From the author of the classic novel 'At-Swim-Two-Birds' comes this ingenious tale which follows the mad and absurd ambitions of a scientist determined to destroy the world. Flann O'Brien's third novel, 'The Dalkey Archive' is a riotous depiction of the extraordinary events surrounding theologian and mad scientist De Selby's attempt to destroy the world by removing all the oxygen from the atmosphere. Only Michael Shaughnessy, 'a lowly civil servant', and James Joyce, alive and well and working as a barman in the ...
Read More
From the author of the classic novel 'At-Swim-Two-Birds' comes this ingenious tale which follows the mad and absurd ambitions of a scientist determined to destroy the world. Flann O'Brien's third novel, 'The Dalkey Archive' is a riotous depiction of the extraordinary events surrounding theologian and mad scientist De Selby's attempt to destroy the world by removing all the oxygen from the atmosphere. Only Michael Shaughnessy, 'a lowly civil servant', and James Joyce, alive and well and working as a barman in the nearby seaside resort of Skerries, can stop the inimitable De Selby in his tracks.
Read Less
Add this copy of Harper Perennial Modern Classics-the Dalkey Archive to cart. $16.99, very good condition, Sold by Brit Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milton Keynes, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2007 by Harper Perennial.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Add this copy of Harper Perennial Modern Classics-the Dalkey Archive to cart. $18.40, very good condition, Sold by Greener Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2007 by Harper Perennial.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
Add this copy of The Dalkey Archive to cart. $44.04, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Harper.
Having recently read "The Third Policeman" by O'Brian, I was somewhat disappointed in "The Dalkey Archive". For some reason the surrealism just didn't work the way it did in the first book, and towards the last part of the book I found the obsession with a fictionalised James Joyce became rather tedious. This may not be the case for readers very familiar with Joyce, which I am not.
The riotously twisted De Selby portrayed in Policeman, seemed a thinner character in Dalkey; the numerous references to various Christian saints, religious orders and the like may also be wearing to a reader not very familiar with mid 20th century Irish culture. This part of the book is no doubt outrageously funny, but only to a certain audience.
In short, I enjoyed the book, but would swap it for The Third Policeman any day. In fairness to O'Brien, he did wite the Policeman before Dalkey but it was not published in his lifetime (the story why is very interesting and prefaces some editions) and he reused some of the ideas in the earlier book in Dalkey.
Dalkey's main strength I think lies in the portrayal of a certain Irish sensibilty, and in the semi-autobiographical central character, Mick. Whether it rates alongside some of the works of Joyce, as others have claimed, I am not able to say, but very evidently O'Brian was well aware of Joyce's ouvre.
For anyone who loves bicycles there is food for thought in both the books, but again much more engagingly in The Third Policeman, IMO.
