FINNEGANS WAKE

Notebooks & Notesheets

A chronological list

Compiled by Danis Rose and John O'Hanlon
Notebook / Notesheet details

Chronological Table of Notebooks and Notesheets

Although some items remain missing, we possess the bulk of Joyce's notes for Finnegans. The appended dates (which may be revised later) refer primarily to the estimated time of composition and to the earliest known usage of the material. It is clear, however, that in the main, the set of primary notebooks form a more or less continuous chain beginning in late 1922 and ending in 1940 in Vichy, France, where Joyce had gone to escape the War. Interspersed among the notebooks are several sets of notesheets—loose sheets containing material mid-way between notes and drafts—and of so-called Raphael notebooks—new notebooks compiled by copying unused (uncrossed) material in the primary notebooks. In tta there are 60 primary notebooks, 18 Raphael transcriptions, and 8 sets of notesheets.

Names for the Finnegans Wake notebooks: following the precedent of Thomas Connolly—who in 1961 gave the name Scribbledehobble to VI.A, the first notebook to be edited—Viviana-Mirela Braslasu, Robbert-Jan Henkes, Ian MacArthur and Geert Lernout have been referring to the individual notebooks by a name derived from the first or nearly-first unit in the notebook. Those names so far applied are appended to the list below.

Finnegans Wake is divided into four “Books” (also called parts), I, II, III and IV; Book I consists of eight episodes or chapters (I.1-I.8), Book II of four (II.1-II.4), Book III of four (III.1-4), and Book IV of one (IV). In addition, the episodes divide into sections (denoted by “§”).


Primary Finnegans Wake notebooks

First batch of notebooks Joyce compiled for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
N1 (VI.B.10) Polyphemous
  • DATE: October 1922-beginning February 1923 : Paris, Nice, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 120 pages unruled paper 21 x 12.8 cm.; pages missing.
  • First[contemporaneous] use: Ulysses errata, random notetaking.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.5
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 31
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.10 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2001)
  • Sources
N2 (VI.X.1)
  • DATE: late January-early March 1923 : Paris
  • Missing notebook.
  • First use: random notetaking, preliminary notes for Finn's Hotel.
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: none
  • Sources
N3 (VI.B.3) Trist
  • DATE: March-July 1923 : Paris, London, Bognor.
  • DETAILS: 172 pages unruled paper 21 x 13.3 cm.; some pages torn.
  • First use: Finn's Hotel.
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 29
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.3 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2001)
  • Sources
SA (VI.A, handwriting A) Scribbledehobble
  • DATE: probably July 1923 : Bognor.
  • DETAILS: Recycled matter. It is possible that material from N2 (VI.X.1) is included in this part of VI.A.
  • First use: Finn's Hotel.
    Also handwriting B, sometime between 1925 and 1931 : Paris.: recycled matter from notebook N14 (VI.B.7) in the hand of George Joyce.
  • First use: A few units transferred to Sheets I
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 28
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: Thomas Connolly, ed., James Joyce's Scribbledehobble (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1961)
  • A Sources and B Sources
N4 (VI.B.25) Speak Low
  • DATE: July-August 1923 : Bognor, London, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 192 pages unruled paper 21 x 13.2 cm.; most pages torn, some missing. Material from the torn and missing pages can be found in SD1 pages, e.g. pages 32 to 45.
  • First use: Finn's Hotel.
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 35
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.25 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2002)
  • Sources
N5 (VI.B.2) Nativities
  • DATE: late August-late Sep 1923 : Paris, Tours, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 180 pages unruled paper 18.5 x 13.5 cm.; some pages torn or missing.
  • First use: Finn's Hotel.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.2
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 29
  • Sources
N6 (VI.B.11) Assistance
  • DATE: late Sep-late November 1923 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 170 pages unruled paper 20.7 x 13.2 cm.; some pages missing.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake II.4 faircopy, I.2 and I.3 first drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.1
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 31
  • Sources
N7 (VI.X.2)
  • DATE: December 1923 : Paris
  • DETAILS: Missing notebook. VI.B.49e(a) et seq -- 2 pages unruled paper 20 x 11.8 cm -- probably belongs to this notebook.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake I.3-I.5 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: none
  • Sources
N8 (VI.B.6) Big Things
  • DATE: January-March 1924 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 192 pages unruled paper 20.7 x 13.2 cm.; some pages missing. VI.B.49c(a) et seq. -- 2 pages -- probably belongs to this notebook.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake I.5-I.8 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.2–VI.C.3; VI.C.6 (for VI.B.49v)
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 30
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.6 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2002)
  • Sources
N9 (VI.B.1) Gem Thief
  • DATE: late February-April 1924 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 180 pages unruled paper 21 x 13.2 cm; some pages torn.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake I.8, II.4 (Mamalujo) proofs, III.1 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.3
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 29
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.1 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2003)
  • Sources
N10 (VI.B.16) Honestly
  • DATE: April-May 1924 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 146 pages unruled paper 19.4 x 13.6 cm.; some pages missing.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake III.1-III.2 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.1 (most) and VI.C.6 (loose pages)
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 32.
  • NOTE: the pages numbering for the beginning of the notebook has been changed from the JJA version as follows: p. 1 (=JJA p.1), p. 2 (=JJA p.2), p. 3 (=JJA p.11), p. 4 (=JJA p.12), p. 5 (=JJA p.3), p. 6 (=JJA p.4), p. 7 (=JJA p.5), p. 8 (=JJA p.6), p. 9 (=JJA p.7), p. 10 (=JJA p.8), p. 11 (=JJA p.9), p. 12 (=JJA p.10).
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.16 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2003)
  • Sources
N11 (VI.B.5) Owldeed
  • DATE: mid May-late July 1924 : Paris, Brittany.
  • DETAILS: 180 pages graph paper 20.9 x 13.4 cm.; some pages missing.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake III.1-III.2 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.4
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 30
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.5 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2004)
  • Sources
N12 (VI.B.14) Prairies
  • DATE: August-late November 1924 : Brittany, Paris, London, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 232 pages graph paper 17.3 x 11 cm.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake III.1-III.3 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 32
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.14 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2002)
  • Sources
N13 (VI.D.3) Slings
  • DATE: early December 1924-February 1925 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Missing notebook (see VI.C.4 220-280, VI.C.5 1-91 for partial copy).
  • First use: Finnegans Wake III.3 early drafts, revision of III.1-3..
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.4–VI.C.5
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: none
  • Sources
N14 (VI.B.7) Hanging Garments
  • DATE: March-mid April 1925 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 240 pages graph paper 14.7 x 9.5 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake I.2 and I.5 for Contact Collection and Criterion.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.5–VI.C.7
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 30
  • Sources
N15 (VI.D.2) Bound to Say
  • DATE: mid April-May 1925 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Missing notebook (see VI.C.3 178-242 and also VI.C.15 177-252 for partial copy).
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake I.2 for Contact Collection.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.3–VI.C.15a
    PUBLICATION: Another version of VI.D.2 is available online in Robbert-Jan Henkes and Viviana-Mirela Braslasu “The Lost Notebook VI.D.2: a Preliminary Digital Genetic Edition”, Genetic Joyce Studies, No. 19 (Spring, 2019)
  • Sources
N16 (VI.D.1) Duce of Dug Door
  • DATE: May-June 1925 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Missing notebook (see VI.C.2 123-197 for partial copy).
  • First use: general notetaking.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.2
    PUBLICATION: An account and partial transcription of VI.D.1 is available online in “INSIDE D1”, Genetic Joyce Studies, No. 12 (Spring, 2012).
  • Sources
N17 (VI.B.9) Biggest Astonishing
  • DATE: June-early July 1925 : Paris
  • DETAILS: 154 pages graph paper 17.8 x 10.4 cm.; many pages torn out and missing.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake I.7 and I.8 for This Quarter and Calendar/Navire d'argent.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.4
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 31
  • Sources
N18 (VI.B.8) Two of Everything
  • DATE: late July-Sep 1925 : Northern and Western France.
  • DETAILS: 240 pages graph paper 16.8 x 10.9 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake I.8 for Calendar of Modern Letters (see Letters, Beach, 27 July, 31 July and 22 August, 1925), III.4 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.7 and VI.C.13
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 30
  • Sources
N19 (VI.B.19) Sympathrics
  • DATE: June-early July, and September-late November 1925 : Paris
  • DETAILS: 228 pages graph paper 16.6 x 10.6 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake I.7 for This Quarter, III.4 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.14
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 33
  • Sources
N20 (VI.B.13)
  • DATE: November 1925- February 1926 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 232 pages graph paper 16.7 x 10.5 cm.; some pages missing.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake III.4 early drafts, revision of III.1-3.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.12–VI.C.13
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 32
  • Sources
N21 (VI.B.20) Mark Time
  • DATE: February-April 1926 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 116 pages graph paper 21.7 x 8.4 cm.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake III.2 interlude (“Dave the Dancekerl”), revision of III.1-3.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.3–VI.C.4 and VI.C.11–VI.C.15b
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 33
  • Sources
N22 (VI.B.17) Ripples
  • DATE: April-May 1926 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 108 pages ruled paper 20.9 x 13 cm. An additional 8 pages (a01-a08) can be assumed from the transcriptions, four of which (a05 to a08) have turned up in the Léon Collection at the National Library of Ireland (see NLI MS 36,639/19).
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake III.1-4.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.5 and VI.C.11
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 33
  • Sources
N23 (VI.B.12) Dumping Down
  • DATE: June-August 1926 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 192 pages ruled, lined paper 21.5 x 13.7 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake III.1-4, early drafts of II.2§8 (the “triangle”).
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.7–VI.C.6
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 31
  • Sources
N24 (VI.D.5) Not So Delightful
  • DATE: August-Sep 1926 : Belgium.
  • DETAILS: Missing notebook (see VI.C.8 217-end, VI.C.9 1-91; and also VI.C.10 249-end, VI.C.16 1-65).
  • First use: Finnegans Wake II.2§8 early drafts, I.1 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.8–VI.C.9 and VI.C.10–VI.C.16
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: none
  • Sources
N25 (VI.B.15) MacLeish
  • DATE: late Sep 1926-late January 1927 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 224 pages graph paper 19.1 x 12.5 cm.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake II.2§8 drafts, I.1 drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.13–VI.C.14
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 32
  • Sources
N26 (VI.B.18) He'll Cheat
  • DATE: March-July 1927 : Paris, Holland, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 286 pages ruled paper 21.4 x 13.3 cm.; some pages missing.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake I.3-I.5 for transition, I.6 early draft.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.8
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 33
  • Sources
N27 (VI.X.3)
  • DATE: Summer 1927 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Missing notebook. VI.B.49d(a) et seq. -- 2 pages graph paper 18 x 10.7 cm. -- probably belongs to this notebook.
  • First use: preparation of Finnegans Wake I.6 for transition.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.6, missing.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: none
  • Sources
N28 (VI.D.6) Dysgenic
  • DATE: Fall-Winter 1927 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Missing notebook (see VI.C.11 96-217 for partial transcription).
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake I.7-I.8 for transition, and I.8 for Anna Livia Plurabelle.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.11
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: none
  • Sources
N29 (VI.B.21) Nowtime
  • DATE: January-April 1928 : Paris, Normandy, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 300 pages ruled, lined paper 20.7 x 13.4 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake II.2§8 for transition, III.1 for transition, and I.8 for Anna Livia Plurabelle.
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 34
  • Sources
N30 (VI.B.22) Aisne
  • DATE: May-late June 1928 : South of France, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 188 pages graph paper 18.9 x 11.5 cm. VI.B.49g(a) et seq., 2 pages blue stationery 26.7 x 20.7 cm., contains notes contemporaneous with this notebook.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake I.8 for Anna Livia Plurabelle, III.2 for transition.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.13
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 34
  • Sources
N31 (VI.B.26) C'est ainsi
  • DATE: July-Sep 1928 : Austria, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 182 pages ruled, lined paper 24.9 x 9.3 cm.
  • First use: general notetaking.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.10
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 35
  • Sources
N32 (VI.B.23) Korkascrew
  • DATE: 1928 September-December : Le Havre, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 156 pages unruled, heavy paper 17.8 x 12.5 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake III.3 for transition.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.10
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 34
  • Sources
N33 (VI.B.4) Natterjack
  • DATE: January-late April 1929 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 336 pages ruled, lined paper 21.2 x 13.2 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake III.3 for transition, I.6§3, II.2§8 and III§IC for Tales Told of Shem and Shaun.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.16–VI.C.15a
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 29
  • Sources
N34 (VI.B.27)
  • DATE: May-July 1929 : Paris, England.
  • DETAILS: 156 pages unruled, heavy paper 17.4 x 12.1 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake I.6§3, II.2§8 and III§IC for Tales Told of Shem and Shaun, III.4 for transition.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.17
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 35
  • Sources
N35 (VI.B.24) Chelsea May
  • DATE: August 1929-early February 1930 : England, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 294 pages ruled, lined paper 20.9 x 13.2 cm.; some pages missing.
  • First use: revision of III.4 for transition; III§3B for Haveth Childers Everywhere.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.16
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 34
  • Sources
N36 (VI.B.29) Culprick
  • DATE: February-late March 1930 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 224 pages ruled, lined paper 20.4 x 13 cm. VI.B.49f(a) et seq., 2 pages unruled paper 26.9 x 20.8 cm., contains notes gathered for this notebook.
  • First use: revision of III§3B for Haveth Childers Everywhere.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.9
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 36
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.29 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2001)
  • Sources
N37 (VI.B.28A)
  • DATE: late March-early April 1930 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: First 9 pages of this notebook; ruled, lined paper 18.9 x 12.3 cm.
  • First use: revision of III§3B for Haveth Childers Everywhere.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.9
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 35
  • Sources
N38 (VI.B.32) Romeo de Rezske
  • DATE: May-October 1930 : Zurich, Paris, England, Étretat, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 232 pages ruled, lined paper 21.1 x 13 cm.
  • First use: notes for Finnegans Wake II.1
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.6–VI.C.8
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 36
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.32 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2004)
  • Sources
N39 (VI.X.4)
  • DATE: November-December 1930 : Paris, Zurich, Paris.
  • DETAILS: Missing notebook; brown cover (referred to in Letters, NLPL unpublished, 17 August, 28 August, 30 August, 3 September, and 8 September, 1932). The thematically related material at the beginning of SDI (see below) is possibly from this notebook.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake II.1 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: none
  • Sources
N40 (VI.B.28B)
  • DATE: January-February 1931 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Final 91 pages of this notebook; ruled, lined paper 18.9 x 12.3 cm.
  • First use: notes for Finnegans Wake II.1 (none used, but see Letters, BLHW, 29 January 1931).
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.9–VI.C.10
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 35
  • Sources
N41 (VI.B.33) Prince Consort
  • DATE: late February-early April 1931 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 200 pages ruled, lined paper 20.7 x 13.2 cm.
  • First use: notes for Finnegans Wake II.1, II.1 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.6
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 37
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.33 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2003)
  • Sources
SD1 (VI.A, handwriting D, part 1) Scribbledehobble-D1
  • DATE: early March 1931 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Recycled matter from earlier notebooks (see Letters, I, 11 March 1931). Pages 1-20, 22-47 of the notebook.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake II.1 early drafts, and the abandoned fragment II.2§4.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 28
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: Thomas Connolly, ed., James Joyce's Scribbledehobble (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1961)
  • Sources
N42 (VI.B.31)
  • DATE: late April-November 1931 : England, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 272 pages ruled, lined paper 20.9 x 13.3 cm.
  • First use: revision of Book I transitions (first set).
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.9
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 36
  • Sources
SD2 (VI.A, handwriting C and D, part 2) Scribbledehobble-D2
  • DATE: 1930, October-November 1931 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Pages 744-762 of the notebook. Includes recycled matter from text of Book I transitions.
  • First use: revision of Book I transitions (first set).
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 28
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: Thomas Connolly, ed., James Joyce's Scribbledehobble (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1961)
  • Sources
N43 (VI.B.35)
  • DATE: early and late 1932 : Paris, Zurich, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 142 pages ruled paper 20.8 x 13.2 cm.; some pages missing. Includes notes from a sourcetext mentioned in Letters, BLHW, 15 August 1932. VI.B.49b(a) et seq., 2 pages unruled paper 21 x 15.7 cm, contains a continuation of notes entered in this notebook. VI.B.49a(a) et seq., 1 page unruled paper 19 x 15.1 cm., contains notes compiled contemporaneously with this notebook.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake Book I transitions (second set), II.1 for transition.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.14–VI.C.17
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 37
  • Sources

Finnegans Wake notesheets

First batch of loose sheets containing notes for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
Sheets I
  • DATE: late 1932 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Recycled matter from notebooks.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake II.1 for transition.
  • Text Entry Levels :
  • II.1§1  (219.01-222.21) : (4)
  • II.1§2  (222.22-236.32) : (2), 3
  • II.1§4  (240.05-244.12) : (5), 6
  • II.1§5  (244.13-246.36) : (3)
  • II.1§6C (249.06-252.32) : (3)
  • II.1§6D (252.33-256.16) :  0, (3)
  • Origin: N29 (VI.B.21)—N34 (VI.B.27)—N3 (VI.B.3)—N43 (VI.B.35)— N42 (VI.B.31)—N41 (VI.B.33), with material from VI.A interspersed.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1977), vol. 51

Primary Finnegans Wake notebooks

Continuation of the notebooks Joyce compiled for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
N44 (VI.B.34) Curran
  • DATE: January-Summer 1933 : Paris
  • DETAILS: 188 pages ruled paper 21.1 x 13 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake Book III transitions (first set), II.2 early drafts, II.3§1 (Norwegian Captain) notesheets.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.1
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 37
  • Sources

Finnegans Wake notesheets

Second batch of loose sheets containing notes for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
Sheets II
  • DATE: 1933-1935
  • DETAILS: Recycled matter from notebooks. Most of these sheets appear to have been composed around the same time as the sheets for the Book III transitions. They therefore date from ca. 1933. The last few were prepared later, possibly in 1934 or 1935.
  • First use: Composition of the opening & closing pages of FW II.2 (§1-3, 5, 7, 9)
  • Text Entry Levels:
  • II.2§1.0 / II.2§2.0 / II.2§3.1 / II.2§3.2 / II.2§5.0 / II.2§5.2 / II.2§6.0 / II.2§6.1 / II.2§7.0 / II.2§7.2 / II.2§7.3 / II.2§9.0
  • II.2§1.5 / II.2§3.2 / II.2§3.4 / II.2§3.5 / II.2§9.4 / II.2§9.6 / II.2§8.12 / II.2§9.1 (MS missing) / III§2A.13
  • Origin: N3 (VI.B.3), N41 (VI.B.33), N29 (VI.B.21), SA(VI.A)', VI.C.10
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vols. 52 (mainly), 53, 61, 63 (sporadic)

Primary Finnegans Wake notebooks

Continuation of the notebooks Joyce compiled for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
N45 (VI.B.43) Morning Colours
  • DATE: probably mid-late 1933 : Switzerland, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 136 pages graph paper 14.6 x 9.5 cm.
  • First use: only one unit used, II.1§7.4 (copy for The Mime of Mick, Nick and the Maggies.
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 39
  • Sources

Transcribed Finnegans Wake notebooks, 1st batch

In late 1933 Joyce received from Madame France Raphael a first batch of transcribed notebooks (probably VI.C.1-4). According to Richard Ellmann, Mme Raphael then helped in getting The Mime of Mick, Nick and Maggies (The Hague: The Servire Press, June 1934) through the press. References to her (presumably concerning the second and third batches) in the Joyce correspondence can be found in the following:
Letters Vol. III, 24 April, 1934, NLPL, 20 October, 1934, NLGC, 22 November, 1934, NLGC, 11 April, 1935, NLGC, 20 May, 1935, NLGC, 29 June, 1935, NLGC, 6 November, 1935.
VI.C.1
  • DATE: late 1933 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: in first batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Maroon board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N10 (VI.B.16, p13-end) 1-74
    N6 (VI.B.11, entire) 75-208
    N44 (VI.B.34, beginning-p.172) 209-280
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 41
VI.C.2
  • DATE: late 1933 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: in first batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Green board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N44 (VI.B.34, p.172-end) 1-5
    N5 (VI.B.2, entire) 6-122
    N16 (VI.D.1) 123-197
    N8 (VI.B.6, beginning-p.136) 198-280
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 41
VI.C.3
  • DATE: late 1933 : Paris
    Recycled matter: in first batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Green board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N8 (VI.B.6, 136-end) 1-50
    N9 (VI.B.1, entire) 51-177
    N15 (VI.D.2) 178-242. See also VI.C.15a
    N21 (VI.B.20, beginning-p.68) 243-280
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 41
VI.C.4
  • DATE: late 1933 : Paris
    Recycled matter: in first batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Maroon board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N21 (VI.B.20, p.68-end) 1-27. See also VI.C.11 / VI.C.15b.
    N11 (VI.B.5, entire) 28-153
    N17 (VI.B.9, entire) 154-219
    N13 (VI.D.3, part) 220-280
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 41

Finnegans Wake notesheets

Third batch of loose sheets containing notes for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
Sheets III
  • DATE: 1933 Summer-Winter : Switzerland, Paris.
    Recycled matter from notebooks. In compiling these sheets Joyce seems to have read through the notebooks several times, each time drawing material for a different chapter of Book III. In doing this, he either kept the notebooks together in an undisturbed pile, as each chapter listing follows the same notebook sequence, or (and more probably), after finishing with N41 (the first notebook resorted to) he began to transcribe simultaneously onto not one sheet but onto four sheets (or perhaps five sheets, see Sheets IV below), marked “Da”, “Db”, “Dc”, and “Dd”, sorting the material as he saw fit as he proceeded ONCE through the set of notebooks.
    In incorporating the material into Work in Progress, Joyce and his helpers worked directly from the sheets, occasionally mistranscribing elements in the process. The elements do not seem to have been dictated, as is evidenced by such entries as we find on MS 47486a-310b (61:016) [Sheet iii-10].
  • First use: revision of FW Book III transitions (first set)
    TEXT ENTRY LEVELS: III§1A.12/1B.3/1C.9/1D.12 / III§2A.13/2B.11/2C.13 / III§3A.10 / III§4.7
    ORIGIN: N41 (VI.B.33), N3 (VI.B.3), N29 (VI.B.21), N44 (VI.B.34) [in reverse], N21 (VI.B.20), N22 (VI.B.17), VI.C.1, VI.C.3, VI.C.2
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 61

Finnegans Wake notesheets

Fourth batch of loose sheets containing notes for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
Sheets IV
  • DATE: late 1933- early 1934 : Paris. Recycled matter from notebooks. This set of sheets were compiled around the same time and from the same set of VI.C notebooks as the main batch of Book III transition sheets (see Sheets III above). They were used when Joyce constructed the earliest draft of the “Norwegian Captain” section of II.3 (Scenes in the Tavern). Joyce designated the particular episode involved, II.3, with the code “Nc” (the “c” is inside the square). Thus, just as chapters 1-4 of Book III were styled “Da”, “Db”, “Dc”, and “Dd”, we can now see that chapters 1-4 of Book II were styled “Na”, “Nb”, “Nc”, and “Nd” (but with the letters inside the square). Whereas the Shaun episode code (designating Shaun, Yaun, Yawn and Dawn) is well known, it is only in this case that we find compelling evidence for the Book II episode code. A small amount of corroborative evidence to the same effect appears sporadically in the notebooks.
  • First use: preparation of first draft of II.3§1 (“Norwegian Captain”).
    TEXT ENTRY LEVEL: II.3§1.0
    ORIGIN: Joyce began to copy material from N.44 (VI.B.34), which he worked through in reverse page order, and continued, but no longer in reverse order, with notebooks VI.B.20, VI.B.17 and so on, as in:
    N44 (VI.B.34) [in reverse], N21 (VI.B.20), N22 (VI.B.17), VI.C.1, VI.C.3, VI.C.2, VI.C.4, VI.C.5
  • PUBLICATION (online facsimile): NLI website JBZJJF/W/1/23-C and following pages.

Primary Finnegans Wake notebooks

Continuation of the notebooks Joyce compiled for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
N46 (VI.B.36)
  • DATE: early-late 1934 : Paris, Belgium, Switzerland. Joyce requested a copy of one the sources for material in this notebook in September 1933 (see Letters, I, 10 September and NLGC unpublished, 12 September, 1933) and it was received March 1934 (see Letters, III, 1 April and 10 July, 1934).
  • DETAILS: 328 pages ruled, lined paper 18.9 x 12.5 cm.
  • First use: notes for revision of Finnegans Wake Book III transitions, II.2 for transition.
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 37
  • Sources
N47 (VI.B.40) Glasshouse
  • DATE: February 1935-early 1936 : Switzerland, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 230 pages graph paper 21 x 13.5 cm.; some pages missing.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake Book III transitions (second and third sets).
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 38
  • Sources

Finnegans Wake notesheets

Fifth batch of loose sheets containing notes for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
Sheets V
  • DATE: June-July 1935 : Paris. Recycled matter from notebooks (see Letters, NLHW, 19 July 1935).
  • First use: additions to Finnegans Wake Book III transitions (second set).
    TEXT ENTRY LEVELS: III§1A.12'/1B.3' / III§1A.12+/1B.3'+ / III§1A.12'+/1B.3'+ / III§1C.9 / III§1D.12 / III§1D.12' / III§1D.12'+ / III§2A.13'/2B.11'/2C.13' / III§2A.13'+/2B.11'+/2C.13'+ / III§2A.13+'/2B.11+'/2C.13+' / III§3A.10 / III§3A.10' / III§3A.10'+ / III§3A.10+ / III§4.7 / III§4.7' / III§4.7+'
  • ORIGIN: N47 (VI.B.40), VI.C.3, VI.C.2, VI.C.5, VI.C.6.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 61

Transcribed Finnegans Wake notebooks, 2nd batch

This second batch most likely consisted of these six: VI.C.5-10.
VI.C.5
  • DATE: early 1935 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: second batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Green board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N13 (VI.D.3, part) 1-91
    N1 (VI.B.10, entire) 92-169
    N22 (VI.B.17, p.1-68, missing pp) 170-223. See also VI.C.11.
    N14 (VI.B.7, beginning-p.197) 224-280
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 41
VI.C.7
  • DATE: early 1935 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: second batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Black and white board covers, flyleaves, 138 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N14 (VI.B.7, p.198-end) 1-19
    N18 (VI.B.8, entire) 20-135. See also VI.C.13
    UN5 (NLI.5B) 136-201
    UN4 (NLI.5A) 202-234
    UN6 (NLI.4) 235-254
    UN1 (NLI.3) 255-269
    N23 (VI.B.12, beginning-p.6) 270-276
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 41
VI.C.6
  • DATE: early 1935 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: second batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Black and white board covers, flyleaves, 138 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N23 (VI.B.12, p6-end) 1-140
    N27 (VI.X.3: VI.B.49.d) 140-141
    N08 (VI.B.6: VI.B.49.c) 141-142
    N10 (VI.B.16, p1-12) 142-149
    N41 (VI.B.33, entire) 150-239
    N38 (VI.B.32, beginning-p.130) 240-bfv
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 42
VI.C.8
  • DATE: early 1935 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: second batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Black and white board covers, flyleaves, 138 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N38 (VI.B.32, p.130-end) 1-47
    N26 (VI.B.18, entire) 48-216
    N24 (VI.D.5, part) 217-bfv. See also VI.C.10 / VI.C.16
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 42
VI.C.9
  • DATE: early 1935 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: second batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Black and white board covers, flyleaves, 138 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N24 (VI.D.5, part) 1-19
    N36 (VI.B.29, entire) 20-124
    N42 (VI.B.31, entire) 125-235
    N37 (VI.B.28, p1-9) 236-239
    N40 (VI.B.28, p10-93) 239-bfv
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 42
VI.C.10
  • DATE: early 1935 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: second batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Green board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N40 (VI.B.28, p93-end) 1-58
    N31 (VI.B.26, entire) 59-168
    N32 (VI.B.23, entire) 169-248
    N24 (VI.D.5, part) 249-280. See also VI.C.8 / VI.C.9
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 42

Finnegans Wake notesheets

Sixth batch of loose sheets containing notes for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
Sheets VI
  • DATE: early 1936 (see Letters, NLHW, 5 February and NLFF, 16 February, 1936): Paris. Recycled material from notebook N47 (VI.B.40). The original sheets are missing, so are replaced here by the typescripts. These are numbered 1-10, though the originals were probably in the following order: 3, 4, 1, 2, 6, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10.
  • First use: late corrections to FW Book III transitions (third set).
  • TEXT ENTRY LEVEL: III§1A.12++/1D.12++ // 2A.13++/2B.11++/2C.13++ // 3A.10++/3B.17+ // 4.7++
  • ORIGIN: N47 (VI.B.40)
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 61, pp.627-636.

Primary Finnegans Wake notebooks

Continuation of the notebooks Joyce compiled for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
N48 (VI.B.38) Select Ode
  • DATE: Spring-Sep 1936 (see Letters, NLGC, 23 July 1936 for the address entered on page 151). : Paris, Denmark.
  • DETAILS: 200 pages ruled, lined paper 18.8 x 12.2 cm.
  • First use: late corrections to Finnegans Wake Book I transitions, II3§1 early drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.18
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 38
  • Sources
N49 (VI.B.39) Arbour Hill
  • DATE: Summer 1936 : Denmark.
  • DETAILS: 54 pages graph paper 10.5 x 6.8 cm.; some pages missing.
  • First use: random notes (none used).
  • TRANSCRIPTION none
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 38
  • Sources
N50 (VI.B.37) Spree
  • DATE: September-December 1936 : Paris
  • DETAILS: 238 pages graph paper 20.6 x 13 cm.; 2 pages missing.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake II.3§1 for transition, II.3§2-4 drafts.
  • TRANSCRIPTION VI.C.17
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 38
  • Sources (The usage of one source is mentioned in Letters, III, 1 December, 1936)

Transcribed Finnegans Wake notebooks, 3rd batch

The final batch of transcribed notebooks most likely consisted of these eight (VI.C.11-18). Each of the extant primary notebooks copied at this stage has an “R” written in Madame Raphael's hand at the end of the notebook. The first part of VI.C.16 (the copy of the second part of VI.D.5) might be part of the previous batch, the incomplete VI.C.16 would then have been returned to Mme Raphael to be filled.
VI.C.16
  • DATE: 1936-early 1937 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: third and final batch of transcribed notebooks. The first part of VI.C.16 (the copy of the second part of VI.D.5) might be part of the previous batch (the incomplete notebook having been returned to Mme Raphael).
  • DETAILS: Green board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N24 (VI.D.5, part) 1-65
    N35 (VI.B.24, entire) 66-231
    UN2 (VI.D.7) 232-274
    N33 (VI.B.4, beginning-p11) 275-bfr
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 42
VI.C.15
  • DATE: 1936-early 1937 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: third and final batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Maroon board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm. This notebook was filled by Mme Raphael in two stages: (1) pages 1-252, after which she turned to filling VI.C.11; and (2) pages 253-end, after VI.C.11 had been completed.
    First part: VI.C.15a
    N33 (VI.B.4, p11-end) 1-176
    N15 (VI.D.2) 177-252. See also VI.C.3
    Second part: VI.C.15b
    N21 (VI.B.20, p102-end) 253-262. See also VI.C.3 / VI.C.4
    N12 (VI.B.14, beginning-p19) 263-bfr
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 42
VI.C.11
  • DATE: 1936-early 1937 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: third and final batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Maroon board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N22 (VI.B.17, 1-68) 1-58. See also VI.C.5.
    N22 (VI.B.17, missing pages) 59-63
    N22 (VI.B.17, p69-104) 63-93
    N22 (VI.B.17, missing pages) 93-95
    N28 (VI.D.6) 96-217
    N21 (VI.B.20, beginning-p101) 218-bfr
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 43
VI.C.12
  • DATE: 1936-early 1937 : Paris.>
    Recycled matter: third and final batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Maroon board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N12 (VI.B.14,p19-end) 1-223
    N20 (VI.B.13, beginning-p184) 224-bfr
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 43
VI.C.13
  • DATE: 1936-early 1937 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: third and final batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Green board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N20 (VI.B.13, p184-end) 1-26
    N18 (VI.B.8, entire) 27-155. See also VI.C.7
    N30 (VI.B.22, entire) 156-264
    N25 (VI.B.15, beginning-p.18) 265-bfr
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 43
VI.C.14
  • DATE: 1936-early 1937 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: third and final batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Maroon board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N25 (VI.B.15, p.18-end) 1-161
    N19 (VI.B.19, entire) 162-255
    N43a (VI.B.49a,b) 256-260
    N43 (VI.B.35, beginning-p39) 260-bfr
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 43
VI.C.17
  • DATE: 1936-early 1937 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: third and final batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Maroon board covers, flyleaves, 140 leaves of ruled paper, stitched; approximately 18.8 x 14.5 cm.
    N43 (VI.B.35, p40-end) 1-63
    N34 (VI.B.27, entire) 64-150
    N50 (VI.B.37, entire) 151-237
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 43
VI.C.18
  • DATE: 1936-early 1937 : Paris.
    Recycled matter: third and final batch of transcribed notebooks.
  • DETAILS: Black cloth board covers, flyleaves, 150 leaves of ruled paper with red and blue vertical lines, stitched; approximately 20.9 x 13.3 cm. The final 206 pages of this notebook constitutes authorial notebook N56 (VI.B.41).
    N48 (VI.B.38, entire) 1-95
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 43

Finnegans Wake notesheets

Seventh batch of loose sheets containing notes for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
Sheets VII
  • DATE: December 1936- early 1937 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Recycled matter from notebooks.
  • First use: additions to setting TS of FW II.3§1 for transition 26
  • TEXT ENTRY LEVELS: II.3§1.3, II.3§2.3 (MS) and II.3§3.2 (MS)
  • ORIGIN: N50 (VI.B.37), VI.C.10, VI.C.11, VI.C.12, VI.C.18
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vols. 54 and 55 (sporadic), and 1 sheet Zurich.

Primary Finnegans Wake notebooks

Continuation of the notebooks Joyce compiled for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
N51 (VI.B.44) Old Reliable
  • DATE: Spring-late August 1937 : Paris, Zurich, Paris, Zurich.
  • DETAILS: 192 pages graph paper 21 x 13 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake Books I and III galleys (first set).
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 39
  • Sources
N52 (VI.B.42) Knout
  • DATE: late August-early December 1937 : Zurich, Paris
  • DETAILS: 192 pages graph paper 20.5 x 13.2 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake Books I and III galleys (first set), and of II.1, II.2 and II.3§1-3 for printer.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 39
  • Sources

Finnegans Wake notesheets

Final batch of loose sheets containing notes for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
Sheets VIII
  • DATE: late 1937 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Recycled matter from notebooks.
  • First use: additions to Finnegans Wake Books I and III galleys (first set).
  • TEXT ENTRY LEVELS: Group One: I.1§§1.6/2.6 // I.2§1.9/2.9/3.9 // I.3§1.9/2.9/3.9 // I.4§1.9/2.9 // I.5§1.10/4.10 // I.6§1.7/2.5/3.10/4.6 // I.7§1.10/2.10 // I.8§1.18: Galleys (first set) for the printers of Finnegans Wake; dated by the printer 12 March 1937
    Group Two: III§§1A.13/1B.4/1C.10/1D.13 // 2A.14/2B.12/2C.14 // 3A.11/3B.18 // 4.8: Galleys (first set); dated by the printer 22 April and 31 May 1937
  • ORIGIN: N52 (VI.B.42), VI.C.7
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 49

Primary Finnegans Wake notebooks

Continuation of the notebooks Joyce compiled for use in the composition of Finnegans Wake.
N53 (VI.B.46) Fall
  • DATE: early December 1937-February 1938 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 142 pages unruled paper 20.4 x 14.2 cm.; some pages missing. The continuation of several of the sources (which may have appeared in the missing pages) forms an appendix to this notebook.
  • First use: revision of II.1, II.2 and II.3§1-3 for printer, II.3§5 drafts, II.3§4-5 for transition.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 40
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: Danis Rose, ed., James Joyce's The Index Manuscript (Colchester: A Wake Newslitter Press, 1978)
    Sources Arrival of sources is mentioned in Letters, NLHW, 2 February and NLPL, 12 February, 1938.
N54 (VI.B.45) Remember G
  • DATE: January-April 1938 : Paris, Zurich.
  • DETAILS: 156 pages unruled, heavy paper 17.5 x 12 cm. The contents pages of Joyce's copy of Moore's Melodies forms an appendix to this notebook.
  • First use: revision of II.3§4-5 for transition, Book I galleys (second set), and II.1-11.3§1 galleys.
    Note: Joyce and Gilbert were observed using this notebook in April 1938 (see Mercanton memoir, 15 April 1938), the words in question coming from the Finno-Urgic portion of the Languages source.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 40
  • Sources
N55 (VI.X.5) Finnegan
  • DATE: April-August 1938 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: Missing notebook.
  • First use: Finnegans Wake Book IV early drafts, II.3§2-5 for printer, and II.3§6-7 drafts.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: none
  • Sources
N56 (VI.B.41) Rearranged
  • DATE: late August-mid October 1938 : Lausanne, Paris.
  • DETAILS: Final 206 pages of notebook VI.C.18; ruled paper 20.9 x 13.3 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake II.3§6-7, II.4 and IV for printer, II.3§2-5 galleys, and Book III galleys (second set).
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 39
  • Sources
N57 (VI.B.47) The Cuppinjars
  • DATE: November-December 1938 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 100 pages graph paper 14.8 x 9.2 cm.
  • First use: drafts of Finnegans Wake Book IV§5 (finale), and revision of Book IV galleys.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 40
  • PUBLISHED EDITION: V. Deane, D. Ferrer & G. Lernout, eds, The Finnegans Wake Notebooks at Buffalo - VI.B.47 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2004)
  • Sources
N58 (VI.B.30)
  • DATE: late November-late December 1938 : Paris.
  • DETAILS: 192 pages graph paper 14.6 x 9.2 cm.
  • First use: revision of Finnegans Wake II.3§6-7 and II.4 galleys, late corrections for Books III and IV.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 36
  • Sources
N59 (VI.B.48) Steeplejack
  • DATE: Summer-Fall 1939 : Switzerland, Brittany, Paris.
  • DETAILS: 96 pages graph paper 17 x 11 cm.
  • First use: random notetaking, Finnegans Wake errata.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 40
  • Sources
N60 (VIII.C.1)
  • DATE: 1936-1940 : .
  • DETAILS: Alphaetical address book; 118 pages extant 14.7 x 19.5 cm.
  • USE: addresses, phone numbers.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 3, pp. 622-701
N63 (VIII.C.2)
  • DATE: 1940 : Vichy France, Switzerland.
  • DETAILS: A pocket diary; brown leather covers; 148 pages 11 x 6.6 cm.
  • First use: addresses, random notetaking, railway timetable.
  • PHOTO-REPLICATE: James Joyce Archive (New York: Garland, 1978), vol. 3, pp. 426-472
  • Sources

From the above, and bearing in mind the minor overlapping (usually the result of Joyce going away and coming back) it is clear that intellectually the whole set of the notebooks comprises one long continuous allincluding diachronic integument, Joyce having paid no heed to the documents as documents in themselves. It is for this reason that the whole tale that this meta-diary relates remains for a total edition to tell.

Inversely, the Spielberg-Rose/O'Hanlon correspondence is as follows.

VI.B.1 -- N9
VI.B.2 -- N5
VI.B.3 -- N3
VI.B.4 -- N33
VI.B.5 -- N11
VI.B.6 -- N8
VI.B.7 -- N14
VI.B.8 -- N18
VI.B.9 -- N17
VI.B.10 -- N1

VI.B.11 -- N6
VI.B.12 -- N23
VI.B.13 -- N20
VI.B.14 -- N12
VI.B.15 -- N25
VI.B.16 -- N10
VI.B.17 -- N22
VI.B.18 -- N26
VI.B.19 -- N19
VI.B.20 -- N21

VI.B.21 -- N29
VI.B.22 -- N30
VI.B.23 -- N32
VI.B.24 -- N35
VI.B.25 -- N4
VI.B.26 -- N31
VI.B.27 -- N34
VI.B.28 -- N37
VI.B.29 -- N36
VI.B.30 -- N58

VI.B.32 -- N38
VI.B.33 -- N41
VI.B.34 -- N44
VI.B.35 -- N43
VI.B.36 -- N46
VI.B.37 -- N50
VI.B.38 -- N48
VI.B.39 -- N49
VI.B.40 -- N47

VI.B.41 -- N56
VI.B.42 -- N52
VI.B.43 -- N45
VI.B.44 -- N51
VI.B.45 -- N54
VI.B.46 -- N53
VI.B.47 -- N57
VI.B.48 -- N59
VIII.C.2 -- N60

VI.D.1 -- N16
VI.D.2 -- N15
VI.D.3 -- N13
VI.D.5 -- N24
VI.D.6 -- N27