Today is Bloomsday, the day during which the whole of Ulysses takes place. There is so much to love about this book, so much that is funny and sad and beautiful and strange. It is hard to celebrate anything in times like these, but I am still thankful for good books, and for Leopold Bloom.

I read this as part of my current research on the political implications of Pound's aesthetics. It's his somewhat rambling justification of his support of Mussolini and Italian fascism. As you can see, he dates it year XIII, for the 8th year "of the fascist era." He often dated letters the same way.

"Families with missing men mourned even while they tried to persuade themselves that remote possibilities were probabilities."

I'm really enjoying this book so far, but the occasional Welsh is sometimes giving me trouble. I can usually figure it out from the context, but I still wish I knew all the connotations of the exact words they are using.

I skipped to the back to check the page count. Almost 900 pgs? Ok, I'm a little intimidated. Luckily I have it checked out until August...

I'm so excited to start these two Welsh classics. A big thank you to the interlibrary loan system for making this possible. What would we do without librarians?

This book is so good, I actually had to make myself slow down and take my time reading it. The art is amazing, the characters are great (I love Marko), and the story feels at once epic and very close to home. I can't wait to get volume 2!

I know in a bit late to the game here, but this is really good so far.

Love On The Dole is a moving novel about a working class community struggling with the widespread unemployment of the 1930s. The characters are expertly drawn by an author who knows his subject. At once familiar and utterly surprising, it is a rewarding novel that deserves to be more widely read.

Really enjoying this book. I can definitely see why it won the Booker.

"Therefore what remains in the possession of their masters represents the difference between the value of the work done and the wages paid for doing it."

"The reader who wants a broad theoretical explanation of the ways in which politics affects culture had best read some other book besides this one."

My dear friend just loaned this to me today. I think it will be my next pleasure read. I have to take a break from research sometimes, right?

I really think everyone should read this book. It blends a compelling story with social and economic critique in a language that everyone can understand. I only wish Tressell had lived long enough to finish editing and see it published.