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This is inarguably the most difficult (and formally radical) book ever written and most people can’t make heads or tails of it but if you just start reading and don’t stop and let the words wash over you, its strange poetry starts to speak to you. Joyce invented a new language of neologisms and portmanteau words that were puns in multiple languages at once. He went as far with the English language as anyone can go and he attains heights of poetry, subtlety, and complexity that have never been surpassed. I’ve been reading it for 40 years and have only just scratched its surface but it has been an immensely rewarding experience.
Aug 31, 2021
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While its reputation as impenetrable holds up, keep in mind that James Joyce said there isn't a single serious line in this book -- that's the best way to experience the book, both an ode to and exhaustive examination of unseriousness.
The books about Ulysses (especially Ulysses and Us: A Guide to Everyday Living) are also great.
Feb 13, 2024
Just finishing up, it’s remarkably dense, but I don’t think I’ve found a work of theory as of late that is both incredibly graspable and topical, there’s some interesting thoughts about prose poetry and the role of literature in the 21st century I keep thinking about. it wears its Jameson influence on its sleeve but it’s worth picking up
Feb 28, 2024
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I’m reading this book on my kindle so had no idea i was embarking on a 500 page odyssey when I started reading. It’s crazy - I still don’t fully know what Surprises await me. it’s full of taboo stuff that keeps me turning pages
Feb 11, 2025
Top Recs from @caveh-zahedi
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Tarkovsky is arguably the greatest filmmaker of all time and, for me, Andrei Roublev is his greatest film. Every single shot in this film is a masterpiece - every frame, every camera move, every chiaroscuro effect. It tells the story of one of Russia’s greatest religious icon painters, but in such a ramshackle way that it becomes an allegory of the creative process and what it means to be an artist. The film surprises at every turn – not a single moment is predictable. The final scene is one of the greatest endings in all of cinema, right up there with the end of Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia and the end of Robert Bresson’s The Devil Probably.
Aug 31, 2021
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This is the book I have read more times than any other. I don’t think any other (human) writer has ever reached the spiritual heights that Blanchot achieved in this book. His work has been a beacon to me ever since I discovered it in college. Most of the people I’ve recommended this book to did NOT love it, but those that did became lifelong fanatics. It’s abstruse and almost every sentence is a mind-fuck, but I would argue that Blanchot is the greatest writer ever.
Aug 31, 2021
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I discovered this book over 30 years ago when I was having trouble forgiving a friend for something which, in hindsight, wasn’t that big a deal. But my unforgiveness was killing me and making me into an unbearable person. It’s a channeled book, and claims to be channeled by the historical Jesus. I know that sounds kooky, but it is the single most life-changing book that I have ever read. It completely changed my way of thinking not only about forgiveness but also about reality and the meaning of life. I have never read a book with a voice this absolutely authoritative and egoless at the same time. It’s not for everyone, but I can’t recommend this book highly enough.
Aug 31, 2021