You should approach Joyce's Ulysses as the illiterate Baptist preacher approaches the Old Testament: with faith.

Sin and love and fear are just sounds that people who never sinned nor loved nor feared have for what they never had and cannot have until they forget the words

The whiskey died away in time and was renewed and died again, but the street ran on. From that night the thousand streets ran as one street, with imperceptible corners and changes of scene.

Tomorrow night is nothing but one long sleepless wrestle with yesterday's omissions and regrets.

Love doesn't die; the men and women do.

That's a very good way to learn the craft of writing - from reading.

The most important thing is insight, that is to be - curious - to wonder, to mull, and to muse why it is that man does what he does.