Ulysses Annotated: Revised and Expanded Edition

Yes, this does not include the text of Ulysses as others noted. But if you know anything about reading Joyce, you are aware that Gifford's annotated text is widely considered the bible for understanding Ulysses. Beware - its as long as the actual novel so I don't recommend reading it word for word. But as a reference tool, it is par excellence.

This is the perfect addition to any reading of Joyce's Ulysses. It's nice for academic work because it points you in more directions than you can possibly imagine & it works well for casual readers who just want to know more about what they're missing. Joyce was meticulous about detail and Gifford has done an incredible job of laying it all out without being too overwhelming. The information says that its keyed to whatever editions of Ulysses but I'd also like to note that I used the Gabler text (best!!) and they were in wonderful harmony.

This is certainly an excellent book, but it is not the annotated Ulysses that you expect from the Pengiun or Oxford editions. That is, the actual text of Ulysses is not in this book, only lengthy and fascinating information about Ulysses itself. So, I would recommend it, only the title is deliberately misleading. I thought I was getting an annotated version of Ulysses, not a book on annotations about another book called Ulysses.

Just a heads up that this is NOT an annotated edition of Ulysses (as I mistakenly thought in purchasing)(duh). It is 600-some pages of notes only and does not include the text of the novel.

Several years ago, when I embarked on my first reading of Ulysses, I purchased this book to help me deal with the famous Joycian allusions. I was stunned by the size and careful detail of this annotation, since it rivals the size of Ulysses itself. For the first 60 pages or so of Ulysses, I religiously read every annotation for every allusion. And then I realized that I was missing out on the beauty of the book as a work of art. So I set the annotation down and continued reading Ulysses without help. Yes, there were many parts I failed to understand, but I loved the book nonetheless, and appreciated it as one of the 20th century's greatest pieces of art.The annotation should serve not as a companion during a first reading of Ulysses, but rather as a reference for future, more detailed readings. As I have read parts of Ulysses again, I have turned to the annotation to guide me and help me understand the intricate details of the book. It is a scholarly endeavor, and one must always remember that Joyce meant to be enigmatic - to enjoy his genius does not necessarily mean to understand every enigma and allusion.Savor the words of James Joyce, then savor his intellectual cavortings through this marvelous annotation. Do not use the annotation as a crutch to read Ulysses, the greatest novel of the 20th century, but trust your mind to learn his language.