Molly Bloom action figure, while supplies last.

I saw this New Yorker article on Stephen Joyce over at the Rake's before I saw it on MetaFilter and dammit, I'm still not done reading the current issue!

Anyway, I did a presentation on his grandfather in graduate school -- judging from the article (and previous knowledge, actually) I was a hair's breadth away from having the guy swoop down from the rafters and cackle maniacally before slicing me in half. With Roddy Doyle and Undead Flann O'Brien as his sidekicks, I guess.

Knowing a bit about James Joyce's personal history makes his work that much more fun to read. (It also provides some interesting insight on his last living heir.) With Bloomsday just around the corner, Wikipedia might be a good place to start -- but despite Steve's stranglehold, there's plenty more out there.