Published by Faber in a special edition, both in terms of style and its snippets of content James Joyce’s very short story “Giacomo Joyce” serves as a way-marker for what is to follow in “Ulysses” and “Finnegan’s Wake”.
Perhaps never intended to be published (it was only ever hand-written) the story is an impressionistic collection of images rather than a coherent whole. It’s a little like listening to one side of a telephone conversation. As such – and given its literary descendants – it is perhaps the shape of the thing which is more important than the narrative per se.
It’s a short enough read (less than twenty minutes) – no less intriguing because of that! – though perhaps only of real interest to those keen on Joyce and/or the craft of writing.
Ian Gouge - Writer 