My Brother's Keeper: James Joyce's Early Years (Paperback)

~ Stanislaus Joyce (Author), Richard Ellmann (Editor), T.S. Eliot (Author) "MY RECOLLECTIONS OF MY brother go back to such early years that I hardly dare say how far back they go-at any rate to nursery..." (more)
Key Phrases: Lady Gregory, William Archer, Chamber Music (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The return of a classic: This biography of the young James Joyce is "a remarkable exposition of the relationship between a famous man and [his] brother."--T. S. Eliot.

Stanislaus Joyce was more than his brother's keeper: he was at various times his brother's co-dependent, touchstone, conscience, and biggest fan. The two shared the same genius, the same childhood influences, and had the same literary instinct, but in Stanislaus it was channeled into sober academic pursuit, while in James it evolved into gaiety, wild whimsy, and at times sodden despair.

Covering the first twenty-two years of James Joyce's life in Dublin and Trieste, My Brother's Keeper is a window onto the drama that was his youth. Thanks to Stanislaus's superb memory and sure hand, here we find the Dublin of Dubliners: the streets, neighbors, churches, and unforgettable eccentrics. Here we see the model for Ulysses' Simon Dedalus: James' father, a dour and violent figure when in his cups. Here are the Joyces in their own home, and the minor characters that pepper A Portrait of the Artist: Eileen, Leopold Bloom's comely daughter; Mrs. Riordan, the surly teacher; Mr. Casey, the political agitator. And finally, here is Trieste, a place of exile for Stanislaus but a retreat for James. Stanislaus Joyce has fashioned both an invaluable primary source for his brother's opaque masterpieces and a loving memoir of his brother's early life.

About the Author

Stanislaus Joyce (18841955), the brother of James Joyce, was a professor of literature in Trieste. His wife, Nelly Joyce, published My Brother's Keeper after his death.

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; export ed edition (May 13, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 030681210X
• ISBN-13: 978-0306812101
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #846,707 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT INSIGHT INTO THE ARTIST, August 14, 2006

By	C. Scanlon "least helpful reviewer" (among us humans) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

STan really did keep and care for James and his family, including when JAmes briefly returned to Ireland to establish an art cinema chain leaving his family in ITaly.

Excellent insight into the brilliant writer by his also brilliant brother. Please read this book for greater understanding and afection for the specifics of Joyce's work (how stan was pictured in the story A Painful Case), although the view of the universal themes grows dim as we can no longer see the woods for the trees

Essential to any complete James JOyce bookshelf and a wonderful and grateful gift for any member of the fervent Joycean faith