As I write this reading Ulysses is still in progress, but we are in the final countdown to our destination – “yes I said yes i will Yes. Trieste-Zürich-Paris 1914 – 1921. Just 30 pages to go, in four days!
It has been great to realise my New Year’s resolution, to read Ulysses again properly in its centenary year – and what an unforeseen bonus, to do it in 80 days from June 1st to August 19th with a fabulous international group of fellow readers. I can’t say it has been a walk in the park, but we have encouraged each other to keep going, and reminded each other of the RTE dramatisation, U22 podcast, among other reading aids, pep talks, and enhancements whenever the going got tough.
Supported by our Joycean technical guru Michel Lustig, in Strasbourg, we will also have enjoyed 6 Thursday lunchtime zoom chats by this Friday – inspirational and energising conversations which put wind in our sails.
How did I end up at the helm of such a wonderful project? TCD’s fabulous Professor of Immunology Cliona O’Farrelly, whose brainchild this virtual bookclub is, connected with me via a mutual friend, TCD Professor of Epilepsy Mark Cunningham, and invited me onto the steering committee of her ultimate summer reading challenge. . How could I say no? I could not. I said “yes, I will yes”. And here we are!
Today I am just checking in but I will write more here before the week is out. Join us for the last lap around Penelope via www.ulysses80.ie – all welcome!
Onwards!
