McFarland Literary Companions17 James Joyce

James Joyce, one of the most important writers of the twentieth century, continues to fascinate readers all over the world. This volume provides historical and biographical background, plot summaries of the novels and stories, and critical insight helpful for any reader of Joyce's works. It also offers an A-Z guide to the life, works, people, history, and context that informed Joyce's writing. Though he published just a handful of major works in his lifetime, James Joyce (1882-1941) continues to fascinate readers around the world and remains one of the most important literary figures of the 20th century. The complexity of Joyce's style has attracted--and occasionally puzzled--generations of readers who have succumbed to the richness of his literary world. This literary companion guides readers through his four major works--Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Ulysses and Finnegans Wake--with chapter-by-chapter discussions and critical inquiry. An A to Z format covers the works, people, history and context that influenced his writing. Appendices summarize notable Joycean literary criticism and biography, and also discuss significant films based on his work.