I guess you must have heard of James Joyce’s famously impossible novel, Ulysses, or you wouldn’t be reading this. You may have had a go at the book but soon given up; probably in the third ‘episode’, which is quite challenging. You may have bought a guide to Ulysses and found that was quite hard to understand too!

I have been reading and studying Ulysses on and off since I first discovered it in my parents’ bookcase at the age of 12. Later on, I looked at some of the guides to the book and found them a bit overwhelming too. So I decided to write my own book. It doesn’t go into all the detailed references, but there is enough explanation to let you understand a lot and enjoy everything. Some of the characters will stay in your mind like friends for life. You will find much of it poetic and moving. You will also find yourself laughing out loud because Ulysses is full of jokes and comical events. So go and buy the Penguin paperback edition along with John’s Guide. And let’s get started!