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Nora: The Real Life of Molly Bloom Hardcover – June 1 1988

by Brenda Maddox (Author)

4.0 19 ratings

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The woman who inspired the intrepid Molly Bloom of James Joyce's "Ulysses" is the subject of this biography of the stong-willed, intelligent, and self-sufficent woman with whom Joyce shared a highly-charged erotic, long-term relationship

Language

English
Publisher

Houghton Mifflin
Publication date

June 1 1988
Dimensions

15.88 x 4.45 x 23.5 cm
ISBN-10

0395365104
ISBN-13

978-0395365106
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Product description

From Publishers Weekly

Not only is this a highly engaging Joyce family biographybrightly written, scrupulously researched and full of intimate, little-known Joyceanait also gives an important thrust to a scholarly opinion now gathering force: that far from being an insignificant factor in her husband's work, Nora was the inspiration for Ulysses's Molly Bloom, Finnegans Wake's Anna Livia Plurabelle and principal females in all his other writings. Though she was semiliterate and never read Ulysses, Galway-bred Nora was intelligent, humorous and strong; and, for the exiled Joyce, she was Ireland. This account of how she stood by her hard-drinking, thriftless "genius" through years of poverty, physical tribulations and endless nomadism is deeply touching. Others figure prominently in the storymost notably Joyce's brother Stanislaus, benefactor Harriet Weaver, his first publisher Sylvia Beach and the Joyce's two children, Lucia, who went mad, and Giorgio whose career as a singer was disastrousyet the figure who shines through in the freshest, strongest light is Nora. The reader may well agree that Joyce could not have written any of his books without her. Maddox's previous books include Who's Afraid of Elizabeth Taylor and Married and Gay. Illustrations.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Nora Joyce has long been seen as a shrew who was a poor cook, basically illiterate, and an unlikely helpmate for the greatest novelist of the 20th century. Maddox presents a different Noraperfectly ordinary, in the Joycean sense of the word. A caring, devoted wife, with a sharp tongue, fine wit, and strong sense of survival, Nora not only made Joyce a man, but also, at least in part, the author he was. Nora was the model for many of Joyce's heroines, from Lily in "The Dead" to Molly of Ulysses and Anna Livia Plurabelle of Finnegans Wake. A carefully written, sensitive study that offers many new insights on the Joyces' family life. Essential for Joyceans. Donald Kaczvinsky, Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Houghton Mifflin; First American Edition (June 1 1988)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0395365104
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0395365106
Item weight ‏ : ‎ 907 g
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.88 x 4.45 x 23.5 cm

Best Sellers Rank: #2,065,063 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,360 in Irish Biographies
- #27,481 in Women's Biographies (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.0 19 ratings

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Yvonne W. Lynch

An insightful and compelling look into a life and a marriage

Reviewed in Canada on January 3, 2003

The story of Nora and James Joyce's unconventional relationship and how it shaped the writings of one of history's most controversial authors. This book is nothing short of riveting, both in terms of the story it is telling and the way it is told. It explores the influence Nora held over Joyce in his life and his writing and gives countless examples of how he used the experiences of those around him in his books. More than anything, this is the story of a woman struggling to hold her life and her family together in the face of hardship after hardship. A truly incredible read that I couldn't put down until the last page - I even read the bibliography!

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Top reviews from other countries

Tempe Mindspring

Two biographies for the energy of one or more then you wanted to know about Joyce

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2014

Verified Purchase

I usually am not into reading biographies and this book was exceptional. I found the research thorough, well written with volumes of information. Much has been written about James Joyce and he would not have existed as we know him without Nora. This is not a statement I write lightly. I am glad that I read this biography (s) prior to reading any more of Joyce's books. I read Portrait of an Artist so long ago & I began to read Finnegan's Wake only to be angered by mass of confusion. I understand now that this not about my intelligence as compared to Joyce's narcissism (& alcoholism, histrionics, & so on) Both Nora & James (aka Jim) are complicated persons living their lives together often times outside of convention which I admire about both of them. In other ways, both of them are conventional. One can take the people out of Ireland but not the Catholic out of the souls of these 2 people in other ways. Ironically, for a person who doesn't like James Joyce very much, I bought an old book of his letters. He is much less formal & in some ways even sloppy in his letter writing although he was quite clear about asking if not demanding money. This book was titled " Nora." As Jim is not complete without Nora, the same is true of herself. Nora took exceptional risks for a woman of her times and her self composer was her greatest strength. I don't think that I can add much more then the volumes of comments other persons have already said. In some ways as I read their stories, I felt that their stories of themselves had an obsolete quality to them ( like Scott Fitzgerald) as the world during the 1930's endured global crisis & mayhem. These people seemed on the perimeters of human involvement as if WW II was an inconvenience that didn't have anything to do with them . In spite of my criticisms, I enjoyed & am glad that I read this book. I will admit that some of the pornography that passed between them was something that I could live without. (how many anal scents are there). It was a book that I felt that I was experiencing these people warts & all & that I knew them as people instead of characters. There was great intimacy shared between them & this biography containing letters , culture & history shares their lives with us in rare dimensions that other biographies do not. This is an excellent book for those to read who are into Joyce &/or want to understand the man & his works more in depth. Perhaps some where in the future I may read all his works or read this book again.

One person found this helpful

Alessandro Passi

An excellent “author’s wife” biography

Reviewed in Italy on November 3, 2021

Verified Purchase

The author who went on to write “George’s Ghosts” (on Georgina Hyde-Lees, wife of W.B. Yeats) had previoysly produced another great “author’s wifeography”, analyzing the pivotal role of Nora Barnacle in James Joyce’s life and works. Indeed, both books make it very obvious that both these great Irish writers would not have accomplished their best work without their “other half of the sky”.
Highly commendable.

Mr. G. R. Luthman

Not a dull page in the whole book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2019

Verified Purchase

This is a rich, detailed and sympathetic biography of James Joyce's wife, Nora. The research is extensive and meticulous and yet the book reads easily. A superb example of biography at its best.

vladb

Insightful and a pleasure to read

Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2012

Verified Purchase

This is a great counterpart to the authoritative work by Richard Ellmann, and the picture of the Joyces' family life is incomplete without reading both. While not as academic as Ellmann's biography, "Nora" is a highly enjoyable page-turner, with some quality analysis alongside dozens of interesting anecdotes and insights from the Joyces' contemporaries. It really shows that Maddox has done extensive research. As the book continues past 1941, anyone curious about the later lives of Nora and her children should read it.

5 people found this helpful

Sylvia Glass re Molly Bloom

Pleased with the book

Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2012

Verified Purchase

The product was fine and will be very useful. It seemed a little more expensive than I had planned but arrived safely in good shape. Thank you.

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