Which James Joyce shall I read first?

[Joe_the_Lion]

I have just purchased both Ulysses and Finnegans Wake in a gift set. Never read either. which one shall I read first??

Thank you.

[fever_pitch]

Alright joe. Ulysses was written first (1922) and Finnegans Wake not until 1939. Neither are easy reads but i'd go for Ulysses first because he looks at Irish society quite closely and 1939 was obv quite different from 1922 in Dublin. It's up to you though. Get ready for a rough ride reading them. Especially Finnegans Wake - its a toughie

[giltbrookian]

After you've read Ulysses forget Finnegans Wake and read Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.
Fever Pitch is correct to suggest that it's hard going.However Ulysses is worth the effort for the "Malapropisms " and Molly Bloom's "Stream of Consciousness".
If you need medication for sleeplessness ----forget it.
This book will send you to sleep in no time.

[Aschenbach]

Read an annotated copy of Ulysses or use online chapter notes to avoid getting lost.

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/ulysses/

I didn't feel as though I grasped much at the first reading. It's not the Da Vinci Code.

[bensmum]

As everyone else suggests definitely "Ulysses" first. It is not an easy book but worth the effort. "Finnegans Wake" is virtually unreadable! I would have thought that "Portrait of the Artist ..." would be a better one to start with as an introduction to Joyce. It is much easier to read

[Peter Pedant]

which one'll you read first ?

Don't you mean, which one should I begin, first ?

PP