James Joyce: Portrait of a Dubliner

(Paperback)

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Description

A complete account of the life and times of James Joyce in the form of a graphic novel. From his earliest days and school career, through to meetings with all the literary greats of the day, this story is dotted with anecdotes, as well as a captivating and beautifully drawn journey through the cities of Dublin, Trieste, Paris and Zurich, where this universal Irishman left traces of his life.

A stunning one-of-a-kind publication about Joyce's life.

Reviews

a playful book, and a colourful break from the business of Joyce ... the hero of the comic though is Zapico's drawing. His jaunty line captures the arrogance and frenzy, the drunkenness and the frustration but most of all the comedy of Joyce, his light touches drawing out his own humour and that of Joyce the trickster as he traces the recognisable odyssey of Dublin, Trieste, Zurich and Paris, with welcome stops in Cork, Pola, Rome and London - for Jim and Nora's wedding. His streets are as noisily melodic as Joyce sang them into being, with a grey-wash backdrop that wouldn't be out of place for a walk-on part for a pair of gallants, say. Zapico's pen and ink follow Joyce through his life with obvious affection for his creation ... Zapico, and his translator's contribution ... opens the way ... to returning Joyce and his work to the city and citizenry that begot him, or at least those with a sense of humour -- Dublin Review of Books his portrayal of the writer's ancestors, relations, friends, teachers, benefactors, and so on are witty and recognisable as are his interpretations of the politically famous such as Gladstone and Parnell -- Books Ireland lively and credible ... will be welcomed by those who see the graphic medium as a serious and valid one -- Books Ireland sophisticated, amusing, stylish and very readable -- Books Ireland a consistently humorous and unpretentious touch -- Books Ireland well researched -- Books Ireland in future we'll look at graphic books with greater interest, but also ... much more critically now we've seen what is possible -- Books Ireland it is possible for a literate adult to read this biography with pleasure and interest -- Books Ireland it doesn't skimp on ANYTHING -- girlslikecomics.com Alfonso Zapico tossed out the panels in moments of fluid genius -- girlslikecomics.com this is a work that was perfected and honed and smoothed for years -- girlslikecomics.com as charming visually as it is narratively, it really does bring the general debauchery of Joyce's life to the fore -- girlslikecomics.com charming ... very accessible -- Sunday Business Post a visually compelling and utterly charming biography of one of Ireland's most iconic literary sons -- forbiddenplanet.co.uk Zapico breathes life into the author [Joyce] -- forbiddenplanet.co.uk the historical detail captured within the art is a joy -- forbiddenplanet.co.uk '[Zapico] has created a wonderful piece of work in a subtle black, white and grey scale wash -- forbiddenplanet.co.uk a comic book artist at the top of his game -- forbiddenplanet.co.uk graphic biography brings our greatest novelist to life -- Irish Independent the life of James Joyce - and his all-consuming love for Nora - are brought spectacularly alive -- Irish Independent a remarkable depiction of the Dublin of Joyce's time, his family, his friends, his travels in Europe and how he overcame poverty, rejection and ill-health to create some of the greatest work in the English language -- Irish Independent uniquely accessible and depicts the tumultuous life of Joyce as never before -- Irish Independent charming ... very accessible -- Sunday Business Post uniquely accessible and depicts the tumultuous life of Joyce as never before -- Irish Independent online this is an astonishing work of art -- Mark O'Halloran it's absolutely extraordinary -- Mark O'Halloran I loved every single moment of it -- Mark O'Halloran felt like I really knew him from this -- Mark O'Halloran brilliant portrait of Dublin at the time -- Mark O'Halloran just brilliant ... I could not recommend this highly enough -- Mark O'Halloran so fresh ... brilliantly written ... it just zings -- Mark O'Halloran the drawings are just divine -- Mark O'Halloran I highly highly recommend everyone to buy it -- Mark O'Halloran blown away -- thecomiccast.com this is a James Joyce I can get on board with -- thecomiccast.com wonderful cast of characters -- thecomiccast.com go out and buy this -- thecomiccast.com hands down the best comic book that O'Brien have put out -- thecomiccast.com a kind of Where's Wally for Joyce scholars -- North West Telegraph a tad Beanoesque, but Joyce, with his visual and cinematic instinct, would I'm sure, have approved -- North West Telegraph

Author Bio

Alfonso Zapico is a Spanish graphic novelist. His first book Caf Budapest (Astiberri 2008, Timof, 2010) was awarded the Josep Toutain del Saln Internacional del Cmic de Barcelona Prize in 2010. A great artist and researcher, he has spent months in Dublin and other of Joyces home. Alfonso Zapico is a Spanish graphic novelist. His first book Caf Budapest (Astiberri 2008, Timof, 2010) was awarded the Josep Toutain del Saln Internacional del Cmic de Barcelona Prize in 2010. A great artist and researcher, he has spent months in Dublin and other of Joyces home.