Posted on February 3, 2022 at 9:04 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek
A major collection of James Joyce's books and papers has been donated to England's University of Reading.
The gift comes from the estate of Joyce's grandson, Stephen James Joyce, who died in 2020, and his wife (who predeceased him).
The Guardian reports that the collection contains almost 900 letters, some of them from other writers such as H.G. Wells and Samuel Beckett.
The latter sent James Joyce a telegram wishing the Ulysses author a happy 49th birthday; that item is among the donation.
Fittingly, the University of Reading is also home to the Samuel Beckett Collection.
Beckett's nephew Edward told the Guardian that it's "wonderful to have the Beckett and Joyce archives together under the same roof," since the writers — and their families — were friends.
The Joyce gift marks both the centenary of the Paris publication of Ulysses and Joyce's 140th birthday (February 2).
Related posts
Categories: Today in Books