Indeed it is. June 16.
Many moons ago livin' in Georgian Hobart I read an article by Frank Devine that herealded Ulysses by James Joyce.
Describin' the universal appeal of the events on that fateful day. Chosen because it was the day, June 16 1904, Joyce
first went out walkin' and courtin' his future wife Nora Barnacle.
3 main characters, Leopold Bloom, Stephen Daedelus and Molly Bloom.
And a cast of hundreds they meet or see walkin' around Dublin. Based loosely on The Odyssey
by Homer, it is a comic and ribald examination of the human condition.
Employin' stream of consciousness narration that allows us completely to enter the minds of the characters.
Was revolutionary at the time. Noble thoughts jostle with grubby thoughts. Classic ideas jostle with slang and
jokes and music and ribaldry and secrets and hate and love. Bloom spends all day tryin' not to think of his wife
Molly begin an affair with Blazes Boylan, a fellow opera singer. He meets a feckless intellectual student, Stephen Daedelus,
lost and lonely and guides him along throughout the day. They attend a funeral, a birth, the library, the newsroom, pubs, restaurants, the beach, a brothel
etc
Just an ordinary day, really. Tis a tale of urban life. Greetin' friends. Avoidin' enemies. So inspired I went on to organise 2 Bloomsdays
in Hobart. Invitin' actors and musicians and a priest to read aloud from the book. Well attended. We drank Guinness.
Then in Sydney organised a couple more. The State Library was the main event with famous actors, politicians like ex- State Premier Bob Carr.
So no breakfast of fried mutton kidneys, faintly tastin' of urine. Pancakes with peanut butter and jam actually. Shall toast with Jamesons after dinner tonight.
Here is a radio interview I did to promote the event.
Many moons ago livin' in Georgian Hobart I read an article by Frank Devine that herealded Ulysses by James Joyce.
Describin' the universal appeal of the events on that fateful day. Chosen because it was the day, June 16 1904, Joyce
first went out walkin' and courtin' his future wife Nora Barnacle.
3 main characters, Leopold Bloom, Stephen Daedelus and Molly Bloom.
And a cast of hundreds they meet or see walkin' around Dublin. Based loosely on The Odyssey
by Homer, it is a comic and ribald examination of the human condition.
Employin' stream of consciousness narration that allows us completely to enter the minds of the characters.
Was revolutionary at the time. Noble thoughts jostle with grubby thoughts. Classic ideas jostle with slang and
jokes and music and ribaldry and secrets and hate and love. Bloom spends all day tryin' not to think of his wife
Molly begin an affair with Blazes Boylan, a fellow opera singer. He meets a feckless intellectual student, Stephen Daedelus,
lost and lonely and guides him along throughout the day. They attend a funeral, a birth, the library, the newsroom, pubs, restaurants, the beach, a brothel
etc
Just an ordinary day, really. Tis a tale of urban life. Greetin' friends. Avoidin' enemies. So inspired I went on to organise 2 Bloomsdays
in Hobart. Invitin' actors and musicians and a priest to read aloud from the book. Well attended. We drank Guinness.
Then in Sydney organised a couple more. The State Library was the main event with famous actors, politicians like ex- State Premier Bob Carr.
So no breakfast of fried mutton kidneys, faintly tastin' of urine. Pancakes with peanut butter and jam actually. Shall toast with Jamesons after dinner tonight.
Here is a radio interview I did to promote the event.
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