Bloomsday!

James Joyce fans partake in annual celebrations on June 16--Bloomsday--and what better place (in the U.S.) to celebrate than at The Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia, which hosts a weeklong series of events and programs for Ulysses lovers. You can still catch the finale to this year's Bloomsday Festival today at a daylong reading of Joyce's infamous novel, spread across Philadelphia: at Parkway Central Library, from 9:30-11:30 a.m.; in Rittenhouse Square from 12:30-1:30 p.m.; and, finally, on The Rosenbach's steps from 3:30-7:30 p.m.

A related exhibition, Deciphering Ulysses: A Playful Introduction to Joyce's Novel, just opened as well. According to the Rosenbach, "This exhibit offers a playful and interactive introduction to cracking the code of Ulysses ... visitors are invited to learn about the famous novel as they decode Leopold Bloom's clandestine letters, explore his recreated desk drawer, read what the United States Court of Appeals had to say about Joyce's enigmas, and glimpse an early reader's arsenal of maps and charts for understanding the text." The exhibit is on view through September 6.

Image: Reading Ulysses from the steps of The Rosenbach Library. Courtesy of The Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia.