UlyssesIn80-Reading James Joyce Masterpiece in 80 Days

Ulysses in 80 2026: In Conversation with Patrick Hastings

mark sanford gross

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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 explore why the novel continues to reward both first-time readers and those returning to it year after year. Patrick also reflects on creating The Ulysses Guide, the importance of curiosity over certainty, and why reading Joyce is ultimately an invitation into conversation rather than a search for definitive answers.

At the heart of this conversation is a simple idea that has become central to Ulysses in 80: Ulysses is for everyone. Whether you're opening the book for the first time or returning after decades, Patrick reminds us that there is no single "right" way to read Joyce—only your way.

Hosted by Cliona O'Farrelly and Mark Sanford Gross.

Visit ulyssesin80.com for daily readings, podcasts, resources, and a worldwide community discovering that Ulysses really is for everyone.

Ulysses in 80
A global reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses, moving through the book together over eighty days.

📧 Contact: readingulyssesin80@gmail.com

The 2026 reading is June 1 to August 19th.