Ulysses - James Joyce
When it first appeared in 1922, no effort was spared by government, publishers and self-appointed watchdogs to cleanse books of all possible indelicacies.
The novel’s no-holds-barred language and often outrageous wordplay provided more than enough offence, while its coarse treatment of the British royal family and its sacrilegious attitude to the Roman Catholic Church only added to the effrontery. Between the wars, it was beset by prosecutions and other acts of censure, not only in the UK and the USA, but throughout the English speaking world.
It has gone on to become one of the most highly regarded novels of the 20th century.
Page last updated: 20 November 2023
