James Joyce: A Critical Guide presents a full and comprehensive account of the major writing of the great modernist novelist James Joyce. Ranging right across Joyce's literary corpus from his earliest artistic beginnings to his mature prose masterpieces Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, the book provides detailed textual analysis of each of his major works. It also provides an extended discussion of the biographical, historical, political and social contexts that inform Joyce's writing and a wide-ranging discussion of the multiple strands of Joyce criticism that have established themselves over the last eighty years. The book's combination of sustained close reading of individual texts and critical breadth makes it an ideal companion for both undergraduate students and the wider community of Joyce's readers. Key Features: *An extended discussion of Joyce's life, times and historical milieu *Detailed close readings of each of Joyce's major literary works *A thorough critical introduction to the style, plot and characterisation of Finnegans Wake *A comprehensive guide to the critical reception of Joyce's work