Folio Archives 143: Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien 2006
Talk Folio Society Devotees
Join LibraryThing to post.
This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply.
1wcarter
The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien 2006
The Irish seem to specialise in obscure, obtuse and mysterious novels. After Ulysses, this is the most peculiarly incomprehensible and Kafkaesque book I have ever read, and it has an unhealthy fixation on (of all things) bicycles. It explores morals, existence, time, death and other concepts that I barely understand. In places it has footnotes several pages long that make even less sense than the book. Never-the-less, it is a book that keeps leading you on to see what weird, unnatural, impossible and wonderous event will occur next, and as a result you cannot put it down.
Written in 1939, but failing to obtain a publisher during O’Brien’s lifetime, it was first published in 1960. To add even more confusion, Flann O’Brien is a pen name and the author was actually the well-respected Brian O'Nolan, the crafter of other bestselling novels.
The FS edition has 219 pages and is bound in mid-green cloth blocked with a cover design in black and gilt. There is an eight page introduced by Richard Fortey, and there are eight line drawing illustrations by David Eccles that are as fittingly incomprehensible as the book’s contents. The endpapers are light green and the slipcase is 23.5x15.5cm. and plain dark green.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
The Irish seem to specialise in obscure, obtuse and mysterious novels. After Ulysses, this is the most peculiarly incomprehensible and Kafkaesque book I have ever read, and it has an unhealthy fixation on (of all things) bicycles. It explores morals, existence, time, death and other concepts that I barely understand. In places it has footnotes several pages long that make even less sense than the book. Never-the-less, it is a book that keeps leading you on to see what weird, unnatural, impossible and wonderous event will occur next, and as a result you cannot put it down.
Written in 1939, but failing to obtain a publisher during O’Brien’s lifetime, it was first published in 1960. To add even more confusion, Flann O’Brien is a pen name and the author was actually the well-respected Brian O'Nolan, the crafter of other bestselling novels.
The FS edition has 219 pages and is bound in mid-green cloth blocked with a cover design in black and gilt. There is an eight page introduced by Richard Fortey, and there are eight line drawing illustrations by David Eccles that are as fittingly incomprehensible as the book’s contents. The endpapers are light green and the slipcase is 23.5x15.5cm. and plain dark green.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2folio_books
Interesting choice! Apropos unputdownability, I suggest the lack of chapters helps and it has an attention-grabbing first sentence. I find it a pretty little book. From what I gather it's not too easy to find on the secondary market.
3overthemoon
I count myself lucky that I found it on the secondary market and didn't pay too much for it. Love this book.
4N11284
>1 wcarter:
I'm not sure where you got your information from Warwick , but you are incorrect in saying that "Flann O’Brien is a pen name and the author was actually the well-respected Michael Foley, the crafter of other bestselling novels."
Flann O'Brien was a very well know Irish newspaper columnist who wrote under various pseudonyms ,(including Brian O'Nuallain, and Myles na Gopaleen) but was born as Brian O'Nolan in Strabane , Northern Ireland.
He is perhaps more famous for At Swim Two Birds and The Dalkey Archives.
Anthony Cronin's biography No Laughing Matter the life and times of Flann O'Brien was re-released in 2019 by New Ireland Books.
I'm not sure where you got your information from Warwick , but you are incorrect in saying that "Flann O’Brien is a pen name and the author was actually the well-respected Michael Foley, the crafter of other bestselling novels."
Flann O'Brien was a very well know Irish newspaper columnist who wrote under various pseudonyms ,(including Brian O'Nuallain, and Myles na Gopaleen) but was born as Brian O'Nolan in Strabane , Northern Ireland.
He is perhaps more famous for At Swim Two Birds and The Dalkey Archives.
Anthony Cronin's biography No Laughing Matter the life and times of Flann O'Brien was re-released in 2019 by New Ireland Books.
5SolerSystem
One of my favorite novels and Folios. I hope they do At Swim Two Birds one day.
6wcarter
>4 N11284:
I'm not sure where that information came from now as I wrote this a few weeks ago, and can no longer find the reference I was quoting. Confusion of the mind somewhere!!
I have corrected the information in the original post. Thank you for pointing out my error.
I'm not sure where that information came from now as I wrote this a few weeks ago, and can no longer find the reference I was quoting. Confusion of the mind somewhere!!
I have corrected the information in the original post. Thank you for pointing out my error.
7elenchus
Hadn't realised FS issued an edition of this novel, from comments above I don't anticipate coming across it easily but at least now I know to keep my eyes open. It's a pleasantly obtuse novel, as I recall.
8SolerSystem
>7 elenchus:
There's a decently priced copy available on eBay now (at least if you're in the States). I've bought a few FS books from that particular seller and have had no complaints.
There's a decently priced copy available on eBay now (at least if you're in the States). I've bought a few FS books from that particular seller and have had no complaints.
10coynedj
An excellent Folio publication - I bought it when it came out and let it languish on my shelf until earlier this year. I'm glad I finally read it, and would welcome editions of some of his other works.
11podaniel
>10 coynedj:
I'm guilty of having done that too--I vow every year to read it and, well, there it is still on the shelf.
I'm guilty of having done that too--I vow every year to read it and, well, there it is still on the shelf.
