce's Ulysses simply because it was written with Joyce, and so, theoretically closest to author's ideas about his own work. Although Joyce is a slippery little Jesuit, so who knows?!
Will wrote: "I'm planning my assault on this venerable north face of English Lit. with two primary guides, who shall Sherpa me (hopefully) across the summit:[bookcover:The New Bloomsday Book: A Guide Through U..."
I also bought the Gifford book.
Mod
1. I read an episode cold.
2. Then I read the Gilbert chapter about the episode and peruse the notes at the end of my edition.
3. Then I read the episode again.
A kind of lather, rinse, repeat strategy...
So far, it's going quite smoothly. I'm glad I did a quick re-read of 'A Portrait...' first. It made it easier to appreciate why Stephen Dedalus is such a gloomy, introspective little Jesuit...
so one could potentially just read it for.giggles and not.worry about all the hidden secret meanings? my problem.is I.don't one. type well.on the fire.it likes periods way too.much but mostly my problem is I rush through a book.no matter how hard I.try to savour? ??!!!!!
Thanks for the recommendations for supplementary stuff! I think of the "to supplement or not to supplement?" question in a nature-y way: I enjoyed lots of beautiful walks in the woods before knowing much about them, but learning how to identify things, what they were doing and how they interacted with each other made the hiking experience a whole lot richer. Sounds like you can have a beautiful walk through the language of Ulysses without any outside stuff, but I'm bringing some field guides on this one!
Mod
Try 'Petersen's Field Guide To Modernism' - LOL!!
Okay, that's hilarious. I'll put on my hiking boots and head to Paris to spot some Modernists in their natural habitat.
Hi all! I'm 17 and new to both this site and this group. I was trying to read Ulysses this year but I never get past the first episode. Which episode are you guys on? I will try to catch up on my reading.
Mod
Hi Brandon!
We haven't begun our discussion yet. Our first week of discussion will begin on Monday, 1/30. We'll be covering Episodes 1, 2, and 3. That's 64 (or 35) pages, depending on which edition you're reading.
Check out this schedule thread for MANY details - LOL!
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...
This wikipedia page shows how the novel is laid out and has brief synopses of the episodes, if you're interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_...
Ian wrote: "Just to add to Lily's comment: reading "Ulysses" is not just a quest for meaning, it is also about fun and enjoyment.I have only read it once (recently), and ultimately decided to make the quest ..."
I couldn't agree more, Ian. I've only read the first episode, but so far, I enjoyed it just because the writing and the dialogue were so good. Now, as I go back over the chapter, meaning in the lines that I love just adds on to Ulysses' brilliance! I will be adding this to favorites I'm sure, not just because of the awesome meanings, but because the overall "story" is pure awesomeness. Kind of like Don Delillo's stuff, which I heard was inspired by Joyce. Bonus!
I know discussions don't start until Monday, but I'd just like to share my fav line in the book so far. This was in Episode 1:"The sacred pint alone can unbind the tongue of Dedalus."
Mod
"The sacred pint alone can unbind the tongue of Dedalus.""
Okay, but remember, no sacred pints for Brandon 'til you're legal! LOL!!!
Is anybody else using the Modern Classics Annotated Students Edition
? I've found the amount of notes (bout 300 pages worth) in the back to be extremely helpful so far without having to lug around another book. I believe it references from a variety of different sources such as Stuart Gilbert's for instance, plus another 80 or so pages in the front as an introduction.
I'm reading the Oxford edition:
, but it sounds similar. The end notes for each episode starts with a summary of the relevant section of Homer's Odyssey, followed by a few paragraphs comparing Ulysses to The Odyssey and then has the more typical end notes for the various words, phrases, and allusions. It has each part separated with a title page (I, II, III, etc) & a page break after each episode.
Mod
? I've found the amount of notes (bout 300 pages worth) ..."I'm using that edition. The intro is great, isn't it?
Yeah Liz that sounds pretty similar to mine, although Im only blessed with a line between episodes.Jim, the intro was great, getting a heads up to some of the different themes, language use, etc definitely helped prepare me for the what Ive come across so far.
One thing that hasn't bothered me nearly as much as i thought it would (yet) is the irish slang... maybe due to our slang in Australia being a fairly natural progression of Irish/Cockney slang from our convict roots theres some similarities.
Mod
What's all this "O, my dimber wapping dell." about then??
Jim wrote: "Travis wrote: "One thing that hasn't bothered me nearly as much as i thought it would (yet) is the irish slang... maybe due to our slang in Australia being a fairly natural progression of Irish/Coc..."Not all of them maybe... re-read that as 'some of' haha
I have called my dell laptop such things though....
Mod
I have called my dell laptop such things though..."
Good reply! Discretion is the better part of valor, or something like that - LOL!
Since my edition of Ulysses is strictly text only - no notes, no intro, no nuthin' - and the last time I cracked the Odyssey was approximately 1992, do any of those guides mentioned above have good summaries relating Ulysses to the Odyssey: the Gifford, the Gilbert or The New Bloomsday Book? I haven't committed to a guide or an Odyssey re-read yet, and although I'm quite enjoying Ulysses all by its lonely for the moment, I don't want to miss ALL the references.
Rachel wrote: "Since my edition of Ulysses is strictly text only - no notes, no intro, no nuthin' - and the last time I cracked the Odyssey was approximately 1992, do any of those guides mentioned above have good..."I was just about to ask this, Rachel. My edition has an intro, but that's it. I've been doing alright without the notes, but I have to say I've been doing a good amount of googling. I'm planning on going to my university bookstore today or tomorrow, and I'm sure they'll have guides there, but I have no idea which one to get.
Rachel wrote: "Since my edition of Ulysses is strictly text only - no notes, no intro, no nuthin' - and the last time I cracked the Odyssey was approximately 1992, do any of those guides mentioned above have good..."The Gifford book does.
Mod
The Stuart Gilbert book definitely helps make the connections, especially for Episode 3 - Proteus.
Jim wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Since my edition of Ulysses is strictly text only - no notes, no intro, no nuthin' - and the last time I cracked the Odyssey was approximately 1992, do any of those guides mentioned ..."Yeah, Proteus was difficult.
Rachel wrote: "Thank you!"Are you using the Vintage Classics edition? That's what I'm using right now. The only thing that resembles an introduction to the book is that it includes the original court order that allowed Ulysses to enter the United States.
Brandon wrote: "Yeah, Proteus was difficult...."I believe my reaction (and status update) to episode three was "and this is where it stops making sense".
Ah, quite true! My bad. :) Still, I find episode three to be pretty amazing now that I've been over some notes on it and read it again. Still frustrating though, but to congrats to all who have made it this far and past this episode! A round of applause for us all!
Liz M wrote: "Brandon wrote: "Yeah, Proteus was difficult...."I believe my reaction (and status update) to episode three was "and this is where it stops making sense"."
Right?! Phew. Reading the notes tonight....
Brandon wrote: "A round of applause for us all!"Whew! I thought it was just me. I was having all sorts of fun until episode three came along.
Chapter III is why Ulysses is famously difficult. The first two chapters are complex but can be read. My reaction is always "ineluctable modality of the visible" my ass!
Bill wrote: "My reaction is always "ineluctable modality of the visible" my ass!"LOL!
Bill wrote: "Chapter III is why Ulysses is famously difficult. The first two chapters are complex but can be read. My reaction is always "ineluctable modality of the visible" my ass!"
Erika wrote: "Liz M wrote: "Brandon wrote: "Yeah, Proteus was difficult...."
I believe my reaction (and status update) to episode three was "and this is where it stops making sense"."
Well Bill is this how it goes then a few pieces of delightful book and then a chapter that makes you believe you are a "dimber wapping dell" :)
Nancy wrote: "Brandon wrote: "A round of applause for us all!"Whew! I thought it was just me. I was having all sorts of fun until episode three came along."
Me too Nancy !!! Lets hope that he only tosses in a few of those every now and again LOL and someone on this forum explains what that chapter means LOL
Another site people may appreciate if they don't have the annotated edition: http://www.columbia.edu/~fms5/ulys.htm . This has the complete test (Gabler, sorry Jim) with hover and view annotations adapted from Gifford. It also has different color text for dialog, narration, internal dialog, etc., which seems like cheating but is pretty useful for chapters like Proteus.
Whitney wrote: "Another site people may appreciate if they don't have the annotated edition: http://www.columbia.edu/~fms5/ulys.htm. This has the complete test (Gabler, sorry Jim) with hover and view annotations a..."The link didn't work, but I typed it in without the period on the end and that worked! Thanks Whitney! Looks cool!
Erika wrote: "The link didn't work, but I typed it in without the period on the end and that worked!..."Thanks, I fixed the link in my original post.
Brain Pain
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The edition of Ulysses on our group bookshelf isn't currently available in the U.S. One alternative is this version, which is the same text and introduction by Declan Kiberd, but without the end notes.Ulysses
http://www.amazon.com/Ulysses-Modern-...
If you want the Annotated Student Edition, you can order it from Amazon.co.uk
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ulysses-Annot...
Also, if you’ve written a review of the book, please post a link to share with the group.