James Joyce is one of the most important European writers, whose work has always been seen as spiced with autobiographical elements. As a consequence, less known letters, photographs, notes and other minor documents shed light not only on Joyce’s life but, as they surface, they also offer new interpretations of his works. The present article analyzes the mosaic of documents collected in the archives of Harry Ransom Center, University of Austin, Texas, in the context of the critical approaches to biography and cultural history. The examination of hitherto neglected papers connected with members of his extended family and friends contributes to the revision of the tenets of life writing and memoirs and to the reconstruction of the wider historical context of his oeuvre.