Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!wivax!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!tekecs!mcg From: mcg@tekecs.UUCP Newsgroups: net.books Subject: Re: James Joyce Message-ID: <1442@tekecs.UUCP> Date: Sun, 19-Jun-83 18:58:08 EDT Article-I.D.: tekecs.1442 Posted: Sun Jun 19 18:58:08 1983 Date-Received: Mon, 27-Jun-83 02:11:24 EDT Lines: 18 In my opinion, Joyce's work falls into two categories: "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", and everything else ("Ulysses", "Finnigan's Wake", etc). "Portrait" is by far the most accessible of Joyce's works, with the most easily identifiable plot, characters, and language. The others require real work to read, as well as a good imagination, as Joyce takes many "liberties" with the language. He is particularly fond of inventing his own words. Also, a familiarity with: a) Irish culture; b) Irish history; and c) the Bible and Roman Catholic ritual helps in reading all of his books. I am not commenting on the "value" of these books, only their accessibility to the general reader. S. McGeady