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Reading two pages apiece of seven books every night, eh? I…

“Reading two pages apiece of seven books every night, eh? I was young. You bowed to yourself in the mirror, stepping forward to applause earnestly, striking face. Hurray for the Goddamned idiot! Hray! No-one saw: tell no-one. Books you were going to write with letters for titles. Have you read his…” quote by James Joyce
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““Reading two pages apiece of seven books every night, eh? I was young. You bowed to yourself in the mirror, stepping forward to applause earnestly, striking face. Hurray for the Goddamned idiot! Hray! No-one saw: tell no-one. Books you were going to write with letters for titles. Have you read his F? O yes, but I prefer Q. Yes, but W is wonderful. O yes, W. Remember your epiphanies on green oval leaves, deeply deep, copies to be sent if you died to all the great libraries of the world, including Alexandria? Someone was to read them there after a few thousand years, a mahamanvantara. Pico della Mirandola like. Ay, very like a whale. When one reads these strange pages of one long gone one feels that one is at one with one who once...””

James Joyce

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The passage celebrates the chaotic, obsessive nature of reading, writing, and the desire for lasting intellectual legacy.

In simple terms: Reading and writing become a frantic quest for meaning.

Key Takeaway

Embrace the messy creative process.

Themes

creativity literature obsession

Mood

reflective intense

Type

literary experimental

When to use this quote

  • writing workshops
  • literary analysis
  • personal journaling
  • archival research

Key Concepts

stream of consciousness intertextuality

Questions to Reflect On

  • What drives the compulsion to record fleeting thoughts?
  • How does chaos fuel artistic insight?
A Different Perspective

The fragmented style may alienate readers seeking clarity.

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