3.5
The Third Policeman
ByPublisher Description
One man wants to publish, so another must perish, in this darkly witty philosophical novel by “a spectacularly gifted comic writer” (Newsweek).
The Third Policeman follows a narrator who is obsessed with the work of a scientist and philosopher named de Selby (who believes that Earth is not round but sausage-shaped)—and has finally completed what he believes is the definitive text on the subject. But, broke and desperate for money to get his scholarly masterpiece published, he winds up committing robbery—and murder.
From here, this remarkably imaginative dark comedy proceeds into a world of riddles, contradictions, and questions about the nature of eternity as our narrator meets some policemen with an obsession of their own (specifically, bicycles), and engages in an extended conversation with his dead victim—and his own soul, which he nicknames Joe.
By the celebrated Irish author praised by James Joyce as “a real writer, with the true comic spirit,” The Third Policeman is an incomparable work of fiction.
“’Tis the odd joke of modern Irish literature—of the three novelists in its holy trinity, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and Flann O’Brien, the easiest and most accessible of the lot is O’Brien. . . . Flann O’Brien was too much his own man, Ireland’s man, to speak in any but his own tongue.” —The Washington Post
The Third Policeman follows a narrator who is obsessed with the work of a scientist and philosopher named de Selby (who believes that Earth is not round but sausage-shaped)—and has finally completed what he believes is the definitive text on the subject. But, broke and desperate for money to get his scholarly masterpiece published, he winds up committing robbery—and murder.
From here, this remarkably imaginative dark comedy proceeds into a world of riddles, contradictions, and questions about the nature of eternity as our narrator meets some policemen with an obsession of their own (specifically, bicycles), and engages in an extended conversation with his dead victim—and his own soul, which he nicknames Joe.
By the celebrated Irish author praised by James Joyce as “a real writer, with the true comic spirit,” The Third Policeman is an incomparable work of fiction.
“’Tis the odd joke of modern Irish literature—of the three novelists in its holy trinity, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and Flann O’Brien, the easiest and most accessible of the lot is O’Brien. . . . Flann O’Brien was too much his own man, Ireland’s man, to speak in any but his own tongue.” —The Washington Post
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities292 Reviews
3.5
gingerreadssometimes
Created 2 days agoShare
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“Very bizarre. Enjoyed most of it, but thought the footnotes added nothing to the story.”
Kate 𖤓
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“Did I read this because it inspired Hozier's songs? Yes. Did I understand it? No...? It was way more philosophical than my headspace can comprehend right now but there were many lines, allegories, and ideas I liked. I also snorted a lot due to the purely nonsensical humor. The ending actually made me feel pretty sad but then I put the book down and thought "wtf?" for a few minutes haha”
Gearoid Carroll
Created 13 days agoShare
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moira kiley
Created 21 days agoShare
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Ash
Created 27 days agoShare
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“I'll never look at a bicycle in the same way again.
This book would be really super fun to write a long essay on, but I have no idea if that essay would be about anything, everything, or nothing. The work was only 200 pages long, but those pages were, simultaneously, philosophically *dense*, absurdist (both definitions of the word: 1. intentionally ridiculous or bizarre 2. the belief that human beings exist in a purposeless, chaotic universe), as surreal as taking a tour through several Dali paintings, and meandering. It was not a quick and easy read by any means. At times it was fascinating as I recognized references to existing philosophies (like Zeno's paradox of motion), at other times it was frustrating because everything happening or being described seemed purposeless. It was only at the "end" that the narrative made sense and fell beautifully into place, and now, with that knowledge, I want to read it again (and again - once more to take notes, a third time to just enjoy that perfect seat and those smooth handlebars).
I don't know if I would recommend this to everyone, I suspect it's not most people's cup of tea. You need to enjoy the scenery rather than focusing on the destination. Godspeed. 5/5”
About Flann O'Brien
Flann O’Brien is a pseudonym for Brian O’Nolan (1911–1966), an Irish novelist, playwright, and satirist. Born in Strabane, County Tyrone, he is regarded as a key figure in postmodern literature. His English language novels, such as At Swim-Two-Birds and The Third Policeman, were written under the pen name Flann O’Brien. His many satirical columns in the Irish Times and an Irish language novel An Béal Bocht were written under the name Myles na gCopaleen. O’Nolan’s novels have attracted a wide following for their bizarre humor and modernist metafiction.
Other books by Flann O'Brien
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