This book draws on the work of leading contemporary scholars to provide an original and detailed overview of Joyce's life and writings. The essays introduce major works like Ulysses while also address topics like feminism, literary theory, cultural studies, and reception history. The book offers an effective introduction to Joyce's life and work and is useful to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as those seeking to learn more about perhaps the most influential author of the twentieth century. It is written in a lively and accessible format, and is useful both to seasoned scholars as well as novice readers. It provides an overview of Joyce's work while also exploring the major schools of scholarly thought about his books.