James Joyce books roundup, including 'Straight Outta Dublin'

Over at the Finnegans Wake blog, Peter Quadrino does a roundup of "A Few Notable Books on Joyce and His Afterlives," and the books he considers includes the Hilaritas Press book released this year, Straight Outta Dublin: James Joyce and Robert Anton Wilson, by Eric Wagner, with a big contribution by R. Michael Johnson. Here's what Peter had to say about the book (which he says he hasn't finished yet):

"This book examines the influence of the works of Joyce on the work of the Robert Anton Wilson, especially focusing on Finnegans Wake. The author Eric Wagner has been hosting Finnegans Wake reading groups for many years and has previously written a guide to the works of Robert Anton Wilson. Here, in a fragmented and digressive approach drawing from a wide array of disciplines, Wagner indulges in in-depth discussions of the Wake, drawing on the insights of John Bishop, Hugh Kenner, Joseph Campbell, while also venturing into other modernists like Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot, and thinkers like Alfred Korzybski and Wilhelm Reich. In the latter half of the book, R. Michael Johnson (otherwise known as the OG, author of a great Substack) provides a detailed survey of the Joyce elements that appear across all of RAW's books. "

Lots of 'Maybe Night' work is available

 Above is a new "RAW Illumination" artwork Bobby created for Maybe Night, thank you, Bobby!

I spent Saturday night reading a chunk of Moby Dick for Monday's online reading group blog post, an ongoing activity Michael Johnson alludes to in the interview Bobby Campbell did with Michael for Maybe Night.  I've also read the BC interview with Eric Wagner. And Oz Fritz, who has been helping with the Moby Dick discussion over here, found time to write a piece at this own blog, "Moby Dick and Finnegans Wake."  The Maybe  Night panel discussion is available now at a YouTube recording. 

Lots of other stuff to get to when I can. Look at the Maybe Night page and scroll down to see what's there.  Lots of people showed up. Peter Quadrino has a new piece on "Living Inside the World of the Wake, Part Two." 

Bobby Campbell, in the Michael Johnson interview, offered some thoughts on what he is up to:

Given Joyce’s annoyance at WWII for distracting people from reading FW, I’d guess he hoped for a more immediate and large-scale recognition, but clearly he also built this thing to withstand centuries of scrutiny, and the long con has only barely kicked in.

Though, for the record, I see no imperative here! No need to evangelize. I wouldn’t bother recommending FW to the disinterested. It doesn’t need converts, or prominence, or success, it already exists! Fully accomplished and available for enjoyment by whomsoever wishes.

Simply finding the others, exchanging ideas with like-minded Wakeans, and making resources available for further edification seems like the name of the game to me.

FW entered the public domain in most of the world back in 2012, (natch!) and will do so here in the states in 2035. I know I have a vision for something I want to do with Finnegans Wake once the rights become free and clear, and probably others do as well!