Editorial Review

Taylor ... brings to this volume years of access to major and minor figures in this history. One of the best features of his work is its precision. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Biased, ignorant brit reviewer(white-anglo-saxon-muslim)
Learn something about Irish history before you go making your all-knowing comments about Irish Republicans. The loyalists are taking up arms because of hundreds of years if paranoia built into them after stealing Irish land. They know they are wrong and that the Irish want it back. If they want their british way of life then go back to Britain. Also, the IRA should not accept british rule because you claim there are more loyalists than Nationalists. If you mean a larger protestant population in the north of Ireland than the Catholic population, you should do some research. Irish Catholics are about 50% now and will soon be a majority. Why do you think the brits only took 6 of Ulster's 9 counties? So they would have a majority population. The IRA are only trying to protect themselves from hundreds of years of english oppression. The book is a fine one and MOST people are smart enough to either keep their opinions to themselves or do more research before passing ignorant judgement on something they really know nothing about.

Account of the victorious
An interesting and detailed study of the brave defenders of Ulster and the way in which they were able to miltarily defeat the Provos. The abject surrender by the IRA to the the UVF/UFF/LVF and RHC was humiliating but necessary in order to avoid total collapse. I suppose at least that now the Provies won't need to spend their time now planning their next baby-killing stunt.

A Good Book On The Incompetent Loyalist Paramilitaries
This is actually a very good book it shows the plight of both Nationalists and Unionists in Northern Ireland, but more importantly it shows how the Loyalist paramilitaries(the UDA and UVF) although not nearly as powerfull or as well trained as the Republican IRA and INLA, have never the less been able to kill over 900 hundred Catholic civilians. The book does a good job making a distinction between members of the UDA and UVF like Gusty Spence, who did not want to hurt Catholic civilians, and depraved killers like Johnny Adair and Billy Wright, who only killed innocent unarmed men and women. The one thing the book shows exceptionally well is how the UDA and UVF were Ultimately no match for the seasoned IRA(although they try to stoke thier inflated ego's by saying they were winning against the IRA when everyone agrees they were actually losing). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Europe - Ireland    4. History    5. Northern Ireland    6. Northern Ireland - History    7. Paramilitary forces    8. Peace    9. Political Science    10. Political violence    11. Politics - Current Events    12. Politics / Current Events    13. Politics/International Relations    14. Protestantism   

Editorial Review

Everyone feared the Vikings during their three centuries of terror, whichlasted roughly from the start of the 8th century to the end of the 11th century. They are best remembered as cruel pagan raiders from the frigid north, but their vibrant warrior culturealso managed to transform the north Atlantic and much of Russia through trade andsettlement. Their seafaring exploits, passed down through the generations in a series of entertaining sagas,led them to Iceland, Greenland, and even North America (which they called"Vinland"). These accomplishments are truly extraordinary, and reveal how a group of people often belittledas cruel brutes actually expanded the frontiers of human knowledge. Peter Sawyer haspulled together a group of accomplished scholars, including Janet L. Nelson and Simon Keynes,to contribute chapters to this attractive, full-color volume. Read more

Reviews (4)

Christian propaganda about the Vikings endures to this day.
'The Nazis adopted Viking imagary therefore the Vikings must be Nazis' - was the person who came up with that howler having a blonde moment at the time?
Fair
This book falls below what I would expect from Oxford (at least the traditional Oxford of yester-year). The pictures are nice as well as a lot of the text. The main problem with this book is the chapter "The Vikings in History and Ledgend." The author of this essay insinuates that those who take pride in their Viking heritage are Nazis. This chapter is full of inappropriate partisan politics and hurts this book. It reads like propoganda straight out of a typical ADL hate tract. be real
if ya get all romantic thinking about the vikings, just remember that they were the nazis of their day, in terms of senseless destruction and inhumanity. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Scandinavia    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Medieval    6. Medieval World History (Circa 450 - Circa 1450)    7. Pictorial works    8. Scandinavia - History    9. Vikings    10. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    11. History / Scandinavia    12. History, World | European    13. Northern Europe, Scandinavia    14. World history: c 500 to C 1500   

Subjects:  1. 1994-    2. Conflict management    3. Europe - Great Britain - General    4. Europe - Ireland    5. Government - Comparative    6. History    7. History: World    8. International Relations - General    9. Northern Ireland    10. Northern Ireland - History    11. Peace movements    12. Political aspects    13. Politics / Current Events    14. Politics and government    15. Rebellion And Insurgency    16. Reconciliation    17. British & Irish history: postwar, from c 1945 -    18. Civil war    19. History / Ireland    20. Peace studies    21. Politics | International Studies    22. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000    23. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle   

Reviews (3)

A Brilliant Book
For anyone who wants to understand the war on terror and its Irish formulation, this is essential and fascinating reading.Ranelagh is remarkably balanced and fair-minded, while at the same time providing the necessary information and facts without burdening the reader with excessive and obfuscatory detail.He deals with Irish prehistory quickly and interestingly, giving more space to the modern age and its complex of idealism, heroism, nationalism, murder and terror, explaining the motivations and historical prisons so many people in Ireland have endured, coming right up to the present North and South.It is a Short History.More detail would make it something else.But as a short history that is satisfying, well-written and authorative, it cannot be bettered.A remarkable achievement.

A Short History of Ireland
"Short Histories" are hard to write. You can be criticised by virtually all sides: it was very short, it left out something, it was biased towards some specific group, or it gave more attention to culture than to politics, for example. That being said, I was amazed by this book. Ranelagh is a fine writer indeed and he is able to keep it short, interesting, and accurate. And in the case of Ireland, that's a lot! Very fun to read, it is perfect for anyone - if you don't know anything about Ireland or you want to have a condensed history of the Emerald Island. I strongly recommend this one.

So much history so close to home
Ranelagh does a fantastic job of condensing a couple thousand years of history into a readable couple hundred pages.This book is a first-rate shortened version of Irish history.Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Ireland    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Ireland    6. Middle East - Israel    7. Northern Ireland    8. Western Europe - General    9. British & Irish history    10. British Isles    11. History / Great Britain    12. Ireland--History   

Editorial Review

In time long past, little corners of Ireland were ruled by chiefs, kings, earls, and other nobles whose ancient dominion came to an end with the Tudor conquests of the 1500s. But, writes author Peter Ellis, the royal bloodlines continued to flow in faraway lands, the forgotten victims of "the ruthless colonial policy of an unsympathetic alien power."Read more

Reviews (3)

Interesting Read
This is an interesting read despite the overlapping and otherwise confusing lineages. Ellis provides ample texture and tangential history to flesh out the timelines. Following the royal lines brings focus to a lot of the loose ends and myths that have plagued my grasp of Irish history. However, this is the first time in a long time that I find a text so frequently crippled with typos and proofreading errors. The publisher, Palgrave, has not served the author well, perhaps, in hastily revising the earlier text following disclosure of the MacCarthy Mor fraud.

Terrific new treatment of a very old aristocracy
It may come as a shock to some that Ireland still has nineteen documented native "royal" families, probably because the island's ruling dynasties were suppressed nearly five centuries ago by the imperialist Tudors. The conquest of Ireland was followed by the Flight of the Wild Geese, in which much of the Irish aristocracy fled to other Catholic countries (notably France and Spain) and was largely forgotten at home. The government of today's Ireland, however, has been granting courtesy titles to claimants who can prove their descents. Ellis is a noted scholar and popular writer in the area of Celtic studies and history and this enabled him to be "invited in" by the heads of the families to examine their claims. Each of these is "the chief of the name" -- though some also hold other Gaelic titles, such as Conor O'Brien, "The O'Brien," who also is hereditary Prince of Thomond (as well as being a baronet and Baron Inchiquin in the Peerage of Ireland under the UK). They generally have more money (based on land ownership) and education than average, and their influence in Irish culture can be considerable. The author does a very creditable job of outlining the lineage and political history of each of these families, each in its own chapter, as well as the modern-day activities of the chiefs in regaining their social positions. Following the publication of the first edition, a scandal erupted around Terence McCarthy, recognized as The McCarthy Mor, who turned out to be a complete fraud, and that episode, which badly damaged the credibility of the chiefs of Ireland, is also recounted in detail in this edition. An articulate, informative, and very well written book.

The sagas of numerous Gaelic noble families
Erin's Blood Royal: The Gaelic Noble Dynasties Of Ireland by Celtic scholar Peter Berresford Ellis is a stately and informative study of the Irish aristocracies that ruled Ireland until Henry VIII forced them to obey the English crown. Individual chapters relate the sagas of numerous Gaelic noble families, including O'Carroll, O'Connor, McCarthy, Maguire, O'Grady and many more. A highly recommended contribution to Irish Studies supplemental reading lists and reference collections, Erin's Blood Royal is an articulate and impressive account of the family branches whose descendants live in Ireland, Great Britain, America, and many other nations throughout the world today. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aristocracy (Social class)    2. Biography    3. Celts    4. Europe - Ireland    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Ireland    9. Ireland - History    10. Kings and rulers    11. Leinster (Ireland)    12. Social Stratification    13. Ulster (Northern Ireland and I   

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. North American    6. American history    7. Ethnography    8. History / General    9. Immigration & emigration    10. Ireland    11. Northern Ireland    12. Social & cultural anthropology    13. USA   

Reviews (21)

Religio-fascism rears its pitiful head
This book was recommended to me by Amazon.com based on my ownership of a cookbook by Nigella Lawson "How to be a Domestic Goddess." A very interesting software program?
Great Read
Although this book does not offer any form of training really, it was still a good way to get into the mindset of a guerilla fighter. It's interesting to see the correlation between the way the Taliban use some of these tactics in the war in Iraq and throughout the Middle East.

An historical document of its time
Discussion on the merits or otherwise of this pamphlet seems to have generated more heat than light amongst its Amazon reviewers to date. It is what it is - an historical document from the 1950s - not a contemporary training manual or a justification for the recent conflict in Ireland and other areas which were also affected by that conflict. Readers anticipating modern guerrilla warfare theories or an insight into contemporary Irish Republican analysis and strategies will, therefore, find nothing of value in this work. Similarly, those who rail against its authenticity on the grounds that its contents bear no resemblance to materials which a number of recent works have reproduced from 'The Green Book' (and such accusations are clear evidence that the reviewers' knowledge of same is not gleaned from first hand acquaintance with that particular book), are being ahistorical - 'The Green Book' is of comparatively recent vintage, was not in print at the time of the pamphlet under review and belongs to another time and another form of conflict. Technological and military advances since the publication of the pamphlet render most of its content redundant. It should be appraised merely as a product of its time, providing an insight into the type of conflict its authors believed it necessary to prepare for and conduct. The handbook's utility should be judged historically not for its military acumen or lack of it but for its actual relevance to the real political and military circumstances pertaining at the time of its publication. It is the product of a particular militarist/political mindset at a specific period of Irish history, and that is all it is. As an aid to understanding how a section of Irish Republicans once viewed its options it is of interest, as an aid to understanding the ideology that section promoted amongst some of its followers it is of interest, but the pamphlet holds nothing of real value for those interested in either military strategy or contemporary Irish Republicanism. It is an interesting reprint of an obsolete document and as such is of limited value to a readership seeking up to date information on Irish affairs. As an aid to research for those studying militant Irish Republicanism it is, of course, a primary source for the period in which it was produced and distributed and it is strictly as an historical document that the pamphlet is best understood. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Ireland    2. General    3. History    4. History: World    5. Military Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Military engineering    8. Military tactics    9. Northern Ireland    10. Technology / Military Science    11. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle   

Editorial Review

Former United States senator George Mitchell tells the inside story of how he maneuvered the warring factions of Northern Ireland into signing the Good Friday peace agreement in 1998. This was no small task, requiring him to bring together Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, Catholic moderate John Hume, Protestant politico David Trimble, unionist Ian Paisley, Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern, and British prime minister Tony Blair. Mitchell's prose is a model of clarity--a surprising quality coming from the pen of a politician, especially one of the most partisan Senate majority leaders of all time. There is plenty of detail about the negotiations and all of their turns, but never so much as to become tedious. Along the way, Mitchell offers interesting asides on achieving success in politics and diplomacy: "As majority leader of the United States Senate, I had learned that when you've got the votes, you vote. Delay can only hurt." It's too soon to know the ultimate outcome of Mitchell's labors, but initial signs are hopeful, suggesting that this memoir might have real staying power. Read more

Reviews (5)

About George
If you want to know about George Mitchell then I would reccomend the excellent book, "Strange Justice - Jane Meyer & Jill Abramson".This is the account of the right wing republican lynching of Anita Hill who came forward to testify against the Clarence Hill nomination to the Supreme Court.Georgie was Senate majority leader at that time.I used to have a very favorable impression of Georgie until I read this book.George here along with his pal, the Senate Judiciary committee Chairman at that time, Senator Joseph Biden, did everything possible to faciliate the republican's lynching of Anita Hill's testimony.George drew a ton of derision and ill will from women's rights groups from all over the country.He kept mumbling "I cant do anything, I cant do anything, its the protocol, its the protocol" when supporters of Hill asked him to delay the floor vote on the Senate on Thomas's nomination so that there would be more time to pursue the investigation into Hill's allegations.The entire Clarence Thomas nomination episode is a sorry clown's cap that these men still wear and hope people will forget.Read that book.Mitchell was a disgrace.The least these guys could have done was write a book apologizing for their cowardly capitulation in the face of the right wing smear machine that was and still is stalking this country.

Good look @ process of peace, but too early for real details
This book is an enjoyable read which will introduce you to all the major players in the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Peace Accords, and give a good sense of what the challenges were and how the various partiesworked to overcome them. Very dissapointing
If you followed the peace negotiations while they were occuring, you really have no need of this book. Mitchell is frustratingly vague throughout, relating the negotiations in the most general of terms and notgiving us much new insight. I don't think I learned anything about thenegotiations from this book that I didn't already know. Vague and dry, readthis book only if you didn't follow the peace negotiations at all. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (George John),    2. 1933-    3. 1994-    4. 20th century    5. History    6. International Relations - General    7. Mitchell, George J.    8. Northern Ireland    9. Peace movements    10. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    11. Political Science    12. Politics / Current Events    13. Politics and government    14. Politics/International Relations    15. International relations    16. Mitchell, George J    17. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    18. Political Science / General   

Reviews (2)

More Buildup Than Payoff
The history of women who served in military special forces or intelligenceoperations is completely virgin territory. However, the promise of She WhoDared by "Jackie George" is ultimately unfulfilled. she who dared a readers opinion
an excellent book, information albeit sensitive was put across in a very professional manner,The author managed to maintain the readers interest from the start to the finish also ensure that the human emotions of whatwas and is a particulary sensitive occupation ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Biography    3. Europe - Great Britain - General    4. Europe - Ireland    5. George, Jackie    6. Great Britain    7. History    8. History - Military / War    9. Military    10. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    11. Modern - 20th Century    12. Northern Ireland    13. Political violence    14. Prevention    15. Undercover operations    16. Women soldiers    17. British & Irish history: postwar, from c 1945 -    18. History / Military / Other    19. Special & elite forces   

Reviews (2)

A superlative book
I think that it would be very hard to classify this as a picture book. The text is truly tremendous and the accompanying illustrations were excellent. A researcher's dream
This is one of those rare books which explores both the micro and macro of the period. It discusses the major historical events of the time in great detail. But it also paints a picture of everyday life of the commonman/woman. The information is abundant and accompanied with vivid graphicalrepresentations which aid in learning about this place and time in history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 16th century    2. 17th century    3. Arts, Northern European    4. Europe - General    5. Europe - Germany    6. European    7. European arts    8. History    9. History - General History    10. History: World    11. Western Europe - Benelux    12. Europe    13. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)   

Editorial Review

In the early Middle Ages, driven by famine at home and the promise of wealth to be had in other lands, the Viking people exploded out of Scandinavia and set about conquering parts of England, Ireland, France, Russia, and even Turkey. Emboldened by their successes, the Vikings pushed ever farther outward, eventually crossing the North Atlantic and founding settlements in Iceland, Greenland, and eastern Canada.Read more

Reviews (11)

A wealth of info on the medieval Norse reach across the ocean
This sumptuous and lavishly illustrated volume of 432 large pages, was published by the Smithsonian Institution in 2000 to coincide with the thousandth year, as close as we can reckon, of Leif Erikson's pioneering voyage to North America where he founded an outpost in "Vinland" that was used by subsequent expeditions until finally being abandoned after several skirmishes with the native inhabitants -- this according to the two pertinent surviving sagas.
A Great Resource!!!
For those interested in: A great start
This great book takes you from western Europe and Russia to L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland in a gigantic arc of detail and archaeology. Many areas of great intrest such as the Isle of Man and the Shetland Isles are often overlooked in OTHER books but not this one. If you want to start learning about the Vikings disembark from here. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Catalogs    3. Discovery and exploration    4. Europe - Scandinavia    5. Expeditions & Discoveries    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Maritime History    10. Material culture    11. Norse    12. North America    13. Northmen    14. Polar Regions    15. Vikings    16. Celtic, Saxon, Germanic & Nordic archaeology    17. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    18. History of specific racial & ethnic groups    19. Interdisciplinary Studies    20. Northern Europe, Scandinavia    21. World history: BCE to c 500 CE    22. World history: c 500 to C 1500   

Reviews (1)

Two millennia's texts: condensed & refined by experts
This evidently, CUP tells us, is available only as a two-volume set. It's improbable that a purchaser would be satisfied with only one half of this massive study anyway. Handsomely bound, in a blue that reminded me that this hue was anciently Ireland's traditional national color, and diligently researched and edited (I only caught two typographical errors while reading in these books for hours), this may be an investment rather than an impulse buy, but one that should reward the owner richly.
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Subjects:  1. English literature    2. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    3. General    4. History and criticism    5. Intellectual life    6. Ireland    7. Irish authors    8. Irish literature    9. Literary Criticism    10. Literature - Classics / Criticism    11. Northern Ireland    12. Literary Criticism & Collections / General    13. Literary studies: general   

Reviews (3)

An outstanding survey of its actual making and includes plenty of vintage black & white photos & illustrations rich in detail
Plenty of books have been published on the sinking of the Titanic, but this is the first detailed account of how the ship was designed and constructed and provides a haunting view of how it was made and promoted. Where competitors focus on its demise or its voyage, BUILDING THE TITANIC: AN EPIC TALE OF THE CREATION OF HISTORY'S MOST FAMOUS OCEAN LINER is an outstanding survey of its actual making and includes plenty of vintage black and white photos and illustrations rich in detail.
RMS Titanic Construction
I am very disappointed in the editing of the book, many many typographical errors! Also, the book did not go into detail about the various construction techniques that went into building the ship. I wanted a step by step process especially in the interior construction of the cabins and public rooms, i.e. construction from the bulkhead/exterior skin, insulation, woodwork, plastering, wiring, plumbing etc.

The Best Technical Description of the Ship Yet
All of us know a bit about the voyage of the Titanic. Yet less has been published about the design and construction of the ship. This book begins with a general discussion of the North Atlantic passenger trade from its early days to show why the Titanic was the logical choice for the next ship to be built. From here it goes into the design and construction of the ship. Everything from the boilers, to the double hull are discussed. Numerous photographs show points in the construction and give you a feeling of the giant size of the vessel when men are shown standing next to the truly titanic size of the vessel.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Belfast    3. Commercial Ship Design And Construction    4. Design and construction    5. History    6. Maritime History    7. New Age    8. Northern Ireland    9. Shipbuilding    10. Ships & Shipbuilding - History    11. Titanic (Steamship)    12. Transportation    13. History / General   

Subjects:  1. 1969-1994    2. 1994-    3. 20th century    4. Europe - Great Britain - General    5. Europe - Ireland    6. History    7. History - General History    8. Northern Ireland    9. Peace    10. Peace movements    11. Political    12. Political Science    13. Politics and government    14. Politics/International Relations    15. Political Science / Peace   

Reviews (23)

a piece of real journalism
Conroy rolls around in the grit and dirt of life in sectarian violence-shattered Belfast.
Great read
I really enjoyed this book.I thought that Conroy did a great job putting the 'Troubles' in Belfast into perspective from an American living in the midst of it all.Having visted the area that he writes of brought back memories.I referred to his map at least 50 times during my reading of the book to recall the streets that I walked in relation to where he wrote the book and spent his time in Belfast.I highly recommend this book.

An indispensable account...
of what it is like to live, work and experience the turmoil of "The Troubles." Conroy covered the Troubles the right way...he went in and lived among the people in Belfast instead of swooping in for drive-by interviews like too many journalists have done in the past. He also manages to convey what he experienced while maintaining objectivity...this skill when dealing with terrorist and paramilitary violence is something writers covering the "War on Terror" these days could learn from. Required reading for anybody interested in Northern Ireland, its history and how to possibly make a better future in that wartorn nation... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1951-    2. 20th century    3. Belfast    4. Belfast (Northern Ireland)    5. Conroy, John,    6. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    7. Europe - Great Britain - General    8. General    9. History    10. History: World    11. Modern - 20th Century    12. Northern Ireland    13. Northern Ireland - History    14. Politics / Current Events    15. Social History    16. Social life and customs    17. Travel    18. Violence    19. British & Irish history: postwar, from c 1945 -    20. Conroy, John    21. History / Ireland    22. Journeys    23. Social groups & communities    24. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle   

Reviews (2)

A religious history of the Scot Irish, not a history of the people
Unless you are really interested in all the petty arguments about religion among the protestant, presbyterians and baptists this book is not for you.Data on the Scots Irish people themselves makes up less than 25% of this book and even then it is more into quoting what this official or that official had to say.You don't really get a feel for what the people were like or why they were the way they were.
Curious
The first question I asked myself prior to reading the book was: "How will this book be different than Leyburn's book on the same subject, written in the 60s?" Not much. Given the number of studies, articles, etc covering this very topic it would have been valuable for griffin to have included a bibliographical essay to outline how his study breaks new ground.Still, Griffin does a thorough job outlining why the Protestant Dissenters left Ulster for the shores of America.However, his title "People With No Name" is curious, as these folks had several names (Ulster Scots, Presbyterians, Scots Irish, Dissenters) all of which Griffin acknowledges.It was also dissapointing to see a dissertation/book once again ignore Catholic migrants to America from Ireland. Catholics in Ireland are only mentioned on 7 of this book's 173 pages. No comparison is made between Griffin's Ulster Scots (or whatever he decides to call them) and their Catholic neighbors who surely underwent the same economic, agricultural, etc. trials in the 18th century.Read more

Subjects:  1. 17th century    2. 18th century    3. Emigration & Immigration    4. Europe - Ireland    5. History    6. History - U.S.    7. History: American    8. Scots    9. Scots-Irish    10. Ulster (Northern Ireland and Ireland)    11. United States    12. United States - Colonial Period    13. American History    14. American history: c 1500 to c 1800    15. European History    16. History / United States / Colonial Period (1600-1775)    17. Immigration & emigration    18. North America    19. Northern Ireland    20. Social & cultural anthropology    21. USA    22. c 1600 to c 1700    23. c 1700 to c 1800   

Reviews (22)

Very Personal account of Oglaigh na hEireann
This is a great book about Oglaigh na hEireann.The journalist who wrote the book got to meet with some IRA leaders.He got first and second hand acounts of specific missions.It gives you a very close and personal view of the troubles. I would recomend this to any Irish man or woman, especially if you are of a republican backround

Reviewof Rebel Hearts
I have read many books on the struggles in Northern Ireland but this book stands apart from them all.Toolis has the unique ability to remain both objective and passionate about this topic.As the subtitle suggests he truly gets into the soul of the IRA.His book is based on research, interviews and perosnal experiences that could have placed Toolis himself in harms way.Some may see this as a weakness, but Toolis's conclusions are clear.Prior to reading this book I knew a lot of facts about the struggles of the IRA.After reading Toolis's book I suddenly understood some of what created and continues to fuel these struggles.I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Irish History, the history of the IRA or interested in the violent struggles that mark the 20th century.

Both Profound & Better than Expected
I read _Rebel Hearts_ as part of my research for my senior thesis on the Northern Question and found it better than I ever imagined. While it does indeed profile the lives of particular IRA members (as already mentioned by other reviewers), it does so much more: it delves into the psychology of how and why the IRA exists and operates. To me, this is a much bigger issue than individual biographies, as good as they are. From the book's preface, Toolis is clear about his position: he foresees peace in Ireland only through "a transfer of power away from the British Crown." He explores Irish martyrdom, politics, history, and methodology, though I would caution that this book is no crash-course on Irish history. If you are looking to know more about that subject, _Rebel Hearts_ already presumes a fair amount of knowledge. (But Toolis does include a list of abbreviations at the beginning.) Toolis delves into the link between politics and religion without browbeating the reader and he thoroughly explains the deep-seated spiritual issues that accompany the political conflicts in Northern Ireland. His compelling conclusion at the book's close gave me goosebumps as I read it: "There will be peace in Ireland and it will be a republican peace." Here, here. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Europe - Ireland    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Irish Republican Army    8. Northern Ireland    9. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    10. Political Science    11. Violence   

Editorial Review

Eamon Collins never pulled a trigger for the Irish Republican Army. But he helped organize several hits--some "successful," others not. Upon joining the IRA, he was warned that "in all probability, [he] would end up on the run, in prison, or dead." Collins would end up all three: after a bombing attack--in which he had played no part--he was arrested, and after five days of punishing interrogation, agreed to turn informer. Changes of heart eventually led him to recant his confessions, and he was sent to prison. Upon his release, the IRA forced him into exile "outside the war zone." As time passed, he returned to his family home and tried to move on. In 1995 Collins appeared on British television to tell the story of his life in the IRA.Read more

Reviews (20)

Regrets without apologies:the post-trauma of terorism
This is one of the very few books I have read that literally gave me nightmares.