In the middle of a busy day, a handful of James Joyce enthusiasts brought out their well-marked and coveted copies of his magnum opus, “Ulysses,” for the first event of its kind — U.Va. Reads “Ulysses.” Starting April 8 in the Amphitheater and continuing on into the early hours of April 9, the postmodern masterpiece was brought to life once again. The event began with everyone reading the first few pages aloud, a surefire way to capture the attention of onlookers and stragglers who eventually joined the reading.
“Joyce is my absolute favorite,” exchange student Camille Feidt said. “I think ‘Ulysses’ is great because of how he uses language by mixing together French, German and English. So if you know more languages, you have an advantage. Everyone gets something different out of ‘Ulysses.’ But what I like the most about the book is that if Joyce is trying to be funny, it’s funny regardless of where you’re from or what makes you laugh.”
The event highlighted the nuances of reading a book aloud compared to silently. Having never read the book before, I found myself chuckling at certain parts and puzzling over the words that Joyce invented. More than anything, I was struck by the dedication of the readers who abandoned their work and sleep in order to come together and read through all 18 episodes. The event was pleasing proof that reading, and books, are not completely obsolete. It was tangible evidence that the greatest stories live on as long as someone is listening.
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