A truly brilliant book indeed. Ellimann's focus is entirely on Joyce.

Those who come into Joyce's orbit are frequently referenced, and when they exit, they vanish from the biography as well. He spends time delving into certain periods of Joyce's life, while also briskly skipping through others, all the while packing in the details.

He is always sympathetic towards Joyce despite his many failings, yet he doesn't let him off the hook easily. He equally takes note when Joyce is found to be brilliant, using people's accounts of him, both negative and positive. However, at nearly all stages, he holds back from making his own judgment and lets the events speak for themselves.

This is the standard that should be set for a biography. Sometimes you will like Joyce, sometimes you will dislike him, even hate him, cringe for him, despair for him, understand him, not understand him, be proud of him, or be envious of him. Isn't that how we are with the people we care about? In the end, you see Joyce not as a legend, but as a real person. You end up caring about this brilliant writer and understanding why so many people did, and still do. If this isn't a true portrait of Joyce, it's extremely hard to imagine what could be.

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.

Pure joy for 800 pages!

This book is overwhelmingly detailed, offering a wealth of information and insights. I personally preferred the sections that focused on the work itself. The author's attention to detail is truly remarkable, and it makes for a captivating read. Each page is filled with interesting facts and engaging stories that keep you hooked from start to finish.

But this book is not just about the details. It also has a broader appeal, as it delves into the heart and soul of the subject matter. It explores the motivations, challenges, and triumphs of the people involved, making it a truly human story. Whether you are a fan of the work or simply interested in learning more about it, this book is sure to satisfy.

In conclusion, this book is just as good as its reputation suggests. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to experience the pure joy of a well-written and engaging book. So don't hesitate, pick up a copy today and prepare to be amazed!

This book was truly a challenging read.

I liked it because it provided the very thing I was seeking - an in-depth understanding of what motivates a literary genius.

Long ago, I delved into the works of James Joyce and even compared one of his stories with that of Hemingway's in my thesis, analyzing their styles and structures.

However, I had never read the so-called definitive biography of Joyce by Richard Ellmann.

This is a highly scholarly biography that comprehensively captures all the people, places, and events in Joyce's life and elucidates how and where they are incorporated into his fiction.

It literally covers a vast territory - Ireland, England, Italy, Switzerland, and France, with Joyce constantly moving back and forth.

It also details the tortuous publishing difficulties Joyce encountered and the complex web of his family, publishers, other authors, patrons, friends, serializations, and his endless rewrites as he was gradually losing his eyesight.

I wouldn't recommend this book to those who are merely curious about Joyce.

But I will say that I read it after having read the biographies of "Steve Jobs" and then "Einstein."

The astonishing similarities in the minds of these geniuses began to emerge for me.

These three men, despite all their hardships and missteps, simply could not stop their minds from working.

Their drive to discover, create, and challenge persisted unwaveringly, even if they had wanted to (which they didn't).

I am certain, however, that the entire structure of heroism is, and always has been, a damned lie, and that there can be no substitute for individual passion as a motivating force for everything, including art and philosophy.

This powerful statement by J. Joyce, as noted by Richard Ellmann, challenges the traditional concept of heroism. It suggests that what we often consider heroic may not be as noble or genuine as it seems.

Joyce implies that individual passion is the true driving force behind all great achievements, whether in the realm of art or philosophy. Without this intense personal motivation, our endeavors may lack authenticity and depth.

This idea makes us question the glorification of heroism and encourages us to look deeper into the real sources of inspiration and creativity within ourselves. It reminds us that it is our own unique passions and desires that have the potential to lead us to great things.

This is an extremely interesting and absurdly comprehensive biography, which is highly suitable for an author who had such a thrilling life.

The efforts that Ellmann must have put in are truly astonishing, and the outcome is often remarkable. It even made me eager to read Finnegans Wake, due to its detailed explanation of Joyce's writing process.

Some of the anecdotes about Joyce, such as his spider-dance, his singing, his drunken antics, his witty remarks, the time he slept on Yeats' sofa on his way to Paris at the age of 20, and his elaborate plan to prevent his father from finding out that he was eloping to Europe with Nora, are simply hilarious.

This biography sometimes reads like a novel. When Joyce passed away after 740 pages (ironically, just over the length of Ulysses), I felt as if I had lost a friend.

Some of the content about Joyce's father, his longing to see James one last time, and about Lucia's mental illness and her refusal to believe that Joyce was dead, was truly heart-wrenching.

On my shelf for more than a decade, this particular work shouldn't have haunted me.

It is as engaging and readable as a novel, managing to build suspense and, ultimately, leaving a sense of sadness.

After completing "The Wake," which he referred to as "The Monster," Joyce was not prepared, either intellectually or emotionally, for the events of WWII.

This lack of preparedness perhaps made his passing in early 1941 seem almost inevitable.

The war brought with it a level of chaos and upheaval that Joyce may not have been able to fully comprehend or cope with.

His works, which were already complex and innovative, may have seemed even more out of step with the times in the face of such global turmoil.

Yet, despite this, his influence on literature remains profound, and his works continue to be studied and admired to this day.

Perhaps it is this sense of inevitability that makes his story all the more poignant, a reminder of the power of history and the fragility of the human spirit.

No journeyman biographer like Walter Isaacson, Ellmann writes the life of Joyce out of deep familiarity with his work and Irish literature in general. "I have yet to meet anyone who has read and digested the whole of Finnegans Wake—except perhaps my friend Richard Ellmann," said Edna O'Brien. So this book is naturally stylish and literary throughout. Ellmann, who also wrote lives of Yeats and Wilde, goes back to Synge's Playboy of the Western World, which dropped like a bomb in a parochial and impoverished Ireland.

Sympathetic to Joyce but aware of his foibles, Ellmann portrays his early pretensions, the struggle to create a persona everyone undergoes, Joyce's half innate, half-put-on flakiness/profligacy, his drinking troubles. Joyce left Ireland early on to live in self-imposed exile. Although his writing would always look back to it, he felt somewhat estranged from it and was not an ardent Irish nationalist. His tender marriage to Nora Barnacle began in Trieste. His dominant mode is a love of language, rhyme and wordplay, a deep interest in describing the mind's interior, and certain themes like sex, guilt, masochism, religious misgivings.

I read Ulysses years ago, knowing nothing about its background. I was mostly confused, occasionally enraptured. I think some background would have helped, but trying to understand every word is beside the point. It may be doable with Ulysses, but not with Work in Progress. This book is crammed with funny anecdotes about Joyce, Nora and Stanislaus, and bawdy multilingual jokes. It can also be somber when dealing with his relationships and troubles. A classic of literary biography.

Like its subject, Ellmann’s massive 1959 Joyce bio doesn’t make it easy for readers.

It assumes a heavy familiarity with Ulysses, Finnegans Wake, and each Dubliners story. In addition, it requires a more-than-passing knowledge of French.

Moreover, it hides some of the best and naughtiest bits in footnotes. (After all, where’s the fun in that?)

Nearly everyone Joyce ever met ended up in a book. For example, Nora’s youthful admirer became The Dead’s doomed Michael Furey. A braggadocious friend was mocked as stately, plump Buck Mulligan. Half of Dublin seemed to appear in Bloom’s travels.

Joyce knew he was a genius, and he didn’t particularly care about being a jerk. His works were complex and challenging, but they also revealed the depth and beauty of the human experience. Ellmann’s bio attempts to capture the essence of this remarkable writer, but it is not an easy read. It requires patience, perseverance, and a willingness to engage with the text on multiple levels.

Nevertheless, for those who are willing to put in the effort, Ellmann’s bio offers a fascinating glimpse into the life and mind of James Joyce.

This was an extremely interesting book.

It delved deeply into many aspects of his life, covering a vast amount of ground.

It was truly fascinating to gain an understanding of just how much of his life was incorporated into his books.

He didn't seem like the kind of person who would be a delight to be around.

However, writers seemed to recognize and appreciate his genius-level of writing from an early stage.

This book is without a doubt worth reading again.

It offers valuable insights into the author's life and work, and provides a unique perspective on his creative process.

Whether you are a fan of his writing or simply interested in learning more about the life of a writer, this book is sure to captivate and engage you.

So, pick it up and give it another read, and you are bound to discover something new and exciting.

James Joyce's obsessive work is seen in the light of Richard Ellmann's obsession with Joyce.

Joyce's works are truly masterpieces. His writing is characterized by its complexity, innovation, and deep exploration of human nature.

Richard Ellmann, on the other hand, was completely captivated by Joyce. His obsession led him to conduct in-depth research and write a comprehensive biography of the great author.

Ellmann's work not only shed light on Joyce's life but also provided valuable insights into his creative process.

By examining Joyce's work through the lens of Ellmann's obsession, we can gain a deeper understanding of the significance and impact of Joyce's masterpieces.

We can see how his unique style and vision influenced generations of writers and continue to be relevant today.

In conclusion, the relationship between Joyce's obsessive work and Ellmann's obsession with him is a fascinating one that offers much to explore and discover.