Manyebook

The Cats of Copenhagen

The Cats of Copenhagen was first written for James Joyce’s most beloved audience, his only grandson Stephen James Joyce, sent in a letter dated September 5, 1936. Cats were clearly a common currency between Joyce and his grandson. In early August 1936, Joyce sent Stephen “a little cat filled with sweets” — a kind of Trojan cat meant to outwit grown-ups. A few weeks later, Joyce penned a letter from Copenhagen which begins, “Alas! I cannot send you a Copenhagen cat because there are no cats in Copenhagen.”

The letter reveals the modernist master at his most playful, yet Joyce’s Copenhagen has a keen, anti-authoritarian quality that transcends the mere whimsy of a children’s story. Only recently rediscovered, this marks the inaugural U.S. publication of The Cats of Copenhagen, a treasure for readers of all age. A rare addition to Joyce’s known body of work, it is a joy to see this exquisite story in print at last.

  • Format
  • hardcover
  • Pages
  • 32
  • Language
  • english
  • ISBN
  • 9781476708942
  • Genres
  • fiction, childrens, cats, poetry, classics, ireland, art
  • Release date
  • 2012