Help My Unbelief

Reviews / Votes

Lernout meticulously pinpoints and researches minor references to religion in Joyce's oeuvre, providing an index of ideas that will undoubtedly be an excellent resource for scholars seeking an explanation for religious allusions which have hitherto been overlooked or unexplained, particularly in Joyce's early work... This is a vast, informative work that will be useful both to new readers and experienced Joyceans alike. Lernout's book is an indispensible starting point for an extended examination of religion in Joyce's works and his always intricate perspectives. Lernout's vision is sharp and engaging. ... Lernout provides an excellent account of Joyce's work in relation to contemporary free thought and anti-clericalism. [E]nlightening, lively, original and exacting. * James Joyce Broadsheet * Geert Lernout's book Help My Unbelief: James Joyce & Religion provides a comprehensive and helpful survey of both the historical context and the religious references in James Joyce's work...An obvious strength of this book resides in Lernout's work with primary and archival material like Joyce's notebooks and his library in Trieste...Geert Lernout's important work provides strong evidence to support his claims about Joyce's troubled relationship with both the Irish Roman Catholic Church and the Christian faith. * Irish Studies Review * The evidence he offers from start to finish from Joyce's texts, letters, and the testimony of others is incontrovertible.Three examples...Quod erat demonstrandum! * Religious Studies Review *