whatilearned
Read more: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57437/long-and-difficult-publication-history-james-joyces-dubliners
TIL that James Joyce’s book “Dubliners” took 9 years to be published, on the stipulation that he wouldn’t receive royalties on the first 500 copies. Though debuted to positive reviews, the book eventually sold exactly 499 copies—one short of Joyce being able to profit from it.
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2 short. At 500, he still wouldn’t receive royalties. He needs to sell 501 to get any money.
It was published two years later in the US and Joyce profited from that, though.
Not such a Joyce occasion for poor old James.
It’s actually the first Joyce book I picked up. I had heard of Ulysses and Finnegan’s Wake, so I was expecting weird stream of consciousness stuff but… nope, very readable
I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have profited from anything under 600.