I finally finished Ulysses. I know that many people absolutely love this book and consider it to be a work of genius. On the contrary there are those who simply don’t get it or don’t want to put forth the effort to try to get it. Regardless of which side of the fence you happen to sit on when it comes to loving or hating this behemoth of literature few could argue that Ulysses does not come with a considerable amount of baggage. It is hardly a laid back and relaxing read.
Most people can’t just sit and read and understand it without at least some outside help or resource. Reading Ulysses is an investment in a way that most books are not. It is an investment of time, not only because of its length but mainly because most people can’t just breeze through it. I had originally hoped to read Ulysses without any outside help, but a couple chapters in I found myself searching the internet for some insight. This book has a lot of baggage. I can’t imagine that too many people out there can read and understand it based on what we might accept as the “common knowledge” that most of us might have.
While on my quest for further understanding I came across many other reviews written about Ulysses. Some were incredibly insightful and objective, some were completely derogatory and without praise, and others were proclamations of undying love and devotion. One review simply said, “Life is too short to read Ulysses.” In reading what other people had to say about the book I learned two things:
1- I was not alone in my opinion of Ulysses
2- The opinion one has of this book is a rather controversial subject to those of differing opinion
This being my first review of any book that I will put on my blog and in light of the fact that this is quite a touchy subject for so many people out there I will keep this simple in an effort to not offend those of either persuasion I will simply say this, I can see the significance of this book and I can appreciate it as an important work of literature and I can also see why it seems like a little more effort than it may be worth.
I would also like to add that that I read somewhere that Ulysses was considered a difficult read when it was first published, and that was 1922. Could the argument be made that as time marches on written words can become obsolete like so many of our technological advances? As we change culturally will the classic works of literature, especially those that are considered more difficult, go the way of the floppy dish or the Beta player and be passed over for newer, more relatable and relevant reading?
Next on the list is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Most of us have read this book in high school but I am interested to read it now and see if these past 15 years or so will make a difference in the experience of reading it.
A Literary Grain of Salt 