Re: psychoceramics: de Selby et al

[Rob <rradd @ peg.apc.org>]

Andrew C. Bulhak wrote:

> I haven't found any of O'Brien's books mentioning de Selby, but I
> believe he (and his theories of teratological molecules, six-dimensional
> plenumary time and similar things) were mentioned in the footnotes of
> Robert Anton Wilson's novel, "The Widow's Son".  I'd like to find out
> more about de Selby.

Hi Andrew, 

I wasn't aware of the Robert Anton Wilson reference. I have copies of O'Brien's 
"The Third Policeman", and "The Dalkey Archive" (I had the "Best of Myles" and 
"At Swim-Two-Birds", but they've been lent.) I'll have to re-read the Flann to 
provide a few choice morcels.

De Selby is extremely prominent in the Dalkey Archive. He's discovered a way of 
making all times (ie history) coalesce into the present by somehow removing 
oxygen in underwater caves using a susbstance known as DMP. He's able therefore 
to interview legendary figures such as John the Baptist and St Augustine. This 
gives Flann O'Brien to have a lot of fun at the expense of the Catholic 
religion.(Incidentally, James Joyce appears, having reired from writing, darning 
socks in a Jesuit Seminary).

De Selby Is mentioned extensively in footnotes in the "The Third Policeman", 
notably at the end, where his left over drawings were mistaken for an entire 
architectural thesis. 

Here's a Flann Obrien page with a couple of De Selby References and a couple of 
links.   http://www.omnium.com/pub/omnium/flann.html

> I've read _Exploits and Opinions of Dr. Faustroll, Pataphysician_ though.
> Well worth reading.  The final chapter deals with mathematically finding
> the surface area of God.

There is quite a big extract of Faustroll in my Jarry Selected works, and it has 
some excellent science, as you say. 

Love the chomsky bot, the pomo essay generator and the dada machine by the way. 

Rob

PS, it seems that this on line catalogue has lot of "imaginitive" fiction. 
http://www.akpress.org/default.html

Gilbert Sorrentino, incidentally, is very much O'Brien inspired in Mulligan 
Stew.