"And in this corner..."

As I write this, Ulysses, the first book on the Modern Library’s list of the 100 best novels of the 20th Century, is sitting beside me on the desktop, unopened. The book’s unassuming gray cover taunts me; it dares me to match wits with its intellect, and to unravel its many enigmas. But I am not quite ready to face the challenges that lie within. I am still sizing up my opponent, still forming my strategy. I am an unranked contender circling the ring with the undisputed heavyweight champ. Very soon I will either punch or be punched. I will crack the book’s cover and try to immerse myself in a day in the life of Leopold Bloom as he kicks around his native Dublin. By novel’s end I may not understand all of what I have just read, but at least I will gain the satisfaction of having finished one of the most challenging books in all of literature. (I decided to spare you from another boxing metaphor, something like “having lasted twelve rounds.”)

The novel is intimidating right from the start. The first page of text is emblazoned with a large “S.” For dramatic effect, I have measured this formidable consonant. It occupies a rectangle of space nearly seven inches tall and almost four inches wide. It towers high above the few remaining letters and takes up a good three-quarters of the page. The “s” stands for “stately,” as in “Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed.” However, for me that imposing initial letter signifies more ominous “s-words.” Words like “stigma,” “stall,” “stop,” and even “slacker.”

You see, I have made more unsuccessful attempts at reading Ulysses than any other book I have ever encountered. On many occasions, I have picked up the novel determined to read it (if not understand it) only to have my enthusiasm peter out before the end of the first episode. But one can hardly hold this against me. Joyce’s magnum opus is chock full of allusions which many editions do not bother to annotate. It has been noted that Joyce makes reference to seemingly all of Western history up to 1914, the year he began writing the novel in earnest. Furthermore, Joyce also utilizes a technique known as stream of consciousness which, at least to the first-time reader, convolutes the narrative at times. To complicate things even further, Joyce throws in an abundance of puns and parodies, and even a sudden shift in prose style–at one point, the novel resembles a screenplay.

I know what you may be thinking. Why choose to read Ulysses first if it is so difficult? It’s true, there are a number of different ways in which the list can be completed. For instance, I could save Ulysses for last and read the “easier” books first. However, I find the prospect of beginning this project with a challenge quite appealing. To me, it makes sense. Think of Ulysses as the school bully. If you beat up the toughest kid in school, chances are he will give you no further trouble. Okay, perhaps that is not a helpful analogy. The fact is Ulysses sits atop this list (and it occupies top spots on many other “best of” lists) for good reason. Regardless of its ranking, this is one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. One of the marks of great literature is that it challenges its readers, and in all of literature there is no greater challenge than Ulysses.

So it’s me versus Ulysses. Inevitably, I will take a few punches on the chin, but I’m confident I will land a few good punches of my own. Regardless of the outcome of this bout, I will be well prepared for the rematch.

“And in this corner...”