Ep 3. Book Club Keeps Reading Ulysses
- Not Rated
- January 1, 2012
Book Club is a fun and lively talk show all about books. In season 1, episode 3, "Book Club Keeps Reading Ulysses," our hosts dive even deeper into the challenging and controversial novel by James Joyce.
The episode opens with our four hosts - Mary, Anna, John, and Tom - recapping their progress on Ulysses since the last episode. Mary confesses that she struggled to get through the first few chapters, but is starting to enjoy the book now that she's getting used to Joyce's style. John, on the other hand, is getting frustrated with some of the more obscure references in the book. Anna and Tom are both still enjoying the novel and finding it fascinating.
Next, the hosts are joined by a special guest - Professor Margie Harris, a Joyce scholar who has dedicated her career to studying Ulysses. Margie shares her insights on the book and helps clarify some of the more confusing aspects of Joyce's writing. She also talks about how Joyce has influenced literature and culture in the years since the book was first published.
The hosts then move on to discussing some of their favorite quotes and scenes from Ulysses so far. They discuss the famous "stream of consciousness" style that Joyce employs, as well as the book's themes of identity, sexuality, and society. The hosts also share their thoughts on some of the more controversial aspects of the book, such as its portrayal of women and its use of offensive language.
As usual, the hosts also recommend some other books for viewers to check out. Mary recommends another classic modernist novel, T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land. Anna suggests a contemporary novel about family and identity, Celeste Ng's Little Fires Everywhere. John recommends a popular science book about the universe, Neil deGrasse Tyson's Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. And Tom recommends a fun and quirky novel about a group of misfit housemates, Helen Oyeyemi's Mr. Fox.
The episode ends with the hosts looking ahead to the rest of their Ulysses reading schedule. They discuss their strategies for getting through the rest of the book, including taking breaks to read other books and discussing it with others. They also talk about their excitement for the upcoming episode, when they will be joined by a guest who has never read Ulysses before and will be experiencing it for the first time.
Overall, season 1, episode 3 of Book Club is a fascinating and engaging discussion about one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. The hosts offer unique and thoughtful perspectives on Ulysses, and their guest provides valuable insights from an expert's point of view. Anyone who loves books - or is curious about the modernist movement in literature - will thoroughly enjoy this episode.
