June 16 is the day that James Joyce first courted his wife-to-be, Nora Barnacle. It is also the day on which he set Ulysses.
When Beach and Joyce set out to publish Ulysses independently,
Joyce became convinced, and Beach agreed, that the novel’s paper wraps should be the exact colors of the Greek flag, white type on blue paper. The blue had to be an exact match, representative as it was for Joyce of the Homeric nature of the novel, and the tradition of free speech in Attic Greece. Joyce and Beach traveled throughout France in search of the proper color, only to discover that a costly lithograph process was needed to ensure an exact match. (Buzbee 160)
This is the first edition of Ulysses, published by Sylvia Beach in 1922, and Joyce and Beach standing outside of the store.
Wonderful pics. I have ULYSSES on my shelf waiting to be read. I saw the movie and that has made me lazy about reading it. Happy Bloomsday!
I’d forgotten. How could I! I shall pull out ‘The Dubliners’ and read one of the stories over coffee. Thanks for reminding me.
I love it that her maiden name was Barnacle.