{"product_id":"hard-life-9781564781413","title":"Hard Life","description":"Subtitled \"An Exegesis of Squalor,\" \u003ci\u003eThe Hard Life\u003c\/i\u003e is a sober farce from a master of Irish comic fiction. Set in Dublin at the turn of the century, the novel does involve squalor--illness, alcoholism, unemployment, bodily functions, crime, illicit sex--but also investigates such diverse topics as Church history, tightrope walking, and the pressing need for public toilets for ladies. \u003ci\u003eThe Hard Life\u003c\/i\u003e is straight-faced entertainment that conceals in laughter its own devious and wicked satire by one of the best known Irish writers of the 20th century.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFlann O'Brien was one of several pseudonyms of Brian O'Nolan (1911-1966), who is considered along with James Joyce and Samuel Beckett to be one of the greatest Irish writers of the twentieth century. His novels include \u003ci\u003eAt Swim-Two-Birds\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Poor Mouth\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Third Policeman\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Hard Life\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Dalkey Archive\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Dalkey Archive Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50515794985234,"sku":"9781564781413","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_9ff397ef-2adc-47cc-94a7-339d3a399570.jpg?v=1731012047","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/hard-life-9781564781413","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}