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Flann O'Brien

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description Flann O'Brien Overview

Flann O'Brien was a pen name of Brian O'Nolan, an Irish novelist, satirist, civil servant, and newspaper columnist who also wrote as Myles na gCopaleen. His novel At Swim-Two-Birds uses stories within stories, self-aware characters, and competing narrators to parody literary conventions. His other fiction includes The Third Policeman, a darkly comic and surreal novel concerned with identity, bicycles, crime, and an unstable reality.

help Flann O'Brien FAQ

What is Flann O'Brien's real name?

Flann O'Brien was the primary pen name of Irish novelist and satirist Brian O'Nolan. He also published works under the name Myles na gCopaleen in his long-running Irish Times column.

What is the premise of 'At Swim-Two-Birds'?

'At Swim-Two-Birds' is a highly experimental 1939 novel that intertwines multiple overlapping stories, including Irish legends and a narrative where fictional characters rebel against their creator. It is celebrated as a masterpiece of modernist, surreal literature.

What is Flann O'Brien's book 'The Third Policeman' about?

'The Third Policeman' is a darkly comedic, surreal novel about a nameless narrator who commits a murder and descends into a bizarre, hellish world. It features absurd philosophical discussions about atomic theory and bicycles.

Was Flann O'Brien part of the Irish literary revival?

While a contemporary of James Joyce and Samuel Beckett, Flann O'Brien worked slightly after the main Celtic Revival. He is best known for satirizing Irish literary pretensions and the Dublin civil service in his comedic modernist works.