Whatever your views on Ulysses, surely many (most) of those who regard the novel as a great work of art must cringe at the Bloomsday celebrations. Overblown, silly, smug, contrived - contrived is my favorite - are words that spring to mind when I see people celebrating on June 16.
The Irish press has been so over the top that I can't begin to link to all the references to today's "anniversary". But, because today is the 100th "anniversary", the NY Times, Washington Post, and others are all in on the act.
Of course, yesterday was the 100th anniversary of the General Slocum disaster in NYC, which was mentioned by Joyce in Ulysses. The burning of the General Slocum was the worst disaster to hit NYC before September 11, 2001.
