Finnegans Wake (James Joyce)

Just to add:
I studied Joyce all last year and, by the end, I was loving it. This might change if i ever read Ulysses...

Anyway, bear in mind the whole time that he writes about the paralysis of irish society and the way the artist/soul atruggles against this oppression, and you'll be fine. Also, try starting with a couple of the short stories in Dubliners, which have all the imagery, theme and strength of character, without the fifty page sermon on hell.

Yeah, it looks entertaining to read. A challenge. I like challeges though, so I'll probably like this.

Ha, ha. Well put, sir.

Sir Tristram, violer d'amores, fr'over the short sea, had passen-core rearrived from North Armorica on this side the scraggy isthmus of Europe Minor to wilderfight his penisolate war: nor had topsawyers rocks by the stream Oconee exaggerated themselse to Laurens county's gogios while they went doublin their mumper all the time: nor avoice from afire bellowsed mishe mishe to taugtaug thuartpeatrick: not yet, though venissoon after, had a kidscad buttended a bland old isaac: not yet, though all's fair in vanessy, were sosie sesthers wroth with twone nathondjoe. Rot a peck of pa's malt had Jhem or Shen brewed by arclight and rory end to the regginbrow was to be seen ringsome on the aquaface.

It's awesome if you're a linguist. He mixes a lot of different langauges together in the same sentences, constantly making quips and puns that I'm sure he was the only one laughing at. Still, it's great stuff, just don't expect to get it all in one read.

Just replying very quickly to this - I'm not sure how much time I have and I don't want to forgot about your question, hehe.

I think you have to be prepared for what Joyce is like, it's by no means easy to decipher some writer's work, and Joyce is definitely one of these. I haven't read all of Finnegans Wake, but I have read excepts. It was difficult and I re-read lines more than once to make sure I understood what it was I was reading.

So, while I do think you need to be aware of the difficulty of Joyce, he's definitely worth reading. Pick it up and give it a go!

*Hearts* Le Penguin.