A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

James Joyce, born on February 2, 1882, in Dublin, Ireland, was a groundbreaking modernist writer whose work transformed literature. Educated at Clongowes Wood College, Belvedere College, and University College Dublin, he showed an early talent for languages and a deep interest in the complexities of Irish society. These experiences shaped his unique narrative style and recurring themes.In 1904, Joyce met Nora Barnacle, his lifelong partner, and left Ireland to live across Europe, including Trieste, Zurich, and Paris. During this period, he wrote Dubliners (1914) and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916), exploring Dublin life and personal identity. His 1922 masterpiece, Ulysses, reimagined Homer's epic in modern Dublin, pioneering the stream-of-consciousness technique.Though his work was often censored for its explicit content, Joyce's literary contributions have since been celebrated. Ulysses is considered one of the most influential novels of the 20th century. Joyce passed away on January 13, 1941, in Zurich, leaving a legacy that continues to impact writers and readers worldwide.

Jim Norton is stand-up comedian who is best known for his extremely raunchy brand of humor. He was a regular on both seasons of Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, played the caustic Rich on HBO's Lucky Louie, and has starred in his own HBO comedy specials. He has also cohosted the AVN awards twice, and performed his stand-up all over the country. He is the author of two books and lives in New York City.