Belated Bloomsday
Saturday was Bloomsday, Ireland's national James Joyce holiday. I've heard about this thing from a few people during the course of my English major career (I think Edward and I had a conversation about Bloomsday 100), but never having read Ulysses I would have totally forgotten about it this year. Would have, if it weren't for Sally, who e-mailed me happy Bloomsday wishes under the assumption that I actually knew something about modern Irish literature. I'm now announcing my shameful ignorance publicly, though it does give me an excellent excuse to link to some of her amazing sketch work:
I've taken steps to reconcile myself to the realm of modern fiction with Ted Bishop's book about motorcycle touring and Woolfe/Joyce archives. As a professional academic, I now have the privilege of credentials through association: pretending to know about something just because I've read a book by someone else who really does (even if that book has nothing to do with the subject in question.)
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1 comment:
we did talk about bloomsday...and then ulysses...and then finnegan's wake...and then portrait of the artist as a young man...and then dubliners - both of joyce's "po-mo" novels are nibblers [dip in for a bit and leave). i wouldn't recommend reading them in one go or even three (unless, of course, narrative isn't a primary concern and you're willing to chase down every literary/ etymological/ punning reference).
i took the last seminar i needed for my english degree from ted bishop -- excellent prof: witty, erudite and easily distracted by shiny ideas. you'll enjoy the book, i'm sure.
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