This past week I read James Joyce's Ulysses for the fourth time in my life. I last read it in 2001, and the 13 1/2 year gap was too long for this quintessential Modernist novel, and one of the greatest literary achievements in history. The twisting narrative techniques, the brutal depths of the stream of consciousness where the novel itself exerts its own consciousness, the richness and creativity of language to propel the well designed themes, rich in cultural, historic, religious and litereary allusions make this something much more than a reading experience.
Sounds good! *scribbles 'Joyce' into notepad...*
I've barely read anything of length in the past few years so decided to make an active effort to up my reading at New Year. Finished Paul Auster's The New York Trilogy, Graham Greene's The Quiet American and Jonathan Rendall's This Bloody Mary is the Last Thing I Own. I recommend the latter if you're into boxing. Turnbull would love it, if he's not already familiar with it (I suspect he is).
Wonderful to see you on the boards, and I admit that more than once I thought about you as I immersed myself in Ulysses because I remember once or twice discussing it with you. Particularly, I remember saying that I've tried to conquer Finnegan's Wake , but concluded that it requires a far more evolved literary mind than mine to read it with the intelligence it deserves. I felt that you have the ability to do it justice.
I know that your current career keeps you very busy, but have you ever had the chance/desire to jump into Finnegan's Wake ? I just may attempt to approach it again before I die. I may read some more analyses and commentaries to make it more comfortable to start it again.
