My Goodreads Review of Finnegans Wake

I had a half completed review of Finnegans Wake  on Goodreads that I have updated from time to time over several years.  I have always meant to finish it, and have been adding bits and pieces to it over time.

I think it is a pretty good explanation, in case you want to give one to somebody a quick answer as to just what "why the heck are your reading that"?


  Finnegans Wake by James Joyce
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.
Sir Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626)

Fourth time through! The date is set to the date I read the final word "the".

(Read twice before and a third time selected passages.)

This is my favorite book of all time. Admittedly it is challenging, but what it does is simply unique in all of literature, beautiful, silly, inexhaustible and, perhaps, exhausting.

I don't want to say that you should read this book, unless it calls to you. It is not for every one. ...

Anyway here's the link:

Review of Finnegans Wake