jjares reviewed on 8/20/2021 + 3405 more book reviews

Not being a fan of James Joyce, this quick survey of his life was really what I was looking for today. However, I thought the author's choice of quotes by Joyce (and others) showed a broader view of the man. With so much discussion of his daughter's mental health issues -- and Joyce's erratic behaviors -- one wonders if he didn't have some mental health issues himself. I wonder if any study has been made of this.

There's more about Joyce's frantic writing and less about his relationships. From the descriptions of Joyce's interactions with others (especially patrons and benefactors), it is hard to decide if he was a genius or a narcissist with overly grand views of himself and his abilities. The author obviously had an exalted view of James Joyce. I would have to read more about him to decide for myself.

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