Ulysses

A modernist novel of supreme stylistic innovation, this work is a towering achievement of twentieth-century literature. The narrative unfolds over a single day in Dublin, focusing on Leopold Bloom, his friends Buck Mulligan and Stephen Dedalus, and his wife Molly, among a vibrant cast of characters. Written between 1914 and 1921, it has withstood bowdlerization, legal challenges, and controversy. Joyce blends Celtic lyricism with raw vulgarity, showcasing ceaseless verbal inventiveness and a wide array of allusions, establishing it as a monumental exploration of the human condition. Declan Kiberd notes that it serves as "an endlessly open book of utopian epiphanies," reflecting on Dublin's colonial past while offering glimpses of a potentially redemptive future. This edition presents the standard text first published in 1960. Joyce, born in Dublin in 1882, left for Paris at twenty, rebelling against his upbringing. Though he returned briefly to Ireland, Dublin remained central to his major works. He lived in poverty for much of his life, facing personal challenges, including his daughter's mental illness. If you appreciated this novel, you might also enjoy Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, available in Penguin Classics.