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Ulysses: A Reader's Odyssey
Marking the centenary of Ireland’s – and possibly the world’s – most famous novel, this joyful introductory guide opens up Ulysses to a whole new readership, offering insight into the literary, historical and cultural elements at play in James Joyce’s masterwork.
Both eloquent and erudite, this book is an initiation into the wonders of Joyce’s writing and of the world that inspired it, written by Daniel Mulhall, Ireland’s ambassador to the United States and an advocate for Irish literature around the world.
One hundred years on from that novel’s first publication, A Reader’s Odyssey takes us on a journey through one of the twentieth century’s greatest works of fiction. Exploring the eighteen chapters of the novel and using the famous structuring principle of Homer’s Odyssey as our guide, Daniel Mulhall releases Ulysses from its reputation of impenetrability, and shows us the pleasure it can offer us as readers.
Both eloquent and erudite, this book is an initiation into the wonders of Joyce’s writing and of the world that inspired it, written by Daniel Mulhall, Ireland’s ambassador to the United States and an advocate for Irish literature around the world.
One hundred years on from that novel’s first publication, A Reader’s Odyssey takes us on a journey through one of the twentieth century’s greatest works of fiction. Exploring the eighteen chapters of the novel and using the famous structuring principle of Homer’s Odyssey as our guide, Daniel Mulhall releases Ulysses from its reputation of impenetrability, and shows us the pleasure it can offer us as readers.
324 pages, Paperback
Published March 14, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 3, 2022
Insightful and illuminating walk through each chapter of Joyce's story of wandering Leopold.
Written in a charming, warm and compassionate tone of voice; measured and balanced between admiration, adoration and respectful interpretation and understanding. A lovely book.
Written in a charming, warm and compassionate tone of voice; measured and balanced between admiration, adoration and respectful interpretation and understanding. A lovely book.
June 4, 2023
This was a delightful guide to Ulysses. The author is an Irish diplomat (including the former Ambassador to the United States). Normally this would make me concerned, I would rather read a book by a scholar or at least someone who was truly focused on Ulysses not someone who got attention and publication by virtue of their position. But that would wrong in this case. Daniel Mulhall begins with a discussion of the role that Ulysses has played in his cultural diplomacy that sets the stage for his perspective on the book—a certain unpretentious enthusiasm that it speaks to everyone, is grounded in a notion of what Ireland and the Irish are like, and also in Irish history and politics.
The bulk of the book is a chapter-by-chapter guide (or as people call them in Ulysses, “Episodes,” there are 18 of them) that gives you a combination of description, hand-holding and interpretation—many with some light and diverting/motivating descriptions of the roles that the episode played in Mulhall’s own life and the cultural aspects of his diplomacy.
This was one of two guides I read together with Ulysses, the other being The Guide to James Joyce's Ulysses. I liked them both but if I had to choose one it would be this one, it is a little less detailed and nitty gritty and bit more Irish in its wild enthusiasm. But it is also less literary and aesthetic and more introductory.
By the end it helped me to love both Ulysses and also the author of this guide, who himself felt to me a little like Leopold Bloom.
The bulk of the book is a chapter-by-chapter guide (or as people call them in Ulysses, “Episodes,” there are 18 of them) that gives you a combination of description, hand-holding and interpretation—many with some light and diverting/motivating descriptions of the roles that the episode played in Mulhall’s own life and the cultural aspects of his diplomacy.
This was one of two guides I read together with Ulysses, the other being The Guide to James Joyce's Ulysses. I liked them both but if I had to choose one it would be this one, it is a little less detailed and nitty gritty and bit more Irish in its wild enthusiasm. But it is also less literary and aesthetic and more introductory.
By the end it helped me to love both Ulysses and also the author of this guide, who himself felt to me a little like Leopold Bloom.
April 21, 2022
Someone looking for a fantastic book to read before embarking on a reading of James Joyce's Ulysses, or someone who loves Ulysses and wants to savor the impressions, appreciations, and experiences of a devoted reader of the novel, would do well to read this book. Mulhall, who is clearly deeply knowledgeable about Joyce and Ulysses, is a supreme communicator of the context and the beauty of the novel, and his Reader's Odyssey makes a compelling case for stepping alongside Bloom and Dedalus for their day in 1904. Excellent book!
January 14, 2022
A very approachable introduction to Ulysses. If you've never read James Joyce's most famous novel, this will give you a good sense of it. If you are familiar with Ulysses, you'll probably still enjoy Ambassador's Mulhall's guide.
September 7, 2022
This is a delightful journey through James Joyce's Ulysses and a perfect read in this centenary year. If you are afraid to read Ulysses, if anyone has told you it's impenetrable, if you are intimidated, pick up this book and read it. It will help you decide whether or not to take the plunge. First of all, Mulhall is a devotee of Irish literature; he wrote this while he was the Irish ambassador to the United States starting from blog posts he wrote about Ulysses during the pandemic. He goes through Joyce's book chapter by chapter, partially summarizing, partially explaining, always sharing his joy in reading the book. If you decide Ulysses is not for you after reading this book, you will at least be able to follow conversations of others about the book at artsy fartsy events! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and bought copies for friends and family, it is a delight!
August 5, 2022
this is a personal account of an Irish ambassadors journey with ulysses. a leather bound copy of the book followed him around the world to New Delhi Germany and the USA and more. he's retiring this year to take up a post as professor of literature at an American University.
this is one of many guides I've read to ulysses and it works because it hangs on to the coat tails of Ulysses itself. Mulhall is particularly interested in how Irish history is dealt with so his favourite episode is Cyclops. He's corrected the impression I had of Michael Cusack who as the Citizen gets a hard time from Joyce. But the citizen is still a very realistic character and can still be found in pubs in Ireland still alive and kicking.
this is one of many guides I've read to ulysses and it works because it hangs on to the coat tails of Ulysses itself. Mulhall is particularly interested in how Irish history is dealt with so his favourite episode is Cyclops. He's corrected the impression I had of Michael Cusack who as the Citizen gets a hard time from Joyce. But the citizen is still a very realistic character and can still be found in pubs in Ireland still alive and kicking.
October 31, 2022
I've been fortunate to hear Mr. Mulhall speak on numerous occasions so I knew I would enjoy this book. I finally accomplished reading this book just before Bloom's Day in time for the 100th Anniversary. So this book was a bit of a celebration and I appreciated reading it to make sure I got what I was supposed to get while enjoying some of the humor Ambassador Mulhall shares. For those reading this tome for the first or 50th time, this is a great companion!
August 22, 2022
A lovely addition to have while reading Ulysses, it makes Joyce more accessible. Not a student’s book , but a simple journey through the 18 chapters in Ulysses for those who wish to read Ulysses but not ponder over every sentence.
April 19, 2022
A very down to earth historical approach to Ulysses
June 22, 2022
The most used word in this book is “I”.
This is not a companion to Ulysses, it is one man’s telling us all about his life with the book (which I thought would be covered enough in the preface) but even 3 chapters it just seems to be about how “I” did this and “I” did that, which I can’t say is so engaging coming from some privileged diplomat. Reads like someone exercising their ego.
Put it down on the third chapter. Ulysses is infinitely more readable.
This is not a companion to Ulysses, it is one man’s telling us all about his life with the book (which I thought would be covered enough in the preface) but even 3 chapters it just seems to be about how “I” did this and “I” did that, which I can’t say is so engaging coming from some privileged diplomat. Reads like someone exercising their ego.
Put it down on the third chapter. Ulysses is infinitely more readable.
June 29, 2023
This is an accessible travel guide around Joyce’s gargantuan novel with interesting insights drawn from Mulhall’s experience as an ambassador. It hasn’t made me any more excited to read Ulysses, but I feel that it has given me enough context to get more from the novel than I might otherwise have done.
May 20, 2022
A wonderful guide to reading Ulysses. Highly recommended.
October 15, 2022
The best of the three Ulysses "guidebooks". Mr. Mulhall's enthusiasm for Ulysses comes through on every page and you feel like he's having a conversation with you.
February 7, 2024
I took my time with this one. I enjoyed it....a great guide to Ulysses....and not an academic text, as the author is at pains to point out. I found that it has increased my appreciation of 'Ulysses'.
December 18, 2023
Very good accompaniment to Ulysses; I would not have made it through without this guide
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews