The Literary Traveler has a nice article on their site
entitled A Portrait of the Artist in Trieste. Here's
an excerpt:

" 'Where did Joyce live?' I idly asked a clerk in the
tourist office, and suddenly she came to life.
'He lived all over, the clerk said, laughing. Joyce
moved constantly, whenever the rent was due.'
She spoke as though he were a current city
character and handed me a slip of paper with
a phone number. 'Ask this man about him.' "

- - - - -

You may have noticed my posting has become
more sporadic. I place the blame squarely on
my newly expanded job. I think they should enact
labor laws against working 40 hours a week.
Still - if you look at the top of the sidebar to
the right of this blog - you'll notice my empty
Bloomsday or bust fund. As I mentioned earlier,
I'm presenting at Bloomsday 100 in Dublin next
June, that is, if my money saving skills improve.
And that's why I have increased my hours at
work.

I'm hoping that having the amount of savings
posted publically will embarrass me into doing
a better job at socking away $2000 for the trip.

In the Odyssey, Ulysses comes home to his
faithful friend and companion Argos:

"...Soon as he perceived
Long-lost Ulysses nigh, down fell his
ears
Clapped close, and with his tall glad
sign he gave
Of gratulation, impotent to rise,
And to approach his master as of old.
Ulysses, noting him, wiped off a tear
Unmarked.
...Then his destiny released
Old Argus, soon as he had lived to see
Ulysses in the twentieth year restored."

James Joyce, who was afraid of dogs, portrays
a different sort of dog in Ulysses. In the Cyclops
chapter there is a dog in the pub, but it isn't a
friendly relaxed dog as one would expect of a pub
pup. The Dog, named Garryowen, has a personality
similar to the Citizen, who has brought him to
Kiernan's pub. Both the Citizen and Garryowen
dislike Bloom.

Here's a thought-provoking quote which Ellman
attributes to James Joyce, speaking to Stannie in
1904:

"Do you see that man who has just skipped out
of the way of the tram? Consider, if he had been
run over, how significant every act of his would
at once become. I don't mean for the police
inspector. I mean for anybody who knew him.
And his thoughts, for anybody that could know
them. It is my idea of the significance of trivial
things that I want to give the two or three
unfortunate wretches who may eventually read
me."

The deadline for abstracts for the 2004 International
James Joyce Symposium has been extended to Dec
31st, 2003. Go here for more information.

The Oregonian recently wrote a review or a
new book by J.M. Coetzee about Elisabeth Costello
who I have mentioned before in this blog.

"Elizabeth Costello is an elderly Australian author,
sort of a one-hit-wonder famous for her fourth
novel starring Molly Bloom, a character plucked from
James Joyce's "Ulysses." Despite her age, she still
has somewhat of a following; she continues to win
awards and garner invitations to speak. "Elizabeth
Costello" is structured in eight "lessons" - each
chapter organized around a formal address, each
an examination of what happens to this writer when
she must venture out into the world."

I haven't been able to locate Costello's book anywhere.
Anyone out there know of it?