The Third Policeman

By: Flann O'Brien

Narrated by: Jim Norton

Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Flann O'Brien's most popular and surrealistic novel concerns an imaginary, hellish village police force and a local murder.

Weird, satirical, and very funny, its popularity has suddenly increased with the mention of the novel in the TV series Lost.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©1967 Flann O'Brien (P)2012 Naxos AudioBooks

Critic reviews

"His writing is invariably compared to those other Irish greats, Joyce and Beckett, but for me he is infinitely more accessible and much funnier." (Sue Arnold, The Guardian, UK)
"If ever a book was brought to life by a reading, it is this presentation of O'Brien's posthumously published classic. Norton individually crafts voices and personalities for each character in such a way that a listener might imagine an entire cast of voice talent working overtime....[He] ties the ribbon on a perfect presentation of this absurd and chilling masterpiece." ( Publishers Weekly)

Like a weird, long dream

The story was exhilarating: felt like a long, bizzare dream. Gave me several heart attacks too.

Perfect

I don't generally read magical, surrealistic fiction, and maybe I would have given up on The Third Policeman if I read it. But Jim Norton's narration is the best I have heard. He brings all the characters to life, especially Sergeant Plunk. There is a lot of humor in this book, and the ending is perfect. Highly recommended.

The Other Policeman's Ball

I recall that in the 90s there was a series of comedic/musical shows put on by Amnesty International and, at least originally, led by John Cleese (Monty Python), called "The Secret Policeman's Ball". I have no idea if this title inspired the name of those farcical, funny shows (which you can still find parts of on You Tube), but it could well have done.
This book, often regarded as at the forefront of the Post Modernest movement in literature, has everything and nothing. It is full to the brim, yet empty of content. It is insightful about things that really are of no consequence. And it is very, very clever.
However, it is not for everyone. It is very difficult to follow if you don't listen carefully. Example: my practice is to listen to books in the car to work and back; but not this book. It is too dense with detail and the devil is not only to be found there, but finding him/her is not enough. You then have to pour them a cup of tea and sup' with them for fear that you too will petrify over time, turn into a bicycle or come to admit understanding of something that is not capable of rational thought. Put another way, if you like "Catch 22", you will probably find this book illogical!
I can't say I enjoyed the book. It was a bit too much like hard work. But I admire it immensely, I am astounded by its breath of literary allusion and I loved the Irish wit (what an Aussie might call, "taking the piss"!). The ludicrous footnotes to the works of de Selby are a good example of this.
I agree with the other reviewers that Norton's reading is nothing short of brilliant.
Finally, a reminder that, like all Naxos productions I have downloaded, there is a PDF that comes with the title. They are generally worth the effort to open up (from the My Books table on the Audible site) and that is true in this case, too.

How is it I didn't know?

Wow. Just... wow. Seriously, this book is an absolute gem of absurdist fiction. Phenomenal story - and my attempt to describe it will either be incomprehensible, or so superficial that it will be no help at all. OK - a few deaths (I'm not quite sure how many). A visit to Eternity. A lot of time spent in a country police station somewhere in Ireland. An interesting interpretation of "atomic theory." Oh, and bicycles. I only wish I had discovered this book, and Flann O'Brien, sooner.

All of this is brilliantly narrated by Jim Norton, whose lyrical voice seems capable of projecting an astonishing variety of characters. Of the many audio versions of Ulysses by James Joyce, Jim Norton's is the best.

I'd heard the name Flann O'Brien (real name: Brian O'Nolan), but had never known much about him at all. Then I read something about this book and decided to take the plunge. I'm very glad I did. If you're a fan of Borges, Italo Calvino, or Philip K. Dick (especially "Ubik"), you should take the plunge, too. You won't regret it.

If Monty Python Performed Beckett…

…and tossed in a bit of quantum mechanics for good measure, they might have come up with something like The Third Policeman. This absurd story of a murderer trying to recover a lost cash box and a barracks staffer by bicycle-obsessed policemen is silly, witty, and hallucinatory like a Lewis Carrol book. I enjoyed the main plot but found the subplot about a fictional physicist told in footnotes tedious at times, although this part has some funny moments nevertheless. Great reading by Jim Norton!

interestin

niver heard a ting like it in all me life
it'sa good ting the author had a job in civil service or his siblings would a starved

Magnificent. Norton brings the book alive

Would you consider the audio edition of The Third Policeman to be better than the print version?

Having read and enjoyed The Third Policeman several times, I realise as I listen to Jim Norton that I only scratched the surface. Thank you Bishop!

What other book might you compare The Third Policeman to and why?

The exuberant language, the vibrant characters, the crazy humour, the sinister core, make this book hard to categorise. Perhaps if you enjoyed Catch-22 you would enjoy this.

What about Jim Norton’s performance did you like?

Jim Norton's performance is exemplary: pitch-perfect, even, intelligent, committed, involved and involving, tireless, with a magisterial command of characterisation and voicing - an absolute joy.

Down the rabbit hole

What made the experience of listening to The Third Policeman the most enjoyable?

The narrator's acting ability, clear speech and irish accent.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Third Policeman?

All moments of comic terror.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Eternity and your bicycle.

Any additional comments?

If you're looking for a bizarre, metaphysical, down the rabbit hole adventure and occasional comic terror, this book is for you. The lovely writing keeps it all together. The one thing I did not like was the many footnotes referencing the philosopher de Selby. For me they were a distraction from the story. If I read this again (not listen) I will put more effort into following the de Selby footnotes. Reading a study guide or literary discussions at the same time would help lots. Loved the bicycles.

Surreal surprise

If you could sum up The Third Policeman in three words, what would they be?

Droll and absurd.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The narrator. His plight was so poignant.

What does Jim Norton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It's hard to imagine this zany mystery story without his voice. Or voices. He can play five parts at once in a funny, convincing way.

If you could rename The Third Policeman, what would you call it?

Crime and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance

Any additional comments?

Jim Norton's droll delivery is worthy of a prize. The writing is rich and witty. And the plot is ridiculous. Highly recommended.

Another great performance from Jim Norton

This is the second audiobook, with JN as the reader, I have listened to (Ulysses was the first). I have enjoyed his performance immensely in both of them.

This is a wonderful book that I read many years ago and I had just as much satisfaction listening to it as I had all those years past.