Puckoon (1963) is Spike Milligan’s classic slapstick novel.

In 1924 the Boundary Commission is tasked with creating the new official division between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. Through incompetence, dereliction of duty and sheer perversity, the border ends up running through the middle of the small town of Puckoon.

Milligan seems more interested in writing character profiles with mini back-stories than creating a cohesive narrative. So it’s in his observational humour that his wit and comedy is found.

However everything seems to be barreling towards a catastrophe of Irish proportions as all the events cumulate in the final chapters.