Ireland Books

I was hesitant to read this book despite the recommendation of a friend and despite the accolades written here. How foolish. Reading this book was like sinking into a great mattress. I was near hypnotized by the beauty of the text which simply flowed. At times I was so overcome that I had to put the book down, the sadness of it all is wrenching. But never is the book depressing or is it hateful while describing the hate that people so easily engender. This is an extraordinary work.

This book was a gift to me from someone who knows my love of the Irish and of writers from that country. I began it hesitantly, not sure of the country I was entering, until I got perhaps ten pages into the book. The protagonist was describing how his mother sliced bread:

"..She did it in a trice. In the sewing of a wren's mitten."

I never looked back. His writing is brilliant, evocative, heartbreaking.

So good that after I had read a library copy, I purchased my own so I could read it all over. This novel takes on indirectly (as in his more recent "A Long, Long Way From Home") Barry's own family's experience as Irish divided between serving the British and aiding those who rebelled against the King. The other reviewers here cover much of the plot, but I might add that a touch of magic realism near the explosive climax makes for a nice touch, and the tension between truth-telling and perceived loyalty moves the story of the modern-day Aeneas along his wanderings efficiently and poignantly.

Barry, also a poet and best known--at least before this novel--as a playwright, brings to his fictional characters a narrative style somewhat at odds with what one might expect. He's not Joyce, that is, striving for a correlative voice to match his character's interior musings. Rather, he takes the rich legacy of Joyce and makes it impel his own telling of the interior life of those that Barry finds empathy with, and whose inner as well as outer itineraries this author feels, you sense, he must tell. This impelling of a writer to find release through his creations makes for a very effective novel, indeed.

...and sure, Mark Twain would likely love the hero of this wonderful book. Eneas is truly an innocent - he never shies from hard work, he loves his family dearly, and (his gift and his damnation) he has no neither mind nor care at all, at all for the politicks. He's not really a simpleton, merely a simple man. Born in 1900, he comes of age with the Irish struggle for independence so vividly painted by events such as the Easter uprising of 1916. When his mates - especially his best boyhood friend, Jonno Lynch - are enlisting in the fight to throw off the British oppression, Eneas, finding it difficult to locate gainful employment, enlists first in the British Merchant Navy (which in itself might have been forgiven by those who deemed themselves his judges later), then in the Royal Irish Constabulary. The RIC being mainly a police force, Eneas couldn't see the harm in lending a hand in that quarter - but as the fight for independence grew more fierce and factional, the RIC was tied too closely in the eyes of some to the hated Tans, who were responsible for some right bloody work. Eneas, finding himself on a blacklist kept by those calling themselves patriots, is given a choice - get close to and kill the much-hated and feared Reprisal Man of the Tans, or suffer the consequences of a death sentence. Our hero cannot bring himself to kill a man, so he refuses - and when he sees that those who have threatened him with extinction mean just what they say, sees no other choice than to flee his beloved Sligo and his native Ireland altogether.

Thus his adventures and travels begin. He signs on with a merchant vessel and winds up in Galveston, Texas. He enlists with the British Army for World War II in order to save France (a country for whom he bears a great love, of unknown origins) from Hitler. After being shell-shocked on the beach at Dunkirk and lodging with a French farmer for a growing and harvesting season, he makes his way back to England, pays a quick visit to Ireland, then winds up in Nigeria, digging a canal for a British company. He finds the best friend of his life in the person of Harcourt, a Nigerian national he first meets on a boat heading to Ireland, then again in Nigeria. Harcourt's friendship becomes one of the true treasures of Eneas' life - and a lifelong friendship it is.

Barry's language and prose capture his characters, the setting and their story perfectly. The reader can't help but feel a great empathy for Eneas, and for others in the book as well. Through the story of one man - and a very believable story it is indeed - Barry lays bare the pain through which Ireland has passed in its journey to find itself. There's a lot of sadness to be found here - but there's a lot of joy as well, so.

Read this book - and read Barry's novel ANNIE DUNNE as well (even better, I think, but that's me...).

The Irish have always been known as great storytellers, but now they're all turning into great writers as well, and it seems they're coming out of the woodwork. Sebastian Barry's The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty places the protagonist in the small village of Sligo where he is an innocent among angry partisans. When he chooses to alleviate his problems of employment by taking a job with the Royal Irish Constabulary, the British-led police force, he irrevocably alters his life - as you might imagine! With beautiful language and ethereal descriptive passages, Barry allows readers to follow Eneas' travels and travails - all of us hoping for a happy ending.

I know Larry Hawthorne as a comptetitive ballplayer who hits a lot better than your average pitcher. Knowing him this way, and being a writer myself, I recommend his book because I know he is honest, a clean player, and would not steer you wrong. Not a good enough reason to buy the book?
I could say, as the old joke goes about politicians, that he has never done a mean, rotten thing that he hasn't been sorry for, but I haven't known Larry long enough to know if he has ever done a mean, rotten thing. I know he is generous with baseball tips and has the best cooler on the sidelines. If you met him on the street he would greet you with a smile. In fact, if I asked him, he would autograph your book for you. That's how nice a guy he is. What more do you want from a book about beer in Munich? Check the excerpt and other reviews and see for yourself. If he is reading this right now, he is slapping his head with his hand and saying, "The next time Steve comes up to bat I'm pitching him a slow fat one right across the plate so he can hit it out of the park for the first time in his life!" That's how nice a guy he is.
I met him in the high deserts of south california, out where Jesus lost his boots, where right field is littered with gopher holes, where the 'Swingin' Steves' try to give him fits by getting line drives, and I'm glad I got the chance to get to know him. He made my first year as a softball player a lot more enjoyable, which was real special to me because I hadn't played since high school and needed all the help I could get. If you are still reading this then you are a serious beer drinker and if you are planning on going anywhere near Munich you need Larry by your side. From the other reviews you can see he is a great guide and knows his stuff (and his hops, he's always talking about the hops) so I will tell you the one flaw I found in Larry. He swings at everything. But he has a respectable batting average so I'm not going to knock what works for him. I'm a little shorter than him so maybe that makes me want to wait for the best pitch because I dont have the strength he does to drive the ball into the gaps. Well, I was kidding about Larry giving me a big fat pitch for this rambling review, in fact he might just hunker down and feed me low inside pitches because he can and he wants his team to win as much as I do. Like I said, a great competitor and if I still drank beer (diabetes) and had an urge to visit my great-great-grandparents homeland (apparently one of us was a king in Denmark around 1000 ad) I would still buy the cheapest version of this book I could find (that's just me, I'm cheap) but I would read it cover to cover because I trust this guy to give me the real deal. Hoist one for Larry, beer and book fans, and just for your information I wrote this cold sober. Honest. Why would I lie? And if any reporters for the National Enquirer or da Globe, etc. want the real inside dope on Larry I would be willing to supply even more colorful anecdotes to prove it.

This book is suprisingly good and gives extended information about various interesting locales in Munich. The beer locales are a kick. One could spend the whole trip visiting these occasionally quite interesting and cozy dispensers of comustibles and brews.

This book more than pays for itself with the coupons for free beer in the back! Great book too. Has directions to a lot of amazing beirgartens!

I went to Munich for Oktoberfest this year -- got there on a Thursday night and left the following Wednesday. Monday was spent at Oktoberfest. That meant Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday we needed to find beer gardens! This book was the perfect guide -- you can find them by S or U-Bahn stop, even! The 2-for-one certificates were a special bonus. I logged all the beers I drank on the inside cover -- 35 beers in 5 days. Nine of those were the masse size. Burp. Highly recommended.

I have gone through 3 versions of this book, been to Munich 6 times, and I still find new and exciting things to do by reading it.

The BDG2M allows you to sample the best Munich has to offer, and to go to places that tourists and locals love. Reading the book gives you a good idea of the wonderful culture, that IS Bavaria. It's not all about drinking beer, but the unique sense of community, family, and history you will find.

The directions to the beer halls are great. They are simple, easy to follow, and close to infallible. Of course, when there is beer at the end of the road, you tend not to get lost. ;-)

I applaud Larry in his everlasting devotion to this subject. Every edition is fresh, and new adventures await every turn of the page.

Exit Unicorns was recommended by an online group, and I thought I'd give it a try. WOW! I couldn't believe this was Ms. Brandner's first novel! She has a real gift for weaving history through the story in a way that puts the reader right in the middle of it all.

A gripping tale of love, joy, and heartbreak that will leave you wanting more of the characters. Luckily, the sequel, Mermaid in a Bowl of Tears, has just been released and it is, if possible, even better than this one. Buy them both - once you've finished Exit Unicorns, you won't want to wait to keep on with the story!

Can't believe I didn't do this sooner. I read it 2 years ago and have been chomping at the bit for the sequal (Mermaid in a Bowl of Tears) which just came out. Exit Unicorns is one of those stories that you "live" for the duration of your read. It's such a loss when it's over and I missed the characters as though they were absent friends of mine. It's a healthy dose of history cleverely woven throughout an enthralling story that will capture your heart and thoughts for a long time! NOTE that anyone who has read it so far has given it 5 stars!

I knew very little about Ireland and the troubles, the history which set it all in place and the impact on the Irish people. Like Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, Exit Unicorns presented with me characters realistic enough to take up residence in my heart, and inspired me to learn more about the world my new friends `Casey, Pamela, Jamie and Pat' live in, which is relevant to the events in this part of the world today. Each re-read provides `aha' moments relating to both the political maneuverings and personal relationships in the story. Mermaid in Bowl of tears cannot come soon enough.

For the first time in 30 years of reading I finished a book, walked to my computer and spent hours reading more about a time, a place and a people. That is the beauty of this book. Ms. Brandner tugs on your heart and soul as she tells this story with characters you'll feel you know personally, a history that should never be forgotten and some of the most beautiful writing you'll ever experience. Regardless of your politics or heritage, this book will fulfill all the reasons that you enjoy reading.

The contrast of these wonderful characters propels the one story forward from many interesting directions - book-smart and street-smart, rich and poor, old and young, Irish and American. Regardless, the dreams of freedom and equality remain the same. This is a story of passion and loyalty to one another, to ones heritage and to a country. Mix in a bit of warmth and humor, Celtic legends, exquisite poetry and you've got one hell of a book.

I'm so relieved to hear that the sequel is in the works as this is a story that I cannot get enough of. Please give it a try as you'll be glad you did.

Weaving together the lives of an unlikely triumvirate, Brandner masterfully brings the troubles of Northern Ireland to a human level. In this poignant debut novel, the reader gains insight into a history of bloodshed, loyalty, and an elusive peace. The characters are well-defined and layered, revealing themselves gradually as they are forced to weigh their obligations -- to country, to family, to self. This is a story of passion, and the willingness to suffer for it.

I look forward to the next installment in this series.

This book was a shock to me. It's not just a book of annotations, it's also a history of Ireland, literature, language, and nearly everything else Joyce decided to allude to in his masterpiece. I never would have guessed that just reading the annotations (without the source text) would make good reading, but that is certainly the case here. You do not by any means need this book to enjoy Ulysses, but it does give remarkable insight into the mind behind it

I am still digesting "Ulysses." I read it while walking around Dublin a few years ago. It was marvelous to trace the steps of Leopold and Molly, and to see what they "saw," but the novel remains a distant pleasure to the reader. I must admit it is not the most accessible book ever written, but it gets four stars for its intent ... and that it is better than "Finnegan's Wake." Be warned: This book is not for the casual reader. But this annotated edition makes it all worthwhile. You'll get genuine, comprehensible guidance. If you must read "Ulysses," this edition might be most helpful.

Gifford's book offers fascinating glosses and contextual annotations for Ulysses, but was not quite what I was looking for to help me with my first attempt at the book. The annotations are mostly disjoint explanations of specific allusions and references.

There are other guides to Ulysses that are better suited for the novice Joyce reader, helping the reader to keep track of the plot, the progress of the Odyssey and Hamlet corelations and explaining the shifts in style through the book. This kind of hand-holding may be unnecessary for more sophisticated readers, but for my first read, it was essential!

Just a heads up that this is NOT an annotated edition of Ulysses (as I mistakenly thought in purchasing)(duh). It is 600-some pages of notes only and does not include the text of the novel.

When I first tucked James Joyce's ULYSSES under my arm, Don Gifford's ULYSSES ANNOTATED was tucked under the other. (My biceps became very well developed because of this.) It took me an entire summer to read the books side by side but how worthwhile it was. Gifford's essential line by line, almost word by word, guidance made ULYSSES less overwhelming than if I had tried to tackle it alone. Once I got through ULYSSES the second time (the following spring) I was able to go to the more overarching analyses of Joyce's masterpiece. Stuart Gilbert's ULYSSES and Richard Ellmann's ULYSSES ON THE LIFFEY were particularly helpful.

One reviewer wrote that Doc is the reincarnation of Johan Tetzel, well I must beg to differ. After many months of strenuous research, I have concluded that Paul Van Wie is truly the reincarnation of the Holy Savior Jesus Christ. Every single student that has graced his classroom has called him a "Saint" and claims to feel a holy aura beaming from his powerfully built Calvin Klein model-type body. One can see that it was Doc who acted as a "savior" to every single one of his AP Euro students in the few months before the AP test from eternal damnation (ie. their parents). He did by performing the greatest sacrifice of them all... devoting many hours of his life giving countless review sessions that he could otherwise spend at the Club shakin' it until the break of dawn. Another correlation that I have discovered between Doc and Jesus is that if Doc was "transubstantiated" into a type of bread and drink like Jesus does on holy mass, Doc would transsubstantiate into Nacho Cheese Doritos and Diet Snapple, a fine choice for a "last supper" I might add. Some also consider his book "The Holy Bible" of European coinage, which in many respects is true. Doc also preaches the holy doctrine of "respect thy Neighbor," which explains his odd and sometimes scary attraction towards Canada. And the last little tidbit of my research that proves Doc's "Jesus-ness" is his ability to speak in many different "Tongues," and even, yeah you guessed it, Dutch.

There is no one more informed on this topic than Paul Van Wie. He truly is a treasure. Anyone who has a remote interest in History and/or Politics must pick this book up. A must read!

Paul van Wie, Ph.D., is a man so transcendentally knowledgeable that it stupefies the human mind. This book reflects that fact. However, one would do well to notice that the book, for all its other virtues, does not even broach the subject of former First Lady Rachel Jackson's little-known side-career as (you guessed it!) a Nazi spy.

5 stars nevertheless.

When you walk down the halls with a jingle in your pants, all you can think about is Doc Van Wie. That lovely clank of coins makes you think about the history of coins. This is far more sophisticated than those little stamp collections my little boy scout. Often, coins represent a nation and its ideals with really cool drawings and cool sounding Latin Words. That is why Paul Van Wie, teacher of AP EURO, has decided to write a truly amazing book on coins. There is one more thing I do have to say. Why does the subtitle of a book dictate what the book shall be about? My god, its even happening in this reader review!

As My two good friends Cimabue and Giotto would agree this is one of the greatest books ever on European coinage. Louis XIV would be pleased with this awesome display of knowledge by the Doctor. Even Industrial people such as Thomas Sadler enjoy this book. Here are some sample reviews from many of the great figures of history.

"Two Thumbs Up!"- Mahandis Ghandi
"A Masterpiece"- Bernini
"Just like back in da trecento"- Cimabue
"My fingers hurt"- Thomas Sadler
"Le Wow!"- Mazarin
"Zis is a good book"- Otto V(o,a)n Bismarck
"Es un libro fabuloso"- Juana of Spain
"Now That's a spicy meataball- and a good book"- Fra Angelico

As you can see the reviews are pouring in, so stop right now and buy this book! You will not be sorry.

"Utopia Closes" reveals to us an all-too-realistic future where brand names are the only nouns that matter and journalism is a notch below pornography on the ladder of decency. Follow Baby Trousers, in his quest to become a composer in an ugly landscape--whether it is read in Ireland or in the United States, "Utopia Closes" describes a familiar sensation--that of the political apparatus closing around us.

As funny as Flann, as detailed as Dedalus and as wild as, umm, Wilde.
Here's hoping we get a chance to read the whole thing and find out if it's as barmy as Beckett.

Biting, satirical view of the land of the Green Tiger, could it be as bad as this or worse? Read on . . . [[ASIN:B00121WDG0 Utopia Closes - Official ABNA Entrant

A witty and engaging read that ended too soon--loved the ironic crafting of the characters, especially the Marshal.

Fin Keegan rewrites recent Irish history in the terms of a Stalinist fable, creating a hilarious and ambitious vision of his native land as green bear rather than green tiger.

Bobby Mahoney woke up one morning to find a leprechaun sitting on the bedpost. Not knowing what to do, the young boy stayed silent as the little man chatted on about nothing. Bobby was quite glad when his mother called him.

Later that day, Bobby and his little sister Maggie were scheduled to have a day out with their Dad. Bobby's Dad had recently moved out so Bobby was looking forward to spending some time together. If only Maggie didn't have to come. She was such a pain.

Their day was cut short, because of Maggie. At first, it seemed like she'd just eaten too much junk food but once the doctor examined her everyone realized that Maggie's condition was quite serious. Only Bobby understood how dire the situation really was and only he could do something about it.

Bobby Mahoney was a young lad, seven years of age to be exact. Still young enough to believe in mythical creatures but old enough to know that he has the power to change the world if he wished it.

Upon waking one morning Bobby finds a small little man perched on his bedpost. The little man proclaimed himself Shaughnessey as leprechauns never gave out their real names because it beheld too much power in the wrong hands. Shaughnessey and Bobby were about to have the adventure of a lifetime, by taking on a mission to save his sisters life.

Bobby was growing up, his mother and father had a few months past gotten divorced and now his sister came down with Scarlet Fever. Enlisting the help of the little leprechaun, Bobby must face the screaming Ban-Shee, the Spriggin and the Death Coach in order to make sure his sister Maggie did not die because of his wish to be an only child; through this he found he actually loved his sister. Miracles do happen and come to those well deserving, but no matter how much money or gold you may possess you can not always make things perfect...as the story goes.

Jeremy McGuire's children's/early teen book is whimsical and magical. His characters were full of color and life, even if the illustrations were in black and white. Mr. McGuire paints that fairy tale fantasy that children will love, and parents will enjoy reading at bedtime on a regular basis. 5 Hearts

Available where books are sold

Seven year old Bobby is going through a rough time. His parents are getting divorced and they seem pretty angry with each other. He lives with his mother and his annoying four year old sister, Maggie. One day a leprechaun appears to Bobby. He is the only one that can see him. His life takes a turn for the better with O'Shaugnessey in it.
When Bobby's sister becomes ill, he learns that she is slated to die. He must stop this. He takes off into the underworld to try to prevent her death. He must deal with the Ban-Shees and the Coachman who rides the Death Coach. Bobby must reach inside himself to overcome his fears so that he can do something that has never been done before; stop Death.
I loved reading this book. It definitely called out to my Irish roots. "O'Shaugnessey" offers a delightful tale to children. It contains a fun, fantastical adventure, plus there are lessons to be learned that are interwoven between the pages. I think that it is a tale that will be enjoyed both by children and adults. A child whose family is going through a divorce will really be able to relate to Bobby's character. I think that a divorcing parent reading this story, will also have their eyes opened to how their behavior affects their children. The author did a beautiful job illustrating this tale. His pictures convey the emotions of the story.

Bobby Mahoney wakes from a nightmare only to see a Leprechaun, named O'Shaughnessey, perched upon his bedpost. Not quite sure of his eyes, he remains silent and still, until his mother calls him for breakfast. Later when he sees the Leprechaun again, Bobby now believes what he is seeing and begins to talk with the Leprechaun.

At age 7, Bobby's life is fairly typical. He has a little sister who annoys him and he longs for more time with his dad now that his parents are divorced. But when his sister falls ill, Bobby is determined to save her, with a little help from the Leprechauns and other fairy folk.

At the beginning of this children's tale the author states that it is meant to be read aloud in the tradition of the Seanachaí, Irish story tellers, and I couldn't agree more. The style of writing is a narrative that begs for a voice and an audience. I read it over the course of a couple of nights to my son who is 5, it was something he enjoyed and looked forward to.

There is the usage of some "big words" that I think would be lost on most children being read to or older children reading it on their own, but in my case I would explain what they meant to my son and continue on. I plan on passing this book on to my 10 year old niece with the instructions that my sister read it with her; I think it's a charming tale that should be shared.

In my house believing in the fey, Leprechauns and fairy folk is practically a requirement and this story was a fun edition to the tales that already fill our walls. The drawings that accompany the story are detail rich and delightful and they really help bring this story to life. O'Shaughnessey is a magical mix of the real and fanciful, blended together to make the perfect story time tale.

Cherise Everhard, May 2008

Seven year old Bobby Mahoney can't believe it when he wakes up one morning and sees a leprechaun sitting on his bedpost. Soon O'Shaugnessy the leprechaun is taking Bobby on a series of adventures including a visit to a cave filled with gold. While these adventures are fun and exciting, Bobby has some real life problems to deal with - his parents' divorce and his younger sister's sudden illness. O'Shaugnessy will help Bobby see he can change some things but magic can't solve everything.

"O'Shaugnessy: A Boy and His Leprechaun" is a charming fantasy for children. Author Jeremy McGuire says in his introduction to the book that it is meant to be read out loud and it's almost impossible to not use an Irish brogue when doing so. The 1950's setting is a bit vague and this gives the book a timeless feel. McGuire does a wonderful job of portraying young Bobby who is upset about his parents divorce and at times not too fond of his younger sister Maggie or so he thinks until she becomes ill. O'Shaugnessy is another delightful character and children will hope he turns up in their bedroom. McGuire does a great job of capturing the magical leprechaun world and children will love reading (or hearing if the book is indeed read out loud) about Bobby's adventures in that world. Interweaved with the fantasy elements are some real life issues - Bobby's parents' divorce and Maggie's serious illness. Bobby's visit to the Ban-shees and the Death Coach adds suspense to the book but may be a bit scary for younger children. My one complaint about the book is that the narrator tends to be a bit intrusive at times. However, that's a small complaint in an otherwise wonderful book with an ending that left a smile on my face.

"O'Shaugnessy: A boy and His Leprechaun" is a delightful fantasy for young and old alike.

I couldn't believe the depths Ellmann takes the reader in his biography of Oscar Wilde. Everything; every aspect of Wilde's life is thoroughly explored. The best single word review of this book would be just that; thorough.

On the other hand, the text is very dry at times, and you may find yourself frusterated. It always seems that, too often, biographies fall victim of the "dry writer."

Just as to know James Joyce, discover his daughter, the spark of his own genius.

Lady Wilde was a writer and Irish revolutionary who raised her son to infiltrate the highest ranks of the empire and expose their foibles, faults, cruelties and hidden shames, which he so fully did through his theatre work and other writings. He was investigating the widespread homosexuality of the British aristocracy when he was arested for his prying and blamed for that which he himself investigated and reported. He was silenced through breaking imprisonment (read his post-prison poetry, and the uneven yet revelatory De Profundis written from prison) which debilitated, discouraged and killed him a few short years after his release.

TO know Wilde, know his mother: Speranza, Lady Wilde, whose wonderful works of Irish history and legends are now available on amazon.com only in Spanish translation. Several good biographies are also available at unattainable price.

Know alos his son. Wilde was a loving family man who wrote wonderful bedtime stories for his own beloved children. What broke him in prison was losing them, as he writes in De Profundis.

Ellman's is a fine biography. Find out far more about Wilde than the popular and shallow slander urgently promoted by the Empire

Imagine the challenges facing a Wilde biographer: the contradictions of an outrageous, larger-than-life subject whose brittle public persona masked his inner torments; Wilde's enormous drive, which led to success and acclaim, but also set in motion his ultimate fall from grace. Worse: so much already written, including Wilde's own glittering one-liners - what could anyone presume to add to the already crowded record?

Professor Ellmann, who worked for almost twenty years on this book, doesn't fail to deliver. In what will clearly be the definitive biography, he lays out details of Wilde's life, illuminates the work, and cuts through the brilliant and brittle public persona to show us Wilde's soul. All of this is accomplished with wit, intelligence and compassion -- this book confirmed Ellmann's status as the English professor I always wished I'd had. Professor Ellmann doesn't make a single misstep in this astonishing biography.

His final assessment of Wilde:

"He belongs to our world more than to Victoria's. Now, beyond the reach of scandal, his best writings validated by time, he comes before us still, a towering figure, laughing and weeping, with parables and paradoxes, so generous, so amusing, and so right."

If I may be forgiven a paraphrase of Ellmann's own words, this biography is also "generous, amusing, and so right."

I had just finished this book ten minutes ago and I am completely in love with the man. His life was one of both tragedy and creativity. I felt so sad for him in the last part of his life. He was an amazing soul and this bio accented it. A must read!

I remember reading this book when I was 16 and being blown away by the erudition. Even to this day it's probably the most erudite biography I've ever read. The scholarly weight and depth of this book is tremendous. It is amazingly comprehensive. This is the kind of book that takes 20 years to write and must be a labor of love for the writer--the writer must really love his subject, in this case, Wilde. And one has every indication from the book that Richard Ellman did. His portrait of Wilde is no less sympathetic as it is complete. This must be the definitive biography which all other Wilde bios should be measured against. A superlative achievement.

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

In my book, "Astronomical Symbols on Ancient and Medieval Coins", I devote an entire chapter to the eighth Crusade. The political events of the time, the celestial omens that were seen in the heavens and depicted on coinage of Louis IX and that of his brother Charles of Anjou, combined with the influence of Charles of Anjou on Louis IX, all came together as the basis for the decision by Louis IX to land at the Bay of Tunis for his final crusade.

As part of my research, I read numerous books on the history of the period, and I found that Runciman's book, "The Sicilian Vespers," was especially useful. There were many items of interest in his book that added to my understanding of the history of that time.

Marshall Faintich

Sir Runciman once again delivers informative historical narrative that is thorough and equally entertaining. The political intrigue of the 13th century, involving virtually all of the Mediterranean powers, provide just the detail needed to grasp the causes and affects of the Vespers revolution. Sir Runciman deftly weaves the varied characters and their roles together into the story that pulls the reader in and keeps their attention. There are a confusing array of political players in the drama but Sir Runciman's story-telling style helps avoid confusion and makes the intricate connections required to better understand the period. Very well done and a wonderful addition to any library.

Herein, outstanding British historian Runciman explains in considerable and fascinating detail the story of the Sicilian Vespers, and its profound impact on the history of Christendom. What comes across most dramatically to this reader in Runciman's wonderful account is the love of intrigue and political striving of the 13th century Papacy. Here, we see the several Popes of the period acting as petty Italian Princes in their attemtps to further their own secular power. And the upshot of these attempts came to be a profound weakening of the unity of Western Christendom that ultimately fructified into the Reformation of the 16th century.

Another amazing aspect of the story Runciman herein records is the stunning skill and subtlety of Byzantine diplomacy. At the time, the Byzantine, or Later Roman, Empire was yet reeling from the devastation of the hideous Fourth Crusade. And, yet with little remaining military power at their hands, the Byzantines managed to avert what would have been another disasterous Western "crusade" from destroying Constantinople. Here we see also a natural alliance forming between Aragon, later Spain, and the Orthodox East. One could make a good case that this was also the natural alliance that so frustrated Napoleon's design, when he was harried by guerrila warfare in Spain, and by Holy Russia's Biblically courageous defense of Mother Russia.

We strongly recommend Sir Steven Runciman's excellent work to all who would understand this very important, but little discussed, background to modern European history. God bless.

What an excellent history. It's a careful, economical but thorough recounting of events among a huge array of far-flung characters. It's not difficult to read, but rereading helps fix the cast in the mind. (The index is excellent, but a list of characters would have been helpful, although that sort of user-friendliness would definitely have been at odds with the book's Cambridge gestalt.) Sir Steven is very sparing of analysis and conjecture, so that when he does essay a mild synthesizing comment, it is all the more powerful and organic, having grown from the "objective" account and selections of incident. His final thesis -- that the medieval papacy foundered during this period due to its cautious, conscious decision to eschew centralized surrogate command (through the Hohestaufen empire) in favor of decentralized partitioning (the original balkanization) that fed and inculcated a nationalism that was ultimately much more debilitating to papal power -- is both startling and inevitable. Besides the masterful overarching view of European history, the book also is fascinating and illuminating about Sicily in particular, and its polyglot zealotry.

Runciman's writing is absolutely amazing in this volume which treats of Europe in the mid-to-late thirteenth century. I devoured this book in a matter of days, fascinated as I am with Sicilian history and culture. Runciman gives a fantastic view of the Kingdom of Sicily after the fall of "The Kingdom in the Sun", or the Norman Kingdom based in Palermo. From the benevolent king William the Good to the villanous Charles of Anjou, Runciman presents all of those occurances which led up to the Sicilian Vespers, or the systematic destruction of French power over the Sicilians on Easter Monday, 1282. A must-read for all those interested in the history of Europe in this era.

Fans of this series of books will know that most are very good, a few are duds, and a fair number are amazingly good. Professor Doyle's review of one of the major events in European history is firmly in that last category.

It is both an account of the events themselves and an overview of how they have been interpreted. The subject is complex and has aroused strong opinions across the ideological spectrum. Doyle gives all sides a fair hearing, but with the occasional wry comment that hints at where his own sympathies lie. The emphasis throughout is on the broader historic context rather than being an attempt to cram details into a short introduction. Both readers new to the subject and those looking for a review of where studies in the area now stand will be well served by this book.
[PeterReeve]

This book is very helpful for a quick review of the facts. I used it to brush up on dates and figures before a midterm and a final on this topic. Its well organized for a quick read.

I found this Very Short Introduction to be accurate, informative, and written in an interesting and readable style....This book fulfills admirably the series goal of providing solid, lucid introductions to topics without being simplistic...I think readers already familiar with the history and events of the French Revolution will enjoy the author's style and modern day perspective on this historic event...

I highly recommend this volume to anyone who wants to know about the French revolution but doesn't have a lot of time to spend on it. I read it while waiting between flights. Doyle is an excellent writer and the volume is very engrossing (good enough that I have subsequently checked out his full treatment of the revolution). He does a good job of covering all of the basics of the French revolution and warning readers where the shortfalls are in the book because it is a brief treatment. But what I really liked about the volume is his discussion where he looks at the French revolution as it is treated today and the 200th anniversary that occured just under a decade ago.
I highly recommend it.

Lets face it: many people point to the French Revolution as the source of innumerable subsequent political ideological movements, but when pressed, nevertheless have difficulty describing the essential elements and personages involved in the actual event. One likely cause for this phenomena is the habit of "aping" the attributions of others without really knowing the subject matter itself -- the subject has long since passed into a popular and iconographic status -- but another reason is surely the bewildering array of people involved in the event, the need for a precursory understanding of the "Ancient Régime," and the sheer number of divergent events leading to the culminating outcome. In this sense, Doyle's book well serves the introductory reader well by helping the reader develop a foundational understanding of the French Revolution through its clear verbiage, introduction to personages, and its narrative timeline approach. The book, too, sets the stage for additional derivative studies (perhaps by using the popular works by Furet, Schama, and others) while still being able to stand on its own as a primer to the subject. Of particular interest is Doyle's presentation on how the event has been divergently interpreted by historians over the past two centuries. In summary, not only is the text a bargain, but it provides a great "very short introduction" to a critical historic event in an exceptionally interesting and accessible structure. I have to say that I immensely enjoyed it.