[sun surfer]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Which translation? I think I read Lattimore's (from the 1950's). His were most often used in the schools I attended.

I think the title may have confused you...are you thinking of Homer's Odyssey? I'm talking about James Joyce's Ulysses, which was structured around the Odyssey, hence why I put that wordplay into the title. But if it's any consolation, I did read the Odyssey a year or two ago, and I think I did read the Lattimore if it's the one that sticks close in translation and I liked it a lot.

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Congratulations sun surfer, I did my penance in 2011.

I'm still recovering.

Thanks, and congrats to you too, and well wishes for your recovery.

Originally Posted by BelleZora

What an accomplishment and an inspiration! I am in awe. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in on my TBR list for early 2014, but after reading about Ulysses I dismissed even the possibility that I would have a clue what I would be reading. Still...it does seem to be some sort of rite of passage for the dedicated reader. I didn't have any trouble with Dubliners once I sort of maybe got Joyce's style and what he was trying to convey (maybe), but it seems that book is a mere kindergarten to his later books.

Thanks, BelleZora. It really does feel like an accomplishment though and I can say without exaggeration that I think this is the hardest book I've ever read. I'm sure there are harder (Joyce's own Finnegans Wake for example sounds even harder, though it's a little shorter at least) but I haven't read them.

If you ever do try Ulysses, I wish you good luck. This was my first Joyce (only 15 years in the making) - it was odd that Dubliners came up this month as well, but I had challenged myself to finish Ulysses before 2014, so I decided to go it first once I made up my mind to start. You are probably reading in a better order.