This is one of the world's cleverest, funniest books. I received it as a gift many decades ago, thought it brilliant, but once made the mistake of reading it while sitting in the sun beside a public swimming pool. My repeated involuntary guffaws drew inquisitive glances from strangers. Alas, I lent the book to a friend, never got it back, and missed it for ages. Thanks to Google, I recently found it online, sold as a used paperback through Amazon. I have now bought four copies (v inexpensive), three of them to gift to smart friends.
The book is actually a compilation of newspaper columns for the Irish Times written by the novelist Flann O'Brien under the pseudonym of Miles na Gopaleen. With merciless wit, he aims barbs at self-important art critics, popular cliches, ridiculous legal proceedings, and foreign commentators of Irish literature and architecture, while he reserves affectionate mockery for The Plain People of Ireland and their icon, The Brother. English is the main language but there are hilarious sprinkles of Latin, as well as occasional bursts of Gaelic that I am not equipped to comment on.
There can't be that many used copies of this masterpiece still available, so my advice is to buy a copy without delay.
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Warning: this book should not be read in public unless you don't mind people staring when you guffaw
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2017Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2011
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Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2014
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Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 1999
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Top reviews from other countries
Dónal
The content was obviously as good as ever but there were no illustrations/diagrams which are ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 29, 2018Verified Purchase
Mr Hashkey
One of the best writers of the 20th century
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2021Verified Purchase
Clem
Great fun
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 29, 2020Verified Purchase
Jack Torrens
Very funny
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2019Verified Purchase
D W Wilson
He is wonderful.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 30, 2016Verified Purchase
