How to Read Joyce by Derek Attridge

How to Read...

by Derek Attridge

James Joyce is known most widely as a "difficult" writer, even if he is no longer thought of as a "dirty" one. Yet many readers - and not just in colleges and universities - have discovered his books to be funny, moving, illuminating, and packed with memorable moments. There are some simple ways to overcome the initial intimidation that Joyce's style can cause. In this book, Derek Attridge shows how even the shortest passage of Joyce's writing can yield its humour and its insights without the need for immense learning or lengthy training. Moving through all of Joyce's major books, from the deceptive clarity of Dubliners to the apparent craziness of Finnegans Wake, he demonstrates that they all, in their different ways, are a pleasure to read - even if we have to make some adjustments to our understanding of what "reading" is.

Paperback Bunko

First published January 2, 2007

About the author

Derek Attridge is a South African-born British literary scholar celebrated for his influential contributions to English literature, particularly in literary theory, poetic form, modernist fiction, and South African writing. He is especially noted for his work on James Joyce and J.M. Coetzee, and for his landmark study The Singularity of Literature, which won the European Society for the Study of English Book Award and has been translated into multiple languages. Across his career, Attridge has explored the ethical, rhythmic, and linguistic dimensions of literature, always emphasizing the transformative potential of reading.
He has authored or edited over thirty books and published scores of essays in journals and collections. His major works include The Rhythms of English Poetry, which challenged traditional approaches to poetic meter; Joyce Effects and How to Read Joyce, key texts for modernist studies; and J.M. Coetzee and the Ethics of Reading, which has become a foundational text in Coetzee scholarship. His book The Experience of Poetry traces the reception of poetry from Homer to Shakespeare, while Forms of Modernist Fiction offers an ambitious study of the modernist novel, earning recognition as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title.
Attridge has held numerous prestigious fellowships, including those from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Leverhulme Trust, and research centers in the US, Europe, and South Africa. He has also held visiting professorships in universities across four continents. He is Emeritus Professor of English and Related Literature at the University of York and a Fellow of the British Academy.
His editorial work includes influential volumes such as The Cambridge Companion to James Joyce, Acts of Literature (featuring essays by Jacques Derrida), and The Cambridge History of South African Literature. His writing is known for its clarity, depth, and ability to bridge close reading with philosophical inquiry, establishing him as a key figure in the fields of poetics, modernism, and literary ethics.

Reviews

[Saravanan Mani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prof Attridge has a stunning way of breaking down complex ideas into accessible bits. I enjoyed Joyce more after thinking through his insights.

[Katie O'Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tbh, it's been a while since I finished this one ('a while' being three years), but I found this to be a really helpful companion when reading Ulysses. Altogether a very accessible resource.