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Ulysses and Finnegans Wake are usually found in most lists of the great classics of the twentieth century. But, as Burgess points out in his introduction: "they are highly idiosyncratic books and 'difficult' books, admired more often than read, when read, rarely read through to the end, when read through to the end, not often fully, or even partially, understood. This is of course especially true of Finnegans Wake. ...This present reduction of Finnegans Wake to the length of an ordinary novel-garnished with an introduction and a running commentary- is my own attempt to bring a great masterpiece to a larger audience..." [the reduction is to that of about 1/3 of its original length].
It took Joyce 17 years to create this extraordinary book (and his final work), written in Paris after the publication of Ulysses. It is written not so much in English as in a language which combines, very often as puns, English with several other languages.
Burgess was a huge admirer of Joyce's work and a great interpreter. His introduction to the shortened version throws a massive light on the structure and meaning of the work and perhaps, most importantly, its position in the literary canon as a great comic book.
" Before we start reading we ought to put off the mask of solemnity and prepare to be entertained. This is one of the most entertaining books ever written". [Burgess]
About the author
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (d. 1941) was an Irish novelist and poet. He is widely considered one of the most influential and important authors of the 20th century, particularly in his contributions to the modernist avant-garde movement.
Joyce is best known for Ulysses (1922), a landmark work in which the episodes of Homer's Odyssey are paralleled in an array of contrasting literary styles, perhaps most prominent among these the stream of consciousness technique he utilized. Other well-known works are the short-story collection Dubliners (1914), and the novels A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) and Finnegans Wake (1939). In addition to his novels, he is also know for his three books of poetry, a play, occasional journalism, and his published letters.
