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Chapter 04 of 5

United States v. One Book Called Ulysses

Judge Woolsey’s landmark ruling on literary merit.

  1. Legal Strategy

    A Book as Defendant

    In 1933, the United States filed a lawsuit not against James Joyce, but against a physical copy of his novel. The case was titled 'United States v. One Book Called Ulysses.'

  2. The Instigator

    Bennett Cerf's Gambit

    Random House founder Bennett Cerf intentionally imported the book to trigger a seizure. He wanted a legal showdown to clear the path for American publication.

  3. Customs Trap

    Planned Seizure

    Cerf arranged for a copy to be sent from Paris, ensuring customs agents would find it. He even complained when they initially failed to notice the 'contraband'.

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What major legal change resulted from Judge Woolsey's ruling in the Ulysses case?

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⚖️ Censoring the Joyce Revolution

  1. 01The Little Review ScandalJoyce's radical prose meets the US postal ban.
  2. 02Shakespeare and Company’s RiskA Paris bookstore gives a banned masterpiece a home.
  3. 03Stream of Consciousness on TrialUnderstanding why Joyce’s style terrified the censors.
  4. 04United States v. One Book Called UlyssesJudge Woolsey’s landmark ruling on literary merit.
  5. 05The Legacy of the Joyce RevolutionHow one court case liberated modern literature.