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June 16, 2025
Happy Bloomsday!
Dr. Abraham Simon Wolf Rosenbach, a renowned book collector from Philadelphia, acquired the manuscript of James Joyce's Ulysses in 1924. The manuscript had initially been sold by Joyce to John Quinn, a New York attorney and collector, to secure much-needed funds for the struggling author.
When Quinn decided to sell his collection, Rosenbach successfully bid $1,975 at auction for the Ulysses manuscript—a significant amount at the time, but ultimately a bargain given the novel's later importance. Rosenbach had already shown an interest in Joyce's work after obtaining a first edition of the book in 1922, which had been banned in the United States and had to be smuggled in for him.
After improving his financial situation, James Joyce attempted to repurchase the manuscript from Dr. Rosenbach. Reportedly frustrated by Quinn's sale, Joyce made several personal appeals to the collector, hoping to acquire it as a donation to the French Library. However, Rosenbach consistently declined these requests and kept the manuscript for the rest of his life.
Joyce’s irritation with Rosenbach’s refusals was well-documented. He even wrote a limerick poking fun at the collector’s name and a spelling error in one of his response letters:
“Rosy Brook he bought a book,
Though he didn’t know how to spell it.
Such is the lure of literature,
To the lad who can buy and sell it."
The manuscript is still housed at what is now the Rosenbach Museum and Library, along with the smuggled-in 1922 first edition that sparked Abraham’s interest in Joyce’s work. Every June 16th, “Bloom’s Day” is celebrated there, featuring curated sections of the novel that are read, acted, sung, and performed throughout the day. This year, the readings will be held in the garden, culminating in the performance of Molly Bloom’s soliloquy on Delancey Place in the early evening.
I have the honor of reading again this afternoon at the Rosenbach's Bloomsday celebration, this time from a passage in the Aeolus episode. Philadelphia, a city that often deserves more recognition for its achievements, hosts numerous annual events celebrating various forms of art—this one is my favorite.