Reviews
Publisher's Weekly (starred): "In this exultant literary history and nonfiction debut, Harvard lecturer Birmingham recounts the remarkable publication saga of Ulysses , often considered the greatest novel of the 20th century…Drawing upon extensive research, Birmingham skillfully converts the dust of the archive into vivid narrative, steeping readers in the culture, law, and art of a world forced to contend with a masterpiece." Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Dante Club " The Most Dangerous Book is riveting narrative nonfiction, populated with enough real larger-than-life characters and twists to make a fiction writer envious. Through Kevin Birmingham's masterful voice and impeccable research, this story of a singular book that changed the world proves in dramatic fashion that the history of literature is not a landscape but a battlefield." Louis Menand, Pulitzer prize-winning author of The Metaphysical Club "A great story--how modernism brought down the regime of censorship--told as a great story. Kevin Birmingham's imaginative scholarship brings Joyce and his world to life. There is a fresh detail on nearly every page." Robert Spoo, author of Without Copyrights: Piracy, Publishing, and the Public Domain "The story of the sufferings of James Joyce's Ulysses under government censorship and obscenity laws has never been better told than by Kevin Birmingham in this eloquent, deeply researched book. Birmingham takes readers on a vivid journey through the conditions that shackled and, ultimately, liberated Joyce's masterpiece. Combining fluent narrative and fresh discovery, this book brings to life a lost world of little magazines, literary patronage, postal and customs laws, vice society raids, and courtroom heroics." Frank Delaney, author of Ireland and Re: Joyce "A superb work of scholarship and recounting that goes far beyond literary assessment, Birmingham's minutely researched investigation also grows into an inspiring diary of courage in the face of oppression. The detail, the vast anguish of a great artist, the defiance that truth can incite, the ruguery and the cunning on both sides, the hypocrisy of moral bullies -- every page submits an argument for the bravery of those believe in art above all. Dense and exciting, populated with heroes, heroines and villainous government, it's full of warnings as to where we were as a culture -- and what we could become again if our vigilance flags. A wonderfully eye-opening read, The Most Dangerous Book stands beside Richard Ellmann's defining biography in the great and moving understandings of James Joyce and his epic life.", Publisher's Weekly (starred): "In this exultant literary history and nonfiction debut, Harvard lecturer Birmingham recounts the remarkable publication saga of Ulysses , often considered the greatest novel of the 20th century…Drawing upon extensive research, Birmingham skillfully converts the dust of the archive into vivid narrative, steeping readers in the culture, law, and art of a world forced to contend with a masterpiece." Library Journal: "...an absorbing, deeply researched, and accesible guide to the history of modern thought in the first two decades of the 20th century..." Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Dante Club " The Most Dangerous Book is riveting narrative nonfiction, populated with enough real larger-than-life characters and twists to make a fiction writer envious. Through Kevin Birmingham's masterful voice and impeccable research, this story of a singular book that changed the world proves in dramatic fashion that the history of literature is not a landscape but a battlefield." Louis Menand, Pulitzer prize-winning author of The Metaphysical Club "A great story--how modernism brought down the regime of censorship--told as a great story. Kevin Birmingham's imaginative scholarship brings Joyce and his world to life. There is a fresh detail on nearly every page." Robert Spoo, author of Without Copyrights: Piracy, Publishing, and the Public Domain "The story of the sufferings of James Joyce's Ulysses under government censorship and obscenity laws has never been better told than by Kevin Birmingham in this eloquent, deeply researched book. Birmingham takes readers on a vivid journey through the conditions that shackled and, ultimately, liberated Joyce's masterpiece. Combining fluent narrative and fresh discovery, this book brings to life a lost world of little magazines, literary patronage, postal and customs laws, vice society raids, and courtroom heroics." Frank Delaney, author of Ireland and Re: Joyce "A superb work of scholarship and recounting that goes far beyond literary assessment, Birmingham's minutely researched investigation also grows into an inspiring diary of courage in the face of oppression. The detail, the vast anguish of a great artist, the defiance that truth can incite, the ruguery and the cunning on both sides, the hypocrisy of moral bullies -- every page submits an argument for the bravery of those believe in art above all. Dense and exciting, populated with heroes, heroines and villainous government, it's full of warnings as to where we were as a culture -- and what we could become again if our vigilance flags. A wonderfully eye-opening read, The Most Dangerous Book stands beside Richard Ellmann's defining biography in the great and moving understandings of James Joyce and his epic life.", The Economist : "[G]ripping. Like the novel which it takes as its subject, it deserves to be read." Slate: "[A] deeply fun work of scholarship that rescues Ulysses from the superlatives and academic battles that shroud its fundamental unruliness and humanity." Publishers Weekly (starred): "Exultant….Drawing upon extensive research, Birmingham skillfully converts the dust of the archive into vivid narrative, steeping readers in the culture, law, and art of a world forced to contend with a masterpiece." Kirkus Reviews (starred): "[A] sharp, well-written debut….Birmingham makes palpable the courage and commitment of the rebels who championed Joyce, but he grants the censors their points of view as well in this absorbing chronicle of a tumultuous time. Superb cultural history, pulling together many strands of literary, judicial and societal developments into a smoothly woven narrative fabric." Library Journal : "What begins as simply the 'biography of a book' morphs into an absorbing, deeply researched, and accessible guide to the history of modern thought in the first two decades of the 20th century through the lens of Joyce's innovative fiction." Booklist : "Birmingham delivers for the first time a complete account of the legal war waged…to get Joyce's masterpiece past British and American obscenity laws. Birmingham has chronicled an epoch-making triumph for literature." Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Dante Club : " The Most Dangerous Book is riveting narrative nonfiction, populated with enough real larger-than-life characters and twists to make a fiction writer envious. Through Kevin Birmingham''s masterful voice and impeccable research, this story of a singular book that changed the world proves in dramatic fashion that the history of literature is not a landscape but a battlefield." Louis Menand, Pulitzer prize-winning author of The Metaphysical Club : "A great story-how modernism brought down the regime of censorship-told as a great story. Kevin Birmingham''s imaginative scholarship brings Joyce and his world to life. There is a fresh detail on nearly every page." Robert Spoo, author of Without Copyrights: Piracy, Publishing, and the Public Domain : "The story of the sufferings of James Joyce's Ulysses under government censorship and obscenity laws has never been better told than by Kevin Birmingham in this eloquent, deeply researched book. Birmingham takes readers on a vivid journey through the conditions that shackled and, ultimately, liberated Joyce's masterpiece. Combining fluent narrative and fresh discovery, this book brings to life a lost world of little magazines, literary patronage, postal and customs laws, vice society raids, and courtroom heroics." Frank Delaney, author of Ireland and Re: Joyce : "A superb work of scholarship and recounting that goes far beyond literary assessment, Birmingham''s minutely researched investigation also grows into an inspiring diary of courage in the face of oppression. The detail, the vast anguish of a great artist, the defiance that truth can incite, the ruguery and the cunning on both sides, the hypocrisy of moral bullies-every page submits an argument for the bravery of those believe in art above all. Dense and exciting, populated with heroes, heroines and villainous government, it''s full of warnings as to where we were as a culture-and what we could become again if our vigilance flags. A wonderfully eye-opening read, The Most Dangerous Book stands beside Richard Ellmann''s defining biography in the great and moving understandings of James Joyce and his epic life.", Publishers Weekly (starred): "Exultant….Drawing upon extensive research, Birmingham skillfully converts the dust of the archive into vivid narrative, steeping readers in the culture, law, and art of a world forced to contend with a masterpiece." Kirkus Reviews (starred): "[A] sharp, well-written debut….Birmingham makes palpable the courage and commitment of the rebels who championed Joyce, but he grants the censors their points of view as well in this absorbing chronicle of a tumultuous time. Superb cultural history, pulling together many strands of literary, judicial and societal developments into a smoothly woven narrative fabric." Library Journal : "What begins as simply the 'biography of a book' morphs into an absorbing, deeply researched, and accessible guide to the history of modern thought in the first two decades of the 20th century through the lens of Joyce's innovative fiction." Booklist : "Birmingham delivers for the first time a complete account of the legal war waged…to get Joyce's masterpiece past British and American obscenity laws. Birmingham has chronicled an epoch-making triumph for literature." Matthew Pearl, New York Times bestselling author of The Dante Club : " The Most Dangerous Book is riveting narrative nonfiction, populated with enough real larger-than-life characters and twists to make a fiction writer envious. Through Kevin Birmingham's masterful voice and impeccable research, this story of a singular book that changed the world proves in dramatic fashion that the history of literature is not a landscape but a battlefield." Louis Menand, Pulitzer prize-winning author of The Metaphysical Club : "A great story-how modernism brought down the regime of censorship-told as a great story. Kevin Birmingham's imaginative scholarship brings Joyce and his world to life. There is a fresh detail on nearly every page." Robert Spoo, author of Without Copyrights: Piracy, Publishing, and the Public Domain : "The story of the sufferings of James Joyce's Ulysses under government censorship and obscenity laws has never been better told than by Kevin Birmingham in this eloquent, deeply researched book. Birmingham takes readers on a vivid journey through the conditions that shackled and, ultimately, liberated Joyce's masterpiece. Combining fluent narrative and fresh discovery, this book brings to life a lost world of little magazines, literary patronage, postal and customs laws, vice society raids, and courtroom heroics." Frank Delaney, author of Ireland and Re: Joyce : "A superb work of scholarship and recounting that goes far beyond literary assessment, Birmingham's minutely researched investigation also grows into an inspiring diary of courage in the face of oppression. The detail, the vast anguish of a great artist, the defiance that truth can incite, the ruguery and the cunning on both sides, the hypocrisy of moral bullies-every page submits an argument for the bravery of those believe in art above all. Dense and exciting, populated with heroes, heroines and villainous government, it's full of warnings as to where we were as a culture-and what we could become again if our vigilance flags. A wonderfully eye-opening read, The Most Dangerous Book stands beside Richard Ellmann's defining biography in the great and moving understandings of James Joyce and his epic life."
