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James Joyce: A Life in Letters (Patreon)

Published:
2022-09-25 17:38:51
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Today I would love to share a curation of letters from James Joyce with you.

The writer of Ulysses left behind a profound body of correspondance: love letters, travelogues, book reviews, musings on Ireland, censorship, publishing, and commentaries that shed light on his artistic aims.

As we rifle through Jim’s letters, you may feel yourself becoming closer to the man behind the myth.

Video Timestamps:

  • 0:00 the letters of James Joyce
  • 1:10 the artist in the art
  • 2:30 Joyce the exile
  • 4:30 why read Joyce’s letters?
  • 5:30 a note on the sordid letters
  • 6:20 what kind of novel is Ulysses?
  • 7:20 Joyce’s letters to Nora in 1904
  • 14:00 why Joyce uses all the words
  • 16:00 Joyce’s language learning
  • 17:00 letters to his brother on Dubliners
  • 21:00 James Joyce on Ireland
  • 23:03 the birth of Joyce’s son
  • 25:00 Joyce’s view on Tolstoy
  • 27:30 the struggle against censorship
  • 31:00 Joyce on Irish politics
  • 33:00 appreciating Chamber Music
  • 38:20 lovesick, not homesick
  • 42:00 Joyce’s love letters to Nora
  • 46:00 on burnings of Ulysses
  • 49:00 Joyce begins Finnegans Wake
  • 53:00 the public perception of Joyce
  • 55:00 Ulysses & Homer’s Odyssey
  • 57:00 what we gain from Joyce’s letters
  • 59:00 why Ulysses is so extraordinary
  • 1:00:00 the end of Joyce’s life

Resources:

Let us know what you thought about Joyce’s letters. Do you feel like you’re closer to understanding the man behind the work?

Happy reading, everybody!

Files

Previews only

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0:00 the letters of James Joyce 1:10 the artist in the art 2:30 Joyce the exile 4:30 why read Joyce’s letters? 5:30 a note on the sordid letters 6:20 what kind of novel is Ulysses? 7:20 Joyce’s letters to Nora in 1904 14:00 why Joyce uses all the words 16:00 Joyce’s language learning 17:00 letters to his brother on Dubliners 21:00 James Joyce on Ireland 23:03 the birth of Joyce’s son 25:00 Joyce’s view on Tolstoy 27:30 the struggle against censorship 31:00 Joyce on Irish politics 33:00 appreciating Chamber Music 38:20 lovesick, not homesick 42:00 Joyce’s love letters to Nora 46:00 on burnings of Ulysses 49:00 Joyce begins Finnegans Wake 53:00 the public perception of Joyce 55:00 Ulysses & Homer’s Odyssey 57:00 what we gain from Joyce’s letters 59:00 why Ulysses is so extraordinary 1:00:00 the end of Joyce’s life

Comments

Tatiana
>>92797178

You do a lot of interesting outside reading, Aaron. Are you on Goodreads? Do you track your non fiction as well?

Aaron Kyereh-Mireku
>>92797178

I am on Goodreads but not very active. I am currently reading Plato's Republic and that is proving a lot of fun :)

Aaron Kyereh-Mireku

So I have been doing an author focus on Dickens for the past few months, since I started with The Pickwick Papers back in July. I loved it. I didn't like Oliver Twist as much but it was still a fun read. I really enjoyed Nicholas Nickleby, but I don't think I enjoyed it as much as the Pickwick Papers, which is so far my favourite Dickens. I want to continue reading him in chronological order, but I am also impatient to get to his really good stuff like David Copperfield. To be honest, I have not heard great things about either Barnaby Rudge or The Old Curiosity Shop, but part of me thinks I will feel bad if I skip these and the other early Dickens works to begin reading David Copperfield. That said, do I really want to spend time on his lesser works like Martin Chuzzlewit, his first big commercial flop? I don't think that popularity should be the main determinant of the value of a piece of artwork, of course, but since even literary scholars would agree that such works are not among his best, I am reluctant to spend too much time on them.

hardcoreliterature
>>92797178

Your Dickens special author focus sounds wonderful, Aaron. Dickens is a perfect author for reading through chronologically! The Pickwick Papers, as you know, is high up there as one of my personal favourites. Barnaby Rudge is a under appreciated, but it's quite good! I like The Old Curiosity Shop, but it's very sentimental and perhaps I like it because I associate it with childhood memories (it was among the first I came to). Although, if you're keen to embrace his more mature iconic works, I would totally encourage that! One can always return to the lesser works after a deep appreciation of his masterpieces :)

Emily F

I found it so enriching to learn more about Joyce's life in context of his works. I see that he puts a lot of himself into Stephen and Joyce. Both have a complicated relationship with Ireland and with their religion. Stephen is a young thinker who is trying to express his theories and make a name for himself. Bloom feels like a stranger in his native land, just as Joyce did. Joyce's letters also demonstrate so much feeling and passion, especially the ones you read to Nora and Richards. I put the Ellman collection of letters on my to-read list!