At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O'Brien

This is most likely the funniest book I have ever read. It is snigger, chuckle, laugh-out-loud funny, and I probably missed a good bit of the humor because part of it consists of lampooning various segments of Irish society and examples of Irish literature. It is not subtle in its humor, some of it being pure slapstick, much in the style of Monty Python. The plot, as such, is fantastical and sometimes confusing.

It's the writing that makes the novel rare and priceless. All characters have distinct voices and styles. And the book sings. There is something about English as spoken by the Irish (particularly from Dublin) that can give the language a lilt and a flow not present when those of other countries speak it. O'Brien's words sounded in my head so much that I actually read some of the book aloud to myself.

Just to give a glimpse into (part of) the plot: The unnamed narrator is supposedly a university student, but he spends most of his time in bed or consorting with his friends at drinking establishments. In his spare time, he is writing a novel about a Mr. Trellis, an author who also stays in bed a great deal of the time. Mr. Trellis likes to keep the characters for his novel close at hand, so he imprisons them in a hotel with him. Eventually they revolt and plot revenge. The son of Mr. Trellis,fathered by him with one of the female characters whom he ravished in a moment of weakness, writes the retribution for the other characters, giving Mr. Trellis his just punishment.

We also have one of the characters telling the story of his previous role in an Irish Western by a Mr. Tracy. And we have the story of another character who has been a part of an Irish folklore tale. And we have The Pooka Fergus MacPhillimey, an Irish devil with magical powers. And we have The Good Fairy. And so it goes.

This book is probably not for everybody, because of the absence of a coherent plot. It's maybe somewhat like James Joyce, but readable and funny. I believe it may be in my Top 10 favorites ever.

(Included in many Top 100 lists. Written in 1939.)