The Paris Residences of James Joyce

Book excerpt: This book presents a narrative and photographic journey of the hotels and apartments where James Joyce lived for twenty years in 1920s and 1930s Paris. In June 1920, at the age of 38, the Irish author sought a city where he could finish Ulysses—one of the finest literary works in history. He arrived in Paris on the recommendation of Ezra Pound on 8 July and stayed for 20 years. With Nora, fifteen-year-old Giorgio and thirteen-year-old Lucia, he moved in and out of 18 residences in five arrondissements in Paris. Which arrondissements did he prefer? Which residence was the first place with the luxury of a telephone? Who did he entertain, and where was he most productive and creative? This book is both a guide for the armchair wanderer and a roadmap for Joyce aficionados in Paris. It provides new insights into Joyce’s life in Paris, based around the changing locations, styles, and sizes of his residences, depending upon the fluctuations of his finances. This book is a rich collection of information about each residence with an historical account of the duration, cost, lifestyle, and cultural atmosphere amid the significance of the social times.