In the eleven years that elapsed between its first edition and the lifting of the ban against it in the U. S., Ulysses became a rallying point in the debate over censorship, both in America and around the world. In 1933, the same year that prohibition was repealed in this country, the ban was overturned. Almost immediately after Judge John M. Woolsey’s decision that Ulysses could be published in the United States, Bennett Cerf of Random House had his printers churning out copies. It went on sale less than two months after the decision.

A. In the early 1930’s, while Ulysses was still banned in England and America, the Albatross Press (Hamburg, Germany) undertook a new edition, under the Odyssey Press imprint. The text was revised by Stuart Gilbert, although new errors were introduced even as old ones were expunged. This was the first continental edition not published under the Shakespeare & Co. imprint.

Ulysses, fourth edition, first printing, issued in two volumes; Odyssey Press (Hamburg, 1932). This printing was limited to 35 copies; this is "Copy #1 printed for James Joyce." Subsequent printings were issued in both two volume and single volume format. In total the Odyssey Press issued five printings through 1939.

B. The Times (London, 8 December 1933), carried the headline "Ulysses American Ban Raised" and the article quotes selectively from Woolsey’s decision in support of the novel. As the header indicates, this newspaper article was clipped by the Romeike & Curtice service for Miss Weaver, who sent it on to Joyce.

C. The first authorized American printing: Ulysses, fifth edition, first American printing, unlimited edition; Random House, New York, 1934. Although this edition was based on Roth’s corrupt edition, the 1940, eleventh Random House printing, was proof-checked against the authorized Odyssey Press edition (item A) and the most egregious errors were removed. Joyce gave this particular copy to Beach and inscribed it with his most personal tribute to his close ally. The inscription reads:

To | Sylvia Beach | publisher of the first | edition of Ulysses.
This | copy of the first edition | published in her country |
James Joyce | Paris | 2 February 1922 | 2 February 1934

D. This is the front page of the New York Herald (Paris, 8 August 1934) whose headline banner announces the burial of President Hindenburg just above the article "U. S. Loses Appeal, Court Finds Ban Hurting Art." Interestingly, this day’s news was of Judge Woolsey’s decision as well as Adolf Hitler’s oration at Hindenburg’s funeral.

E. This is the first English edition published after the lifting of the ban in England: Ulysses, seventh edition; John Lane, The Bodley Head (London, 1936). Limited to 1,000 numbered copies of which 100 signed copies are on mould-made paper, bound in calf-vellum and 900 unsigned copies are on Japon Vellum paper, bound in linen buckram: this is one of the most luxurious editions of Ulysses ever published. A smaller-sized, unlimited edition was published the following year. Unnumbered, this presentation copy on mould-made paper was Joyce’s own (see photocopy of limitations page beside it). The distinctive Homeric bow was designed by Eric Gill.

F. The following (upper left, clockwise) are three articles related to the lifting of the ban against Ulysses: 1) Picture Post’s (London, 3 June 1939) "What Our Readers Say" report on popular taste includes G.B. Shaw’s reply to rumors of his disgust at Ulysses; 2) Herald Tribune’s (New York, 21 January 1934) "Joyce’s Ulysses No Longer a Banned Book" presents a history of the ban and its lifting; 3) Liverpool Post’s article (22 January 1934) "Banned Book in the Post" predicts that the lifting of the American ban on Ulysses will encourage the publication of an English edition (item G).

• Return To Top