Eric, Wendy, and Shinjini break down the first third of “Circe,” the longest and arguably strangest episode of Ulysses. Along the way, they discuss Bloom's best friend (a bar of soap), naughty letters, Venuses in Furs, the unconscious of the text, and just who—if anyone—understands any of what is happening.

Also, Eric and Shinjini discover just how talented of an actor Wendy is.

Mentions:

Like “Circe” itself, Wendy got referential and sing-songy in this one:

• The theme to Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected
• “Walk on the Wild Side,” Lou Reed

Eric, although similarly referential, focused on cinema:

• George Méliès, "A Trip to the Moon"
• The baby in the Sun on The Teletubbies

Libations:

• Eric: Gates of S’Mordor (s’mores-inspired imperial stout, Westbrook Brewing Company, Mount Pleasant, SC)
• Wendy: Wake and Bake (coffee oatmeal imperial stout, Terrapin, Athens, GA)
• Shinjini: nothing, because we recorded too late for caffeine

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Theme song: “Come on Over” by Scalcairn, via Blue Dot Sessions

Special thanks to Carin Goldberg, whose cover design for the Gabler edition of Ulysses inspired our logo.