James Joyce

Una bellísima y nada aburrida biografía sobre uno de los escritores más curiosos y extravagantes de la Literatura universal ha sido presentada. Está tan bien documentada y escrita que parece impensado lograr un mejor resultado. No deja nada fuera. Es interesantísimo observar tan de cerca la obsesión que Joyce dedica al escribir, publicar y corregir sus obras. Mientras que en otros escritores, como Bolaño, preferían dejar sus textos así, sin tanta vuelta, para poder continuar con sus vidas y trabajar en otra cosa, este no fue el caso de Joyce. Él no soltó sus obras hasta el último momento.

Jim Joyce es de alguna forma el Jim Morrison de la Literatura, o a la inversa. Siempre jugando a la contra, insumiso y obstinado, además de poseer un genio muy particular que lo caracteriza. A pesar de esto, y de haber sido altamente educado con los suyos, logró codearse con grandes figuras del mundo del arte en general, lo que hace que su biografía sea altamente interesante. Solo por nombrar algunos, tuvo contacto con Le Corbusier, C.G. Jung, Beckett, Ibsen, Pound, T.S Eliot, Proust, Svevo, Brancusi, etc. Esta relación con tantas personalidades importantes enriquece aún más la historia de Joyce y muestra su importancia en el mundo del arte y la literatura.

James Joyce's biography by Richard Ellmann is a truly magnificent work, both literally and metaphorically. With over 800 pages and rich photographic material, it includes numerous letters and describes Joyce's life and his family, the process of writing his works, and the difficulties he faced until he managed to publish his first works and beyond.

It is very helpful for those who want to better understand Ulysses, something that was difficult even for some of Joyce's friends to whom he gave parts to read as he was writing. "I gave the chapter to one or two to read, but as much as they understood, my arse understands what parliament will say."

It was even more difficult to understand Finnegans Wake, and many tried to dissuade him from writing it, telling him that he had probably gone crazy. "It is not excluded that it is madness. It will be judged after a hundred years."

What impressed me greatly was how closely his books were tied to his life. His friends, acquaintances, enemies, all pass through his work. He is inspired by everything. By an image from his childhood, by the hair of an acquaintance, by a phrase he hears randomly on the street. Everything finds its rightful place in his work.

He had a vision and didn't want to make concessions. He worked hard both to write and to publish his books exactly as he wanted. He encountered many difficulties but also many people willing to help him, recognizing his genius.

An eccentric, boastful, difficult person, he didn't have the best opinion of women even though many women helped him in his life. He loved his family but also made them suffer a lot.

I laughed at many of the antics of this strange type in various situations in his life because this man had an excellent sense of humor.

It took me quite a long time to finish the book. I didn't choose the right time either, when you run to the beach with a towel, it's also uncomfortable. It is a book that requires time and a book that I will surely return to read parts of it again when I want to reread Ulysses or if I ever decide to venture into Finnegans Wake.