What makes Ulysses particularly challenging are Joyce’s layered references. Reading his work requires familiarity with a multitude of other legendary writers just to grasp his existential nuances. My table was strewn with books, resembling a battlefield of annotated tatters, covered in scribbled notes, bookmarks, and highlighter pens. To finish just this one book, I had to make multiple trips to the library, returning with a trolley full of books to my room that’s the size of a tissue box.
