CRAVEN REVIEW :

Finnegans Wake by James Joyce - in lieu of review (The Guardian, May 12 1939)

Mr Joyce's Finnegans Wake, parts of which have been published as "Work in Progress", does not admit of review. In 20 years' time, with sufficient study and with the aid of the commentary that will doubtless arise, one might be ready for an attempt to appraise it. [...]

One might imagine that Mr Joyce had used his great powers deliberately to show the language of a schizophrenic mind. He alone could explain his book and, I suppose, he alone review it.

What a cop out! That's the review of someone who hated the book, as any honest reader must, but is afraid that their peers will praise and he'll be embarrassed. How hard would it have been to just admit the book's unreadable?
Posted by Orrin Judd at August 18, 2002 6:29 AM