The publication of James Joyce's Dubliners in 1914 was the result of ten years battling with publishers, resisting their demands to remove swear words, real place names and much else. Although only twenty-four when he signed his first publishing contract for the book, Joyce already knew its worth: to alter it in any way would "retard the course of civilization in Ireland." Joyce's aim was to tell the truth-- to create a work of art that would reflect life in Ireland at the turn of the last century and by rejecting euphemism, to reveal to the Irish their unromantic reality, which would lead to the spiritual liberation of the country. Each of the fifteen stories offers glimpses into the lives of ordinary Dubliners-- a death, an encounter, an opportunity not taken, a memory rekindled - and collectively they paint a portrait of a nation. This edition is introduced and annotated by Jeri Johnson, who gives a witty and informative insight into the context, meanings, and reception of Joyce's work.

詹姆斯·乔伊斯(James Joyce，1882—1941)，爱尔兰作家、诗人。1882年2月2日出生于都柏林，1941年1月13日卒于瑞士苏黎世。他是意识流文学的开山鼻祖，其长篇小说《尤利西斯》成为意识流文学的代表作，是二十世纪最伟大的小说之一。他一生颠沛流离，辗转于的里雅斯特、罗马、巴黎等地，多以教授英语和为报刊撰稿糊口，又饱受眼疾折磨，到晚年几乎完全失明。但他对文学矢志不渝，勤奋写作，终成一代巨匠。