[duncanap]

I heard this on the radio and thought it might be of some interest. 

The exploding library – Mark Watson talks about the Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien.

It’s about a book written in the 1940’s which is surreal sci-fi, murder, mystery and people turning into bicycles. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0011s0q

Topic

[andystow]

I read it a few years ago.

I read it a few years ago. Surreal, but definitely worth a read.

[brooksby]

I’ve read it a few times, yes

I’ve read it a few times, yes.  Completely mad, but pretty entertaining.

[duncanap]

of course – good work. 

of course – good work. 

Had you read the book before? It sounds full bonkers, but intriguing.

[duncanap]

ahh the innocent days pre

ahh the innocent days pre-internet…..

[brooksby]

Sorry, duncanap – I was

Sorry, duncanap – I was quoting from the book for comedic effect (should have added a winking face emoji) 😉

[Dingaling]

That is the extent of such

That is the extent of such knowledge. When I wrote the comment I did wonder if anybody else on roadcc would know the film. I think it must have been in 1977, in Frankfurt, when an Aussie friend said some videos had come in to the office from the U.S. He worked for HP and could borrow a company video player so we arranged a film evening for some couples and he brought 3 films. One I don’t remember the name of, one was the above mentioned and the third was Linda Lovelace in Deep Throat. The …. Miss Jones film was the best of the 3.

Sometime later I read in a UK newspaper that there was a court case about “The Devil in Miss Jones” and that the jury had been required to retire to a showing of the film. I never did find out what they thought of it but I’d bet the blokes wouldn’t have dared stand up until well after it had finished.

[duncanap]

I stand corrected, and also

I stand corrected, and also am in awe of your erotic bicycle literary knowledge!

I guess I should be saying one of the very few bicycle sex scenes in literary history. I will be even more impressed if someone can find a third one…..

[Dingaling]

Not the only bicycle sex in

Not the only bicycle sex in literary history if you include the script/book for the film “The Devil in Miss Jones” – 1973 

[duncanap]

bits of it are, including

bits of it are, including probably the only written bicycle sex scene in literary history.

What grabbed me was part where they took atomic theory to the extreme. We are all made of atoms, whizzing around. So are bicycles. So if you ride your bike on a bumpy road, some of your atoms will bounce into the bike, and some of the bicycle’s atoms will bump into you.

Over time, and many bumpy rides, the percentage of you which is actually bicycle will increase – 1%, 5% – may be up to 50%. Then are you a person or a bicycle? I think this is especially pertinent given how poor UK roads are at the moment.

[brooksby]

Is it about a bicycle?

Is it about a bicycle?

[Author]

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