Tag Archives: Flann O’Brien

“[At Swim-Two-Birds is] just the book to give to your sister, if she is a dirty, boozey girl.” – Dylan Thomas

When a man sleeps, he is steeped and lost in a limp toneless happiness: awake he is restless, tortured by his body and the illusion of existence. Why have men spent the centuries seeking to overcome the awakened body? Put … Continue reading

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Recommended Books: Fiction

I’ve added to this list. I still want to do a Non-Fiction one, eventually, but … you know … time permitting. Some authors are represented multiple times here. Other authors aren’t represented at all. For no real reason. Don’t read … Continue reading

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The Books: “At Swim-Two-Birds” (Flann O’Brien)

Daily Book Excerpt: Adult fiction: At Swim-Two-Birds, by Flann O’Brien. It’s kinda hard, as an O’Malley, to talk about this book in a normal book-report kind of way. I think I even sort of believed, as a child, that Flann … Continue reading

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Updike on Flann O’Brien: “His novels begin with a swoop and a song but end in an uncomfortable murk and with an air of impatience.”

When I first started blogging, on blog-spot, atswimtwobirds was the URL I chose, in honor of the great and the weird Flann O’Brien (aka Myles na gCopleen, aka Brian O’Nolan). Flann O’Brien’s most well-known novel is probably At Swim-Two-Birds – … Continue reading

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2006 Books

Books read this year. I actually may end up adding a couple more to the list – since I am bed-ridden at the moment and could finish 2 more books by the time the damn ball drops across the river. … Continue reading

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1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Jessa Crispin has an interesting interview with Peter Boxall, editor of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. I loved what Boxall said at the end: “Having benefited from an extraordinary number of emails and letters as well as … Continue reading

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For St. Patrick’s Day: A Compilation of Irish Posts

Anne has a fascinating excerpt from Conor Cruise O’Brien’s memoir. It has to do with Maud Gonne. Fascinating. And speaking of Maud Gonne … Emily has posted one of my favorite Yeats poems. Limerick contest (and truly terrifying St. Patrick’s … Continue reading

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