Customer Reviews

The James Joyce Audio Collection

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If you are a fan (student?) of Joyce, this set is indeed wonderful and, yes, indispensable.

In the "Truth in Advertising" department, however, be advised that the recording of Joyce reading from Ulysses is very short (just a little over four minutes!). The outer package states, "The most fascinating treat here is the landmark recording of James Joyce reading selections from Ulysses. This rare recording was made in 1924, and Joyce's reading provides the singular experience of hearing the work as he intended it to be read." In truth, there is just one selection of Joyce reading from Ulysses; representing barely one-and-one-half pages from Chapter 7, Aeolus (pp. 142-43 in the 1990 Vintage International Edition).

Another inconsistency concerns the recording date: There is a written quotation in the package attributed to Sylvia Beach that provides informative details about the process by which she recorded Joyce reading from Ulysses in 1924. She goes on to say that Joyce was adamant that "this would be his only reading from Ulysses." Yet the CD track listings indicate that the Ulysses excerpt was recorded "circa 1921." Which is it?

Further, given the considerable logistics, negotiations and expense that Beach apparently invested in order to record Joyce, it seems inconceivable that they would have recorded for only four minutes; notwithstanding the "primitive manner" of recording in the early 1920s. Where is the rest? Do other selections really exist?

The set includes one other, somewhat longer selection of Joyce reading from the Anna Livia Plurabelle section of Finnegan's Wake (three pages at the end of Book One; pp. 213-16 in my ancient copy of the Viking Compass Edition). It was recorded "circa 1932," and lasts eight-and-a-half minutes.

In both excerpts, there are some slight, inconsequential discrepancies between the recorded and written versions; often simply affecting word order. These do make one wonder which version Joyce intended.

So here you have a total of fourteen-and-a-half minutes of Joyce's voice. Believe me, I am not complaining. But if you have read this far, it's a fair bet that you, too, would like to know how much (or how little) of Joyce's voice is actually contained in this 4-CD set. The sound quality is pretty good, considering the age, particularly if you follow along in the books while listening. And that is no doubt the best way to experience these recordings, in order to more fully appreciate Joyce's wonderful lilt, accent, pronunciation & emphasis; and to gain a much better understanding of his meaning.

Would that we could hear Joyce reading all of Ulysses! But, this little bit is infinitely better than nothing!

The selections recorded by other readers are excellent, too, but that would be the subject of another review. Best regards.

The Siobhan McKenna reading of Molly Bloom's soliloquy is sublime.
The vendor from whom I bought this through Amazon was prompt, professional, and courteous.

I am very satisfied of having opportunity to hear this work and Joyce reading it. Beautiful!

This just wasn't my cup of tea. Couldn't get through the CD. Found it difficult to understand, and when Joyce was actually reading, I couldn't understand a word. This CD was a waste of my money.