PRELUDE
James hoped; and it is to be hoped that he planned, for his book to be read in one thousand years.
This book, James, planned in cheerful anticipation of introducing Ulysses to the new generation of the third millennium.
You saw life in Dublin; this writer looks at the Australian scene, somewhat through your eyes; hopefully, another will look at the social scene in the first years of the fourth millennium, and apply your touch; it will surely be from a different perspective.
Great differences are noted at this third millennial glance; greater we trust at the fourth.
It is with pleasure that we review Ulysses at this time; one sure step toward your anticipated one thousand years of our respect

A further necessary word or so.

It is a literary myth that Ulysses is too difficult to read.
Not too difficult.  To make a Pavlova is difficult, but millions of mums make them – beautifully. 
Ulysses is not too difficult.  There are rules for a pleasurable reading of him. 
Firstly, don’t be afraid to tackle it.
Secondly, ignore the long useless pages of infernal internal monologue.
Thirdly, just skim the infernal long paragraphs.  Some are humorous.
Lastly, as with the Pavlova, not too much at once.  Pick it up – put it down.
 

If you want the best of it, read Homer's Odyssey first.

So this precis of the Odyssey is offered, together with a concise table showing the accepted relativities between Ulysses and the Odyssey.  My own copy of Ulysses is annotated with such.  Also the compilations of a list of such headings tipped in the front of Ulysses will give you quick access to the start of each segment.
 

ON THE MAKING OF THE BOOK
In the old days, and not so old as that, book production was simpler. You wrote your story, took it to a printer and that, was that. 

Today it must pass multiple scrutinies; the publisher, is today a man of several parts. There are readers, and assessors, and editors and sub-editors; illustrators and designers, and a raft of book binders; and your book may be arranged here but printed there; Hong Kong – Singapore  - only perhaps Sydney. 

Acknowledgement of such professorial skill is an essential part of this volume, now, at last, in your hands. So to that team of skilled workers, my grateful thanks.

First thanks to Joel MacKinn, who teased the first draft from the growing pile of manuscript. Also, Ms Maike Elberse, who took over the typing of that task, when it was a mass of manuscript, and a number of disjointed segments in the entrails of a computer.  Maike not only typed but also arranged, ordered and edited the work, much to the satisfaction of the publisher; to Elizabeth Galvin of Maryborough, who processed the final hard copy. So Ms. Holli Mills, who assisted with the typing and early sorting of the manuscript.

Our grateful thanks to Ms. Pam Simpson who looked at the manuscript, and said, “you need a computer.” And supplied one. To Kyle and Shaun Smith of Southport, who did amazing things to the computer, updating the creature, a complete facelift and put a bevy of games into it, for ones amusement. Chinese checkers against a computer, who would imagine it.  Krish Skye, ever at hand in the inevitable emergency. And in the far beginning the men who sat around and listened, and asked for more, for many of the subjects mentioned in passing, have been well debated.

Last but not least by a country mile, the members of my immediate family, Monet, in whose care I flourish, Myrilla and Melody, Philip, Craig who supplied that wonderful printer; Kathleen and Jonathon, both alas absent but in that absence have added a touch of poignant memory to the work, for our life and our work is but the sum of all that has gone before, the work thus very much that of the family. And Nicholas, whose website is well known to many in Australia as it is known world wide; www.goldchartsrus.com, one of the worlds premier gold sites. If you are interested in gold, stop there. These good people mentioned above, of only passing interest to the reader, but all; such are the networks we weave; part of this story.

Grateful thanks are due to the Regional Development Fund Maryborough, the members of which committee generously made possible the professional typing of the last, blessed final draft of the work.

To Ms Susan Rogers, and Mr Les McAuley, whose books on the role of the RAAF during the war are an essential part now of our Australian history, in particular my grateful thanks.