I'm slowly adjusting my friends to the idea of reading it...a little bit at a time, like boiling a frog. Just lurking, waiting for the conversation to turn to books and then bringing up Joyce and "oh let me read you this paragraph real quick..." and "most people don't get it but I know you will..."

First, I hit them with a paragraph or two of "Oxen of the Sun"- specifically the John Madeville parody. They feel clever when they realize what's going on and get a little confidence boost from getting a joke in the 'difficult chapter'. Next time, a bit of "Cyclops", most of it in fact, but extra focus on the list of famous Irish and the hyperbole closing it out. Then its a little "oh well this leads into Nausicaa..." with some wanking and tight boots and adorable little Bloom thoughts about bats. A week or so later, judging their personal taste, you can skip to Irishman being so Irish at the newspaper or students being so pretentiously student-y in the library. A while later, casually pass along a youtube video of any of the many sexy lady readings of Penelope with a wink emojii. Casually bring up the genderswapping BDSM chapter, let them look it up on their own.

Then you wait.

Things sink in and spread.

Like a disease.

One day while they visit, you mention Bloomsday. "You should come," you say, telling them they've pretty much read half the book at this point, might as well. Lend them your copy. Then lend them your Giffords. Then your Gilberts. Then your Ellman. Congrats, you have claimed another for the cult of the blue book.

"Having No Children While We Attend Marriage Counselling Was a Healthy Choice"
"Dance Music Cheers Me Up After a Sad Gilmore Girls Episode, Not Because It Drowns Out Abuse"

For a while the only person I saw use it was my younger sister...who has the initials SMH.

I just figured the kids were all about hashtag monograms these days.