Ulysses

By: James Joyce

Narrated by: Jim Norton

Length: 27 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Ulysses is regarded by many as the single most important novel of the 20th century. It tells the story of one day in Dublin, June 16th 1904, largely through the eyes of Stephen Dedalus (Joyce's alter ego from Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man) and Leopold Bloom, an advertising salesman. Both begin a normal day, and both set off on a journey around the streets of Dublin, which eventually brings them into contact with one another.

While Bloom's passionate wife, Molly, conducts yet another illicit liasion (with her concert manager), Bloom finds himself getting into arguments with drunken nationalists and wild carousing with excitable medical students, before rescuing Stephen Dedalus from a brawl and returning with him to his own basement kitchen.

In the hands of Jim Norton and Marcella Riordan, experienced and stimulating Joycean readers, and carefully directed by Roger Marsh, Ulysses becomes accessible as never before. It is entertaining, immediate, funny, and rich in classical, philosophical, and musical allusion.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

(P)2004 NAXOS AudioBooks Ltd.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Finalist, Classics, 2005

"As ambitious and rewarding an audio production as any that exists, an audio experience that truly deserves to be cherished....Readers of Ulysses have long been encouraged to read out loud the more difficult sections for added comprehension and enjoyment of the language. Now, thanks to Naxos, the entire book is available in a performance to savor. It is safe to say that anyone wanting to experience the preeminent work of modern fiction has in this package the perfect audio companion." (AudioFile)

Either it is, or it isn’t, your thing.

If it isn’t, then move along, move along, nothing to see here.

But if it (James Joyce’s work) catches your imagination and your sensibilities, this recording is a gem.

One last thing: if you find you just can’t “get” Joyce at 30. Try it again when you’re 60. I’m so glad I did.

Great experience

Would you consider the audio edition of Ulysses to be better than the print version?

Not necessarily. I'm Irish so when reading the book I "get" all the meanings and nuance's.However, for anybody not lucky enough to be Irish Jim Norton makes the book accessible to all. This version is a great way to "read" this iconic book for the first time but I would strongly recommend reading it in the old-fashioned way afterwards.

Audible: necessary and best

For Ulysses, to survive it on the first reading at least, use Audible performance. I have heard all of them and Norton’s is the best. It’s an outstanding narration of this dense and rated most important book of the 20th century. Especially if you want to get through the difficult third chapter and beyond. Further, I would recommend getting James Hellernan’s lectures through the Great Courses series which is also available from Audible. This paring will give you a greater appreciation and understanding of Ulysses’s references and meaning.

Classic literature at its finest.

I don’t know if he was brilliant or mad. Probably both. Either way, I’m quite sure this is one of the most fascinating stories I have ever had the pleasure to read.

Superb reading of a timeless classic

This is as good a version as we are ever likely to have. The readers bring it to life with great understanding of the complex text. Well done!

Brilliant and beautifully read

Almost perfect rendering of the modernist classic. Especially the last chapter (two in the audio): the Mollylogue.

INTERESTING

I do give this book four stars all around for the author and for the narrator, mr. Jim Norton.
James Joyce, obviously, is unique.
I must confess that I did not finish the book, it became too much.
It took me a few years to start the book, had it all this time in my library.
I followed the “Great Courses “, lectures of “ Joyce’s Ulysses” as I was going along.
I do recommend getting this course.
I have read the other books by James Joyce and I will definitely return to this one at a later date.
My thanks to all involved, JK.

Waffle

What did you like best about Ulysses? What did you like least?

The finish. Actually the last chapter is a little saucy.

What could James Joyce have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Not written it.

Have you listened to any of Jim Norton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Excellent. With out Jim Norton and the lady who joined in, I would have never made it through this rambling of an insane Irishman.

Did Ulysses inspire you to do anything?

Yes, go to sleep.

Any additional comments?

You either will love this book or hate it. Me, I'm in the middle.

tedious if brilliant

While it is easy to see why this book is so acclaimed, it is also hard to "recommend" it to anyone. There is no question about the brilliance of James Joyce and what a feat it was to create this masterpiece. At the same time, it is a feat to listen to it.

If you ever wanted to know what it would be like to be inside the mind of another person for an entire day, certainly partake of this novel.

It is too much to digest in one listening .. it could be alifetime study.

I realize now why so many authors refer to it: they are bragging about the fact that they made it through.

I will probably become as pedantic about it myself!

PS The reading is magnificent.

Don't Even Try to Read This Book

I tried and tried to read this book and a couple times got several hundred pages into it before I had to admit that I had no idea what was going on. The difficulty lies in the way the dialogue is structured so that sometimes you are not really sure who is talking.
Listening to it, especially with good readers makes all the difference in the world. And it is much more enjoyable especially like this version in which the readers know what they are doing. I read that there are professional Joyce readers who do nothing else but perform by reading Joyce. I prefer reading most of the time because listening is too slow and if you speed up the recording to the reading speed it is too fast but listening is the only way to go on this one.