Mulligan Stew is a postmodern novel by Gilbert Sorrentino. It was first published in 1979 by Grove Press, simultaneously in hardcover and softcover. The book is a metafictional and parodistic examination of the creative process of writing a novel and its failing. It is dedicated to Brian O'Nolan and his "virtue hilaritas". The title is a direct reference to the hodge-podge nature of the food. More cryptically, it is a punning allusion ("Mulligan's too") to the character Buck Mulligan in James Joyce's Ulysses. Prepublication Sorrentino began the novel in November 1971 and finished it in February 1975. At the time it was titled Synthetic Ink. His agent shopped it out, unsuccessfully. The novel received nearly thirty rejections. Most publishers praised the novel, often extravagantly, but because of its great length and avant-garde nature it would be too expensive a loss. Eventually, in 1978, Grove Press accepted the book, subject to three demands. Barney Rosset wanted a different title, and got it. Rosset wanted the rejection letters to be published as part of the book, and Sorrentino agreed, although he supplied parody versions. Rosset wanted the Masque of Fungo section deleted, Sorrentino refused, and Rosset conceded. Release details Several excerpts and chapters had been published independently in literary magazines since 1973. Flawless Play Restored: The Masque of Fungo was published separately in a hardcover signed edition and a paperback, by Black Sparrow Press, 16 December 1974. United States 1979, Grove Press, First edition, Pub date 26 May 1979: Hardcover, , 2000 copies, first printing, 2000 copies, second printing Softcover, , 8000 copies, first printing, 7000 copies, second printing (Grove), 3000 copies, (Quality Paperback Book Club) 1987, Grove Press, Second edition, Pub July 1989 In 1985, after the first edition went out of print, Grove Press declined to reprint the novel and the rights reverted to Sorrentino, whose agent shopped the novel around for a further printing. Grove Press ended up accepting the reissue, but with delays. 1996, Dalkey Archive Press , Pub date January 1996, Softcover. United Kingdom Marion Boyars had initially rejected Mulligan Stew unread as being too physically large, but changed her mind upon reading the book. 1980, Marion Boyars, First edition, Pub April 1980 1981, Marion Boyars, First paperback edition, June 1981 1981, Pan/Picador, Second paperback edition, August 1981 Rights reverted to Marion Boyars in 1985. France 2006, Cent pages , Pub date 15 Sept 2006. Translated by