To those who know O'Nolan's writing, ["Stories and Plays"] is a treasure. To those who don't, it is an excellent introduction, for every type of thing that he did in English is here, in brief, and in a rich assortment: the unfinished novel, "Slattery's Sago Saga," or "From Under the Ground to the Top of the Trees" is pure wild O'Nolan wit. "The Martyr's Crown" is one of the world's greatest short stories of comic intelligence. The two plays "Thirst" and "Faustus Kelly," do not contribute anything new in the technical sense to the play form, but they are perfect for reading…. (p. 7)
And finally there is a piece called "A Bash in the Tunnel." This is a mixture of literary criticism, a portrait of an Irish eccentric, a self-portrait of the writer as an ageless dog, and a short story: "A better title of this piece might be: 'Was Joyce Mad?'" (pp. 7-8)
William Saroyan, in The New York Times Book Review (© 1976 by The New York Times Company; reprinted by permission), March 28, 1976.
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