Finnegans Wake by James Joyce
This complex and challenging novel is renowned for its experimental style and intricate, dreamlike narrative. It explores the story of a publican in Dublin, his wife, and their three children, but the plot is not linear and often veers into surreal and abstract territory. The book is dense with linguistic games, puns, and allusions to a myriad of cultural, historical, and mythological sources. The narrative is circular, ending in the middle of a sentence that is completed at the start of the book, embodying the cyclical nature of life and history.
The 305th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 1255
This book was first published in 1939
19 Lists
- score: 190 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 180)
- score: 148 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 140)
- score: 138 -- The 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century - 1999 (Weight: 118)
- score: 133 -- 100 Life-Changing Books - 2006 (Weight: 126)
- score: 84 -- 100 Best Books - 2010 (Weight: 70)
- score: 83 -- Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels - 1998 (Weight: 80)
- score: 81 -- All-Time Classics, According to Academics - 1985 (Weight: 81)
- score: 80 -- The 100 Most Important Translations - 2018 (Weight: 80)
- score: 79 -- The Modern Library | 100 Best Novels - 1999 (Weight: 79)
- score: 63 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 60)
- score: 50 -- 4chan’s Literature Board’s Aggregate Top 100 Books for the Decade 2014 - 2024 - 2024 (Weight: 50)
- score: 42 -- A Century of World Literature 1925 - 2025 - 2025 (Weight: 40)
- score: 33 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time - 2004 (Weight: 30)
- score: 21 -- 100 Essential Books - 2009 (Weight: 20)
- score: 10 -- Ninety-Nine Novels: The Best in English since 1939 - 1984 (Weight: 10)
- score: 10 -- William Gass’ Fifty Literary Pillars - 2007 (Weight: 10)
- score: 1 -- 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction - 1999 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 1)