Modern Classics At Swim Two Birds (Penguin Modern Classics) Paperback – Import, January 1, 2000

Absolute masterpiece, I read it every couple of years. Clever as Waugh, funny as Wodehouse and always enthralling.PS: I am adding an edit here because I just saw a couple of low star reviews from people that had trouble understanding the writing; bless them but he is talking to the butcher not the block.

A great book! Unfortunately, there are numerous transcription errors in the Kindle version.

Add two stars if you know everything there is to know about Irish lore and history, are a fan of metafiction, and are keenly attuned to whatever it is O’Brien getting at. Add three stars if you have a time machine. The is a fine text to understand and enjoy; unfortunately it seems only comprehensible by those who already get it.There are moments of wonderful perception and insight. I laughed out loud several times. I was also absorbed at times, fully in the moment. But none of these moments lasted, or were allowed to last. Ultimately the work is over indulgent and outright abusive to the reader…unless you are one of the very few for whom this is written. If you are not, loathe it well.

On reflection a satire of the time. When reading I found it confusing and bizarre

A hugely readable and entertaining romp; funny, beautifully crafted Irish writing. This was a re-read after many years, and just as much a pleasure in incipient dotage as it was in the distant days of youth. A must read.

Sorry, but rarely if ever have I left a negative review. My habit is to finish each book I begin, however painful or long. That requires at least a beginning that causes you to turn the next page. Although the premise sounded promising, the first chapter was a challenge to comprehend. Certainly artistic in image and language, but too jumbled and cluttered with unimaginable fictitional imaginations of someone else’s mind.

To read this masterwork by O'Brian is to take a plunge into the headwaters of two joining rivers -- Language and Purpose -- and be carried away in their swift crosscurrent. Don't be concerned if the words start to swirl and their Meaning turns to froth. Trust the flow. It will circle back and reward you with ever deepening and broadening insights into where you were previously and ultimately where we are all going.

I read it. It is funny. But maybe it is funny because I have degrees in English Lit with a focus on Irish Literature. The average intelligent reader may not love it. If Joyce's Ulysses makes you smile, give it a try.