Bloomsday and a Week with Joyce
by Charlotte Reads Classics
“What did you do in the Great War Mr. Joyce?”
“I wrote Ulysses. What did you do?”
Bloomsday, June 16th, is almost here. Despite my earlier reservations (IMMENSE FEAR) about reading James Joyce at all, let alone Ulysses, I am actually now quite excited. The readalong, should my excitement become contagious, is hosted by o and her sign up post is here.
Rather tragically, my work life is unsympathetic to my wish to drink coffee and sit around reading all day, and I have to go to work on Bloomsday itself. But, instead missing all of the fun, I have decided to spend a whole week in celebration of James Joyce, Ulysses, and my education in both matters. To help me, because obviously this is going to be a huge challenge, I’ll be listening to BBC Radio 4’s celebratory programmes which I read about here.
In theory, my week will be going a bit like this:
- Monday: Go and buy a copy of Ulysses. It is (I think) about 750 pages, how handy, about 100 pages per day. Try and read a substantial chunk to get going.
- Tuesday: Read more Ulysses.
- Wednesday: Repeat.
- Thursday: More reading, listen to In Our Time on Radio 4, which “will discuss the background to Ulysses, considering its historical and literary context, its themes, contents and style, and the impact it has had since publication”. Useful!
- Friday: Reading.
- Saturday: The big day, read as much as I can, propose a toast to Mr. Joyce.
- Sunday: IN THEORY finish reading Ulysses. Listen to the BBC dramatisation.
Charlotte Reads Classics 
I’m too scared to take part in this! But I commend all who are joining. I’ll be quietly cheering folks on! And probably reading Ulysses in a couple years. 🙂
Theres always next Bloomsday 😉
Hm. Somebody sent me a link to this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/ulysses
I have to work Saturday, but you know, I might listen at least to part of it…
I have to work too but am going to download it as a podcast and listen on Sunday / Monday, it sounds really good.
I’m not sure I can say “sounds fun” when the book is Ulysses. More like “sounds intimidating”! I might look for Ulysses at the library on my trip this week, however, and read just a bit on the 16th. A little bit can’t be too scary, can it?
Haha, well worryingly I think it depends which little bit you go for!
Yay for not being the only one petrified about this challenge! I think all those that are attempting to read this in one day are either mad or are superwomen/men. I’m going to start on Bloomsday and read for as long as it takes me but with a final time limit of Bloomsday next year 😉 I really hope it doesn’t take THAT long but you never know when it’s a book like Ulysses.
Love it 🙂 After one day I can safely say there is NO WAY I would have been able to read this in one day! Looking forward to hearing your Bloomsday impressions.
I look forward to reading about your experience! I think I am also intimidated to read Ulysses, but I like Amanda’s idea of reading just a bit of it on Bloomsday.
Thank you! Yes, reading a bit on the day is like a literary toast to celebrate the terrifying book.
Wow, you’re an inspiration, good luck with the week of reading and I look forward to reading the outcome of your immersion.
Thanks, Claire, immersion is the way forward 🙂
Good luck!
Thanks, Jessica!