Clare Hutton joins Mark Sanford Gross and Cliona O’Farrelly for the final conversation in the 2026 Speakers Series, part of Ulysses in 80’s annual 80-day global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses.

A leading Joyce scholar and author of Serial Encounters: Ulysses and the Little Review, Clare brings us back to the extraordinary story of how Ulysses first reached its readers — and to the women who helped bring Joyce’s novel into the world.

The conversation moves through the history of Ulysses, its publication, its readers, and the ways w...

In this episode of Ulysses in 80, Mark Sanford Gross and Cliona O’Farrelly are joined by Daniel Mulhall, former Irish Ambassador to the United States and author of Ulysses: A Reader’s Odyssey.

Mulhall comes to Ulysses first and foremost as a reader—one who has returned to Joyce’s novel throughout a diplomatic career that took him around the world. The conversation moves from his own roots in Ulysses to Ireland then and now, identity, tolerance, and why he believes Joyce’s century-old novel remains a novel for modern times.

And, as the U80 journey re...

Mark Sanford Gross and Cliona O'Farrelly are joined by Daragh O'Connell, Associate Professor of Italian at University College Cork and Director of the Centre for Dante Studies in Ireland, for a lively journey between Dante and Joyce—and some of the surprising places where their worlds meet.

From Ulysses' extraordinary final voyage in Dante's Inferno to the echoes that surface in Joyce's Ulysses, the conversation wanders through Homer, Circe, Dante's famous "midway" opening, and the little nuggets that send us back to these books again and again.

Why did Joyce keep returning to Dante? And wh...

As readers journey into the final third of James Joyce's Ulysses, Professor Joseph Valente joins Ulysses in 80 for a thoughtful conversation exploring identity, belonging, nation, and the enduring humanity at the heart of Joyce's masterpiece.

Together, we discuss Leopold Bloom, Joyce's treatment of Jewishness, questions of gender and sexuality, the complexities of nationalism, and why Ulysses continues to challenge—and reward—readers more than a century after its publication. Rather than offering easy answers, Valente invites us to read with greater curiosity, generosity, and openness.

Ulysses in 80 is a global reading community exploring Ulysses over 80 days...

What happens when Ulysses leaves the page and steps onto the stage?

This week, Mark Sanford Gross and Cliona O'Farrelly welcome acclaimed Irish playwright, journalist, and historian Colin Murphy for a wide-ranging conversation about James Joyce, theatre, and the remarkable legal battle that transformed Ulysses from a banned novel into one of the world's most celebrated works of literature.

Colin discusses his acclaimed play, The United States Versus Ulysses, the famous 1933 obscenity trial, why Joyce's work continues to challenge and inspire readers, and what happens when one of literature's most complex novels is...

This week on Ulysses in 80, we're joined by Patrick Hastings, creator of The Ulysses Guide, one of today's most trusted companions for readers making their way through James Joyce's Ulysses.

Patrick has a remarkable ability to make Joyce's masterpiece feel welcoming without diminishing its richness or complexity. Throughout this conversation, he shares practical insights, reading strategies, and the quiet confidence that readers don't need to understand everything to enjoy the journey. His approach reminds us that Ulysses is meant to be experienced as much as it is studied.

Together, we...

Professor Catherine Flynn of the University of California, Berkeley, joins Ulysses in 80 to explore the Nausicaa episode of James Joyce's Ulysses—the chapter that sparked one of the most famous censorship battles in literary history.

Editor of The Cambridge Centenary Ulysses and co-host of the U22 podcast, Catherine combines deep scholarship with an engaging and welcoming approach to Joyce. In this conversation, she shares insights into Nausicaa, reflects on why Ulysses continues to reward readers with each return, and reads a memorable passage from the novel.

Hosted by Mark Sanford Gross in Anchor Bay, California, an...

Cyclops. History. The Life of Ulysses.

This week on Ulysses in 80, we welcome Professor Robert Spoo, Princeton University, for a wide-ranging conversation recorded as we discuss the Cyclops episode of James Joyce's Ulysses.

Together, we explore the remarkable life of Ulysses beyond its pages—history, the people who shaped its journey, and the enduring influence of one of the world's most extraordinary novels. Along the way, Robert shares insights into Joyce, the historical world surrounding the novel, and why Ulysses continues to in...

Professor Matthew Campbell of the University of York returns to Ulysses in 80 for a warm and engaging conversation as readers arrive in the heart of the Wandering Rocks episode.

Matthew brings the same curiosity, wit, and generosity that readers have come to enjoy in his previous visits to Ulysses in 80. The conversation wanders through Wandering Rocks, poetry, music, teaching, and the pleasures of reading Joyce slowly, always returning to the ordinary readers who keep the book alive.

Along the way, the discussion explores how Ulysses continues to surprise even after a lifetime...

In this special Readers' Pub episode of Ulysses in 80, the guest speakers are the readers themselves.

Participants from around the world gather for an open conversation that ranges from Joyce and language to Judaism, Gorgonzola sandwiches, and the unexpected connections that emerge when readers meet one another with curiosity and candor.

More than a discussion of Ulysses, this episode explores reading slowly, embracing complexity, and discovering that some of the most meaningful conversations begin without knowing where they will lead.

The episode closes with a brief excerpt from the poetry of Stéphane M...

In Season 3, Episode 2 of Ulysses in 80, Mark Sanford Gross and Cliona O'Farrelly welcome Robert Nicholson—writer, curator, and one of Dublin's most respected guides to the world of James Joyce.

For nearly fifty years, Robert has been walking the streets of Dublin with readers from around the world, bringing Joyce's city to life one step at a time.

In this lively conversation, he leads us through the streets and stories of Joyce's Dublin, from funeral processions and quiet laneways to cattle in the streets, hidden corners of the city, and the people and places that st...

Recorded during the opening week of the 2026 Ulysses in 80 global reading, this conversation brings together Mark Sanford Gross, Cliona O'Farrelly, and Professor Sam Slote of Trinity College Dublin to begin an eighty-day journey through James Joyce's Ulysses.

As readers around the world gather to read the novel one day at a time, Sam reflects on a lifetime spent reading, teaching, and thinking about Joyce. The conversation explores the challenges and rewards of Ulysses, the experience of returning to the book again and again, and what it continues to reveal about language, readers, and ourselves.

The...

A mosaic of voices from the Ulysses in 80 community sharing spontaneous thoughts on how they read James Joyce’s Ulysses.

New readers. First-time readers. Returning readers.

No one prepared for this episode. The reflections here emerged in the moment — stream-of-consciousness responses to a simple question:

How do you read Ulysses?

This is not an academic “how to” episode. These are personal reflections shaped by experience, frustration, joy, confusion, passion, struggle, and discovery while reading one of literature’s greatest — and most challenging — masterpieces.

Now in its fifth y...

The 2026 season opens with this podcast.

Ulysses in 80 is a global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, now in its fifth year, moving through the book together over eighty days.

This episode gathers twenty-four voices — all participants in the global group — who offered their own response to a simple question: why read Ulysses? This is the first podcast of the 2026 season.

These voices were not recorded in a studio, and not rehearsed. They arrived as they are — from around the world — finding their way into one place.

What emerges is...

Our final episode of the Ulysses in 80 Podcast (2025) weaves 32 soliloquies from readers in 12 countries. Each recorded in a place of their choosing, spontaneous and on the spot, their voices join into one collective stream of consciousness—the 2025 Soliloquy.

Spanning many languages and accents, the chorus echoes Joyce’s vision: strangers passing one another on life’s journey. And at the end, one last soliloquy—an older voice, full of life—reminds us why we struggle with Ulysses, and why we read.

Hosted by Clíona Ó’Farrelly a...

Podcast Description

In our final Ulysses in 80 webinar guest series of 2025, we’re joined by Ilaria Susmel from Trieste, Italy. A local and enthusiastic Joyce reader, Ilaria’s warm and engaging delivery brings both affection for Ulysses and fresh insight into how the city of Trieste itself shapes the reading of the novel in ways we may not have known.

As an added gift, Silvia Margherita German joins us from Trieste with song—imagine the city lights behind her as she sings and speaks, carrying the voice of Trieste into t...

Ulysses in 80 welcomes special guest Dr. Daragh O’Connell,  Director of the Centre for Dante Studies in Ireland.  This compelling conversation explores the deep links, intersections, and influences between Dante Alighieri and James Joyce — and their landmark works, Inferno and Ulysses. Through this shared lens, we uncover new insights into the structure, symbolism, and ambition of both literary masterpieces. This episode is hosted by Clíona O’Farrelly and Mark Sanford Gross.

Ulysses in 80
A global re...

In this episode of the Ulysses in 80 podcast, we sit down with the one and only Robert Nicholson—a true Joyce legend who spent four decades as the curator of the James Joyce Tower & Museum in Sandycove. Robert has led countless walking tours through the winding streets of Joyce’s Dublin, published beloved editions of Walking Joyce’s Dublin, and brought the spirit of Joyce to life through community events, talks, and good old-fashioned conversation.

Think of this as a fireside chat… if the fire were flickeri...

 🌐 ulyssesguide.com

In this episode, we’re delighted to welcome Patrick Hastings, author of the acclaimed Guide to James Joyce’s Ulysses. Patrick has a gift for presenting Joyce’s monumental—and famously challenging—novel in a way that’s accessible, engaging, and intellectually honest. His approach preserves the novel’s complexity, context, and the rich possibilities it offers for interpretation and discussion.

With clarity, humor, and deep insight, Patrick helps readers find a way into Ulysses that feels welcoming and rewarding. The Guide to Ulysses is more...

This special episode marks more than just the textual midpoint of Ulysses, where the novel turns toward Oxen of the Sun. It is a threshold moment in the novel. It is also a moment when the mirror turns, too. 

Instead of us looking into Ulysses, Ulysses—and something deeper within us—looks back.

Strangers from across ten time zones, connected through the shared journey of reading Ulysses in 80 Days, came together live on a screen for a spontaneous, on-the-spot writing session. No time to prepare. A pro...

In this episode, we are In Discussion with Kelly Bryan of Blooms & Barnacles.

In this lively and engaging episode, we sit down with Kelly Bryan, co-founder and co-host of the acclaimed Blooms & Barnacles podcast and blog, dedicated to unraveling the mysteries and joys of James Joyce’s Ulysses. With warmth and wit, Kelly leads us through an organic, free-flowing conversation full of insights, laughter, and sharp observations. She chats with participants, dives into the details of Joyce’s text, and brings her signature spirit to the room...

This week's episode: renowned scholar and author Joseph Valente joins us for a mind-opening dive into our Ulysses discussion. With wit, depth, and energy, he reveals the shimmer beneath Joyce's line and the architecture above them--making the text spark in ways we might have missed. Hosted by Cliona O'Farrelly and Mark Sanford Gross, this is a bold, brainy, and illuminating conversation that stays with you long after it ends. Thank you, Joe Valente!

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Get ready for another look into James Joyce's Ulysses! 

On this webinar episode of Ulysses In 80, we are thrilled to welcome Professor Matthew Campbell from York University. 

Join our hosts, Cliona O'Farrelly and Mark Sanford Gross, as Professor Campbell illuminates the extraordinary musicality, intricate poetry, captivating voices, and profound lyricism that define Joyce's masterpiece. Professor Campbell, a renowned expert in English/Irish Literature and Poetry at York is also the engaging host of the online course "Reading James Joyce: Life, Pla...