599. The Third Policeman

The Third Policeman
Flann O'Brien
1967
Around 210 pages

By now, we are all aware of how I feel about wacky Irish comedies. The humor never lands for me, the characters never behave in believable ways, and the stories can often be wrapped up as, the main character was either tripping out of his mind, or he was the dead the entire time. Either way, that kind of ending tends to render the plot of the novel pointless. 

Our unnamed narrator (sigh) is a scholar of the fictional de Selby, a scientist and philosopher. He breaks his leg (we don't know how), and befriends John Divney, who runs a farm and pub. I'm not sure why the author chooses to withhold so much information from the reader. I guess it's supposed to be intriguing. Anyway, our narrator and Divney decide to kill a wealthy local man, but they have some disagreements about who should get the cash box.

I didn't gel with ole Flann last time, and I don't gel with him now. Skip.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Featured in an episode of Lost with the intent of providing context for the show's complex mythology. The sales of the book in the three weeks following its mention equalled what it had sold in the preceding six years.

UP NEXT: The Joke by Milan Kundera

421. The Poor Mouth

The Poor Mouth
Flann O'Brien

1941

Around 115 pages

Once again, the Irish are depending on us to have a detailed understanding of their culture to grasp what's going on in the plot. Or, you know, they are just writing stories for Irish people and are wishing I would butt out. Sorry Irish people, my butt goes where the List tells me to go.

This novel was actually written in the Irish language, and I obviously read the English version. Apparently the story is a parody of typical Irish autobiographies that were frequently assigned as required reading for generations of young Irish folks. I guess you had to be there. The story is set in a remote area of Ireland where everybody is experiencing extreme poverty and maintaining the Irish culture is paramount.

This is a short one to get through, but pretty challenging for a non native reader to understand. O'Brien once said, "I declare to God if I hear that name Joyce one more time I will surely froth at the gob," which makes me like him more.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Published under the pseudonym "Myles na gCopaleen." That rolls off the tongue.

Adapted into a play in 1967, but was pulled after only three days.

UP NEXT: Conversations in Sicily by Elio Vittorini

410. At Swim-Two-Birds

At Swim-Two-Birds
Flann O'Brien
1939
Around 225 pages

I don't want to say I dislike all Irish authors, but I don't think I've ever read an Irish novel I've enjoyed. If you want, you can dive into my archives, prove me wrong, and rub it in my pasty face. 

Our frame story is the life of an Irish student whose uncle is a clerk in the Guinness Brewery in Dublin, which is about as Irish as it gets. This unnamed student is writing three stories that end up intertwining.

This is an example of metafiction, which has never been my cup of tea. I know very little about Irish folklore, so I missed a great deal of these references, and O'Brien wasn't overly concerned with holding the reader's hand through the process.

To the country of Ireland, it's not you, it's me. Actually, it's these insufferable white guys.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

The novel was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005.

In 1940, the publishing house of Longman's London premises were destroyed during a bombing raid and almost all the unsold copies were incinerated.

James Joyce loved this, which is enough condemnation for me.

UP NEXT: Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce. Gag.