James Joyce Summary
Richard Ellmann

James Joyce Summary

"James Joyce" is a biography of the author James Joyce. Originally published in 1959 (only eighteen years after Joyce's death), Richard Ellmann's book uses many original interviews, letters, and other first-hand sources to establish the author's life.

The first section, Dublin, explores Joyce's early life in Ireland and the origins of his family. Although his family is at one point distinguished (granted a coat of arms), Joyce's father, John, is a spendthrift and an alcoholic and has no fewer than eleven mortgages throughout his lifetime on various properties. Joyce's mother, May, is by all accounts a sweet and musical woman. Joyce spends his early life distinguishing himself in school, through exams and exhibitions, particularly in English composition. He spends a lot of time with his brother Stanislaus, with whom he is very close. However, there is not always money for the boys to attend school and Joyce is partially... View more of the James Joyce Summary