Dubliners : Paperback : Oxford University Press : 9780199536436 : 0199536430 : 01 Aug 2008 : Although only 24 when he signed his first publishing contract for Dubliners, Joyce already knew its worth: to alter it in any way would \'retard the course of civilisation in Ireland\'. Each of the fifteen stories offers a glimpse of the lives of ordinary Dubliners - a death, an encounter, an opportunity not taken, a memory rekindled - and collectively paint a portrait of a nation. This edition is introduced and annotated by Jeri Johnson - who gives a witty and informative insight into the context, meanings, and reception of Joyce\'s work.