National Library pays €12.2m for Joyce documents

Wednesday May 29th 2002

The National Library has purchased hundreds of notes and manuscripts written by James Joyce, including previously unseen drafts of his most famous novel, Ulysses. The documents, more than 500 in total, were bought for €12.2m from Alexis Leon, the son of Joyce's former aide, the late Paul Leon. Mr Leon recovered the documents from German-occupied Paris during World War II after Joyce fled the Nazi invasion. The collection was bought after 18 months of secret negotiations and will be officially unveiled at the National Library in Dublin tomorrow

THE SENTIMENTALIST IS ONE WHO WOULD ENJOY WITHOUT INCURRING THE IMMENSE DEBT OWING FOR A THING DONE.