Customer Reviews

Joyce for Beginners

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4 star:		(1)
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This is an excellent introduction to the life and writings of James Joyce, the former being essential to understanding the later, on any level. Mr. Norris's text and Mr. Clint's illustrations (which are actually rather functional) bring a sense of insight to any who attempt to take on one of the most complex writers in Western literature. The outline of "Ulysses" is excellent, and Mr. Norris even takes on the daunting task of begining to explain what has to be one of the most utterly demanding books ever, "Finnegan's Wake," and illustrates, literally, that it is not just some great joke or jibberish as others who probably have tried and failed to interpet, claim it is. And the keen advice from Mr. Norris, although rather pedestrian, disproves the popular notion of Joyce being unreadable. I would strongly recommend this and any of the other editions in this excellent series (I have since purchased, "Introducing Kafka.") <BURP>

Introducing Joyce really gives the reader insight into Joyce's methods of writing, how much of his work was autobiographical, and helps one better grasp this great writer's unique style. I was also amused with the interesting illustrations throughout the book. These illustrations make it impossible for the reading to become at all monotonous. One learns many things that are incorporated into his work that you would never know without reading this book. Overall, an excellent way to prepare for the experience of Joyce's writing.

The Introducing... is a good, though uneven, series, that tries to bring back the life and work of writers and thinkers in comic book (er, graphic novel) fashion. Among the good books I have read in the series are those dedicated to Kafka, Camus and Proust, among others. This book about Joyce is not in that category. First thing I must tell, the only book by James Joyce I have read is Dubliners, which I liked (especially its famous last story, The Dead). I didn't read Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and I tried in vain to read Ulysses, not being able to go through but for a few pages. After that, I never even tried to read Finnegans Wake, of course. I bought this book in order to try to understand what was Joyce about, and maybe try to motivate me to read his books. But this book, while informative about his life, is a bit uneven, and the graphic style (the drawings) are awful, a total turn off. There are some explanations about what Ulysses is about, but not enough to make me try to finish it reading. So I cannot honestly reccomend this book.

Nice help in understanding theis complex dude...

Tito / Bronx, N.Y.

it won't pass you in a high level college course but it's got lots of info- a great intro and primer i'd have to say!