The Complete Novels (1939-1967) 787 pages, by Flann O’Brien. At some point while reading O’Brien’s At Swim-Two-Birds, you realize that O’Brien has taken you on a dizzy journey of unapologetic and very funny virtuoso writing. Like Cormac McCarthy with irrepressible humor. The Third Policeman is disturbing. Probably would have kept a sober Edgar Allen Poe up at night. I admit I found The Poor Mouth, The Hard Life, and The Dalkey Archive less accessible and less interesting.