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For anyone struggling with Joyce, I recommend Finnegan's Wake. You are guaranteed to find Ulysses easier to read after this.
by throwdante 5y ago
For anyone struggling with Joyce, I recommend Finnegan's Wake. You are guaranteed to find Ulysses easier to read after this.
- jhedwards 5y agoOn the contrary, I find Finnegan's Wake easier because it's more "fun". It's filled with silly word-play and funny sounds, and I don't feel compelled to try to make any particular meaning out of it or find a coherent story inside it, though if I do find one it's a nice surprise. Reading Ulysses, on the other hand, I know there is a story there, so when I lose the thread I get a bit frustrated. It's an absolutely gorgeous experience, of course, but one riddled with such frustration. I'm not sure if maybe reading an outline of the story first would help, so that I have the general idea in my head before going into it?
- becquerel 5y agoReading an outline definitely helps. Don't worry about it diminishing the experience, it is, as you might have guessed, not a book where the pleasure comes primarily from the plot. Being able to refer to a guide and say 'oh yes, this is Bloom talking to his boss in the as agency right now helps a lot in keeping yourself grounded.
- billfruit 5y agoSeriously though, I would recommend Dubliners.