Description
Follow Bonaparte O'Coonassa from his humble beginnings in the impoverished Irish village of Corkadoragha, where potatoes are a luxury and poverty is as much a part of the landscape as the beauty surrounding it. This wickedly satirical novel skewers Irish cultural mythology and the romanticization of rural hardship with biting wit and dark humor, presenting a family whose daily existence is shared equally with their livestock. Flann O'Brien's masterwork challenges the sentimental narratives that had long defined Irish identity, exposing the harsh realities beneath the poetic veneer. Originally published in Irish in 1941, the novel provoked fierce backlash from those invested in preserving traditional Irish culture, cementing its place as a fearless and controversial work of literary satire. A brilliant deconstruction of national identity and cultural pretension, The Poor Mouth remains a darkly comic and unflinching examination of poverty, tradition, and the stories we tell ourselves.
Available Editions
paperback
Flamingo
Published Oct 11, 1993
128 pages
ISBN: 9780586087480
paperback
Dalkey Archive Press
Published Jan 1, 1996
128 pages
ISBN: 9781564780911
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Details
First Published
1941
Language
eng
Translation
Original: An Béal Bocht
From: gle
Content Warnings
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