Profile of the Day: James Joyce

Have you read Ulysses? On this day in 1882, author James Joyce was born in Dublin, Ireland.

Image: James Joyce / Wikimedia Commons

James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was born on February 2, 1882 to John Stanislaus Joyce and Mary Jane Murray. Joyce was the eldest of 10 surviving children. His father’s heavy drinking lead to great instability in the household and eventually, the family’s financial decline. A bright child, Joyce taught himself Norwegian so he could read the works of Henrik Ibsen in their original language.

Regarded as one of the most influential and important authors of the 20th century, Joyce’s works have continued to be read by scholars and the general public. Some of his major works include Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and Ulysses.

Did you know Joyce has his own holiday? June 16 is known as Bloomsday and is based on the day Ulysses is set. It is also the day Joyce and his wife, Nora Barnacle, first met.

Explore James Joyce’s family tree on Geni and share how you’re connected to the Irish author.

View James Joyce’s Geni Profile