Finished reading Ulysses? Good! Now try the Wake
4 years ago
I try and re-read Ulysses once a year. It reminds me of why I went to school beyond the basics, and what I love about the English language: it’s utter flexibility and adaptability. Yes, it’s the langauge of colonialism, or at least one of them, but there’s something beautiful about the bumpy contours of my mongrel, mother tongue.
But, if you’re really up for a challenge: once you’ve read Joyce’s book of the Day, you really ought to take a crack at his book of the Night: Finnegans Wake is, well, breathtaking. And it will kick your ass. It defies reading.
But, it’s not meant to be read, really: it’s meant to be sung. Listen to the arcane music of the Wake, and you’ll find nuggets of starlight, even if you don’t finish it.
