Things I've learned so far while reading 'Ulysses'

March 17, 2014 - 6:03pm - by admin

- Apparently the proper way to read the book is with at least one guide book which essentially deconstructs the chapters for you and explains what's going on. Which seems a bit backwards because isn't that the point in reading the book, anyway? To figure out what's going on?

- Apparently a lot of people find it to be an incredibly challenging read and have trouble getting to the part of the book that I managed to get to in a single sitting. Which means either I'm a genius, or I have no idea what I'm doing. You decide.

- Apparently I'm not going to understand what the f is happening until I reread all 700ish pages of it again at some point in the future. Great!

- Apparently skipping back to previous chapters is totally normal and accepted, which I didn't realize was unique to Ulysses because I do that with basically every novel I read.

- Apparently reading the introduction, the errata, and the notes to pages sections are basically useless, which is good because I don't usually read that stuff, anyway, and didn't this time.

- Apparently every time I pick up the book I'm going to think of this via Kate Beaton:



and also this:

which is totally okay.

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