The Dubliners, Volume 1 by James JoyceMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
James Joyce’s collection of stories about the people of Dublin at the turn of the 19th century was perhaps a little too subtle in parts for this reader. It is mainly a portrayal of the middle classes of those times and did not convey enough in depth information about the lower agricultural and serving classes to demand much of my interest. Having said that I found the last story entitled The Dead, to be the most intriguing and compelling. It was both and moving and revealing in its telling. As a collection of short stories this is probably one of the finest examples for later writers of the genre in its structure and pace for each episode felt complete and satisfying. Many of the stories leave one with lingering thoughts and considerations regarding the people that you may have met in your own life. The author touches upon several societal issues that persist today, such as feminism, class and racism, through his use of realistic dialogue.
As an introduction for me to the writing of Joyce I cannot say that I was engaged or entertained enough to turn to one of his later novels, but I daresay I will be reading one soon, if only to find out for myself why he has been so acclaimed by so many. I will admit, however, that some of the portraits that he paints with his words did leave me full of admiration for his literary skills and wanting more.
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