A very interesting article about hearing writers read their own work, and the shock that can come hearing the actual voice.
The British Library has released a CD series of the recordings they have in their archives. Here’s an article about it that makes me drool. That National Post article above made me think that Joyce had been included which made me think: “Huh. I have just one question. James Joyce was British? You’re opening up a whole can of worms there, boyo. Kinda like the Russian Film Society inviting Jack Palance, a Ukrainian, to one of their awards shows. Not a good idea.” But no – this is a collection of American and English writers, reading their own work, being interviewed, etc. Marvelous.
James Joyce has a brawling lilting Dublin voice that seems straight out of a book of stereotypes. Interesting: that the man lived the majority of his life outside Ireland, and yet the brogue remained thick as butter. Not surprising.
(I’ve put a clip of him reading from Finnegans Wake below the jump. It’s TO DIE FOR.)
Here’s a post I wrote about Finnegans Wake for anyone who is interested.
Why have I NEVER imagined Joyce with an even remotely Irish accent, much less a hardcore Dublin one? Maybe I’ve just never thought about his voice; but no, I have without realizing it, and for some reason never assigned an accent to it in my imagination, which seems stupid now. This is so shocking, somehow, and sooo wonderful. Thank you for sharing!!
I know – isn’t it wild?
This is the first time I’ve ever heard Joyce speak! More surprising that he has quite a country lilt to his voice rather than a full-on Dublin accent (to my ears anyway).
I read that National Post article too, was laughing about the whole Woolf “like a vicious parody of an English intellectual” thing. I’ve heard her speak before and it is quite…Posh, but I kind of dig it. Also, how much do I want to hear that Nancy Mitford recording?!
Yeah, there is a western lilt to his voice, too – which makes his sound like a leprechaun, frankly, and I just love it!
I know – I wonder what Mitford sounds like. I imagine her as sharp and biting and also rather posh, but I may be off!
Joyce as leprechaun…hahahaha! That’s such a funny image.
I’d have to concur with your guess on Nancy Mitford. I DO have a recording of Jessica singing “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” in her old age where she sounds extremely posh, even though by that time she’d lived in the US for most of her life. And of all of the sisters I’d say she’d be the one to try and shake off her natural speaking voice the most, so if she still sounds posh, I’m dying to hear Nancy…
Jessica Mitford singing Maxwell’s Silver Hammer??? That is brilliant!!