Ireland Books

This book is the best in the series so far. The mystery was very good and kept me guessing until the end. In fact, I had picked another murderer and plotter entirely. Also, Fidelmaa is much more likeable in this series. My main complaint so far was that I really did not like her. She was too haughty and full of herself with an acid tongue. In this book, that seems to change. We meet a much more vulnerable Fidelma, but one who is still as smart as a tack. She finds her way through the morass and one or two red herrings to discover the murderer and to thrwart a very dangerous plot against her brother's kingship. She sets out to find out who arranged an assisination of her brother and a rival king who is supposedly trying to make peace with her brother's kingdom, and discovers a missing monk from a neighbouring abbey, an illegal mining operation and a very dangerous political plot. Great stuff!

The Monk who vanished is a mystery set in 6-7th century Ireland. It is very detailed and brings the reader easily to this ancient time without sounding like a history or anthropology lesson. The mystery stroy is very well developed and has unexpected twists and turns that are justified and well put together.

The stakes are high indeed in this seventh installment in the Sister Fidelma mystery series, because this time she is fighting to protect her brother's claim to the kingship of Murman.

The Ui Fidgente, a major clan of Murman, have been adversaries of Cashel for a long time, and indeed they have long challenged Cahsel's right to the kingship of Murman, refusing to pay tribute. Now however the current prince of Ui Fidgente, has decided to put all the bad blood between the two clans behind him and to negotiate a treaty of peace with Cashel. To this end, he and his retinue have come to Cashel in a gesture of goodwill in order to hammer out some form of an agreement. However, just as the two princes are about to exchange greetings, an unknown bowman shoots at them, wounding both men. He is later found dead, wearing the emblem of the Golden Chain, which identifies him as a member of Cashel's elite bodyguard. This proves to be a bad sign for Fidelma's brother, for if he is found guilty of the attempt of the prince of Ui Fidengente's life, the kingship of Murman would then be forfeit to the Ui Fidengente! Another bad sign: in the abbey at Imleach, the relics of the holy man Ailbe, has been stolen. Legend has it that if ever the relics were stolen then the kingship of Murman would fall from Cashel and chaos would ensue. It looks as if the two incidents are tied and that Fidelma will have to do some rather nifty detective work to discover who exactly is behind this move to take the throne away from her brother and start a war.

This historical mystery series is a really good one even if Peter Tremayne's writing style is a little to dense and dry. However he has struck gold in his creation of Sister Fidelma. In Fidelma, Tremanyne has created a brilliant and charming heroine, with a thirst to see justice done and set things right. The plot of this mystery novel is intriguing and a little convoluted, full of red herrings and sub-plots that have sometimes very little to do with the actual problem at hand. However the final denouncement where Fidelma finally lays all her cards on the table makes everything worthwhile: the somewhat dry and dense prose, the convoluted plot with all its red herrings, and the somewhat ranting style of communication that nearly everyone save Fidelma and Brother Eadulf seem to employ. A book well worth reading inspite of the few nit-picking problems I had with it.

As an avid reader of the Sister Fidelma books I was more than pleasantly surprised by The Monk Who Vanished. It kept me guessing from the start with unexpected twists and turns.

Fidelma's world is brought to life in this seventh installment in the mystery series. This is a highly personal adventure for her with her brother's kingdom at stake. As always there is more than meets the eye in this adventure. With all of the sub-stories Tremayne keeps you guessing as to whether it will all come together in the end or if they are separet mysteries unto themselves. With everything thrown at her, Fidelma keeps her cool and saves the day with her wit and incredibly sharp mind.

This was a story well worth waiting for. I eagerly await the next installment!

The seventh century in Europe became known as the Dark Ages yet Ireland remained a beacon of light where learning and enlightenment continued unabated. Rulers from around the known world sent their leading scholars to learn so that they could return home and educate the leaders. Women were treated as equals and even held office in the church. Sister Fidelma, daughter of a king and sister of the current monarch, is both a religieuse and an advocate of the law.

Long time enemies the Prince of Vi Fidgente and Colgu of Cashel the King of Muman seek a truce. As they near Colgu's home, an assassin hits both men with arrows. The Prince's men kill the culprit before anyone can question him. The King and the Prince accuse each other of duplicity and attempted murder. Unless Sister Fidelma can prove otherwise, her regal brother will be considered guilty and punished under Irish law. However, the clues take her to the Abbey of Imleach where a monk and relics connected to the case are missing with little hope of eminent discovery.

THE MONK WHO VANISHED is a fascinating mystery filled with unexpected twists that often lead to false clues and the wonderful Sister Fidelma, sleuth extraodinaire. However, the true beauty of the tale lies in the descriptions of seventh century Irish life as seen through the eyes of the religious and aristocratic leaders. Peter Tremayne is a gifted storyteller who provides his audience with a vivid view as if the reader is actually there. Even after a delightful decade of the Sister's stories, the latest entry remains fresh and hopefully means the start of another decade of tremendous historical mysteries from Mr. Tremayne.

Harriet Klausner

I read another books about the 1809 campaign but this exceeds in the analisis of the all around campaign fronts , including a detailled italian campaign point of view Eugene versus John both " minor " generals in the official history , and the austrian corp army evolution . A brief but essential study . If you likes Napoleonic strategy , you must have it !!!

Epstein believes it was greater combat effectiveness of Napoleon's adversaries and not the decline of the French army that led to the fall of Napoleon. In his book, Epstein writes about how the Austrians copied the French corps system that allowed greater personal intiative on the battlefield. This also permitted the Austrian army to retreat in detail rather than being surrounded in whole. As a result, unlike Austerlitz, Napoleon was unable to destroy the Austrain army at Wargam in 1809. I would reccomend this book to anyone who wants a new perspective of the closing phases of the Napoleonic Wars.

If you are interested in the development of war, this is an excellent read, otherwise turn away. The author shows how Napoleon's decline began as his enemies fought like he did, in a modern fashion. He makes the case that war as we understand it today began in 1809. The maps are wonderful, although the level of operational detail was a bit much.

Epstein's thesis is thought-provoking and admirably supported. He convincingly argues that the start of modern warfare occurred in 1809 during the Franco-Austrian War when, for the first time in history, two armies met in battle, each utilizing the new doctrine of independent army corps at the new operational level of war. His research sheds new light on the military history of the nineteenth century by challenging the popular wisdom that Napoleon won battles through tactical genius and force of personality alone. Rather, the author demonstrates that Napoleon's genius was primarily manifested in his creation of a new system of warfare based on interdependent action of individual army corps at the operational level of war to achieve strategic objectives. This was a major shift from the tactical-strategic paradigm of eighteenth century warfare (i.e. the ancien regime). Although Napoleon's ideas were based on those of prior theorists, he was the first commander to fully implement this new style of warfare. The result was a doctrinal asymmetry between Napoleon's army and those of his enemies that enabled him to achieve his astounding victories at Ulm, Austerlizt, and Jena-Auerstadt in 1805-1806.

After 1806, however, the other European powers began to organize their own armies according to this corps system. Although they generally lacked Napoleon's mastery of command and control at the operational level, this development ended Napoleon's doctrinal monopoly and restored operational balance to the battlefields of Europe. It was this restoration of doctrinal symmetry at the operational levels of war that account for Napoleon's inability to achieve another Austerlizt in 1809 or thereafter. He strongly suggests that Napoleon himself was unaware of the dynamics of this doctrinal paradigm. Epstein's thesis argues against the possibility of a Lee or Jackson, or for that matter Napoleon himself, capitalizing on this imbalance again. He also argues against the idea that Napoleon had lost his personal edge and was in decline starting in 1809. Rather, the decline of Napoleon's battlefield fortunes resulted from his enemies learning the lessons he himself had taught them in 1805-1806.

While the book is essentially about the developement of the corps system and the emergence of the operational level of war, it is also an excellent operational history of the Franco-Austrian War of 1809. His descriptions of the significant battles, especially Wagram, are thorough, detailed, and readable. The uninitiated reader in the field of military history may suffer from information overload when reading his descriptions and maps, but the detail is greatly appreciated by serious students of the subject. Nonetheless, the general reader will still greatly benefit from learning how warfare fundamentally and irreversably changed in the year 1809. Students of the U.S. Civil War will also benefit from his thesis in that it greatly effects how one weighs the roles of doctrine, technology, and personality during that war as it relates to Napoleon's development of the corps system and the operational level of war.

This book offers a refreshing and revolutionary new view of the history of warfare and emergence of modern war, one based on the history of military organization and structure rather than the traditional technology based analysis. The thesis is well made and well argued and will certainly be a guiding force in the future of military studies, especially now that are beginning to give greater value to decentralization of military operations in the 21st century. Not only is this work revolutionary and foundational in the field of military studies, it is also an excellent analysis of the 1809 War of the Fifth Coalition with many valuable insights into the relationship between Napoleon, his Marshals, and Prince Eugene.

The only reason I gave this book a 4, rather than a 5, is because of the maps. There are many large detailed maps included in the books, unfortunately the generally span two pages with the centre being unreadable between the pages, the difficulity with this is compounded because the deployments and action is generally towards the centre of the map and, therefore, unreadable. I am rather surprised that problem was not caught before publication. Because of this I often found myself having to resort to other sources for maps while reading the book. However, in spite of the maps, the book is more than worth the time and cost for the revolutionary new look at Napoleonic warfare.

I wished this was longer and went into greater depth of the little things in life that changed during war time. There were some very interesting items, that unlesss you lived during those times you just wouldn't think about (driving without headlights at night, why street signs had to be taken down). It provides details of life at the time that only someone alive to live it could provide.

As I listened to Mrs. Stalcup's book, "On the Home Front," I was sucked into a world of Spitfires, Hurricane Bombers, and the Little Ships bringing soldiers from Dunkirk to Dover. Tears were shed when soldiers were lost in battle, and there was rejoicing when a major battle was won. I saw blood, I saw tears, and I saw glory.

It was quite an experience for my classmates and me. We had an author reading her book. Sometimes she would choose a student to read certain chapters because they were so emotional for her, such as the Little Ships and the Spitfire Funds.

It was an amazing book about a young girl who was living during World War Two. But the most amazing paart about it was who was reading it - the little girl from the book!!!!!

Stalcup shares her memoir of growing up in the town of Lydney, England, during World War 11. Ann stays with her parents and experiences war as it comes to her community with evacuees, German prisoners, Australian food packages, and American soldiers. Short, succinct chapters, enhanced by personal and archival photographs, make this a book to be savored as a read aloud or when read independently. Stalcup imparts the flavors of every day English life such as four o'clock tea, sweets, walks in the country, and the pleasures of a front garden, and how they are changed by a world at war. She retells moments of her life, from the age of three in 1938 with her first gas mask to V.E. Day in 1945. This factual memoir complements historical fiction titles such as Pearson's The Sky is Falling, Bawden's Carrie's War, Heneghan's Wish Me Luck, and Garrigue's All the Children Were Sent Away. Stalcup takes the reader's heart and mind into various events sharing humor, fear, courage, and community spirit. Thoroughly researched facts in combination with thoughtfully remembered experiences, make this compelling account a great starting point for curriculum dealing with war and a welcome addition to children's and youth's nonfiction collections. This first book of Stalcup's shows the beginning of a new children's writer with great potential.

Stalcup shares her memoir of growing up in the town of Lydney, England, during World War 11. Ann stays with her parents and experiences war as it comes to her community with evacuees, German prisoners, Australian food packages, and American soldiers. Short, succinct chapters, enhanced by personal and archival photographs, make this a book to be savored as a read aloud or when read independently. Stalcup imparts the flavors of every day English life such as four o'clock tea, sweets, walks in the country, and the pleasures of a front garden, and how they are changed by a world at war. She retells moments of her life, from the age of three in 1938 with her first gas mask to V.E. Day in 1945. This factual memoir complements historical fiction titles such as Pearson's The Sky is Falling, Bawden's Carrie's War, Heneghan's Wish Me Luck, and Garrigue's All the Children Were Sent Away. Stalcup takes the reader's heart and mind into various events sharing humor, fear, courage, and community spirit. Thoroughly researched facts in combination with thoughtfully remembered experiences, make this compelling account a great starting point for curriculum dealing with war and a welcome addition to children's and youth's nonfiction collections. This first book of Stalcup's shows the beginning of a new children's writer with great potential.

As Juvenile Literature, I suppose the book isn't bad in terms of its approach; as any sort of history, however, even for the American market, it falls well short because it's riddled with errors of fact and perception. This, despite the uncredited, but apparently heavy, reliance on Angus Calder's "The People's War" (Cape, 1969). It's no defence to claim "this is what I remembered" if the book purports to be a picture of "Growing Up in Wartime England." A better sub-title would have been "the middle-aged memoirs of a sheltered little girl." Stalcup is 20 days older than me and what I remember of WW2 in Britain is somewhat different.

This massive 1,000+ page guide to all things British is a solemn, sometimes irreverent dissection of the United Kingdom. More than just a reference work describing the doings of politicians and generals. This companion carefully moves into areas not normally covered by such works. There are entries that discuss various major industries - shipbuilding, mining, gas and cotton - and on aspects of private and domestic life, like childbirth, housing, health and food. While the growth, meaning and importance of sports is discussed, only two athletes rate their own entries (the soccer star Stanley Matthews, knighted for his accomplishments on the field, and cricketer W.G. Grace, the Victorian star who continued playing first-rate cricket until he was 60). The only flaw in the entire book is a production problem that caused the deletion of pages 949 through 980, or between James Ussher and William Whewell. Not a noticeable problem, unless you're looking up information about Queen Victoria.

I have been using the "Oxford Companion to British History" on a regular basis since its publication. I am not a specialist in British History, but my work as a cataloguer of rare and antiquarian British books has required me to have a working knowledge of British History. This book has proved invaluable to me in my work. Moreover, I can rarely resist the temptation to browse the Companion--it is a text that draws the reader in. Highly recommended.

Nice little pieces on the areas Britain has affected but now leaves alone - nearly 4 pages on Australia, 1 each on Canada and New Zealand. Also helpful to find those weird, typically British obsessions: pigeon-fancying, seaside holidays and Tractarianism (go look them up). The kind of book you go to to look up one topic and find yourself reading for an hour. Failed to score 5 stars because it failed to record biographies on influential British sportsmen.

Now in a newly revised and expanded edition, The Oxford Companion To British History is a dictionary-style, 1056-page resource reference which is filled from cover to cover with names, places, terms, and events comprising the history of Great Britain and organized alphabetically for easy lookup. Compiled and edited by John Cannon (formerly the Chair of Modern History at Newcastle-upon-Tyne until 1992) and brimming with extensive facts and details, The Oxford Companion To British History is a top-notch reference which is enhanced with the inclusion of 12 maps, and would prove to be an invaluable cornerstone for any academic library's British History collection.

I just purchased the book a few days ago and highyly recommend it. Pages 949-980 are in my copy so do not be afraid that they are missing.

Knowing nothing about the potato famine but having an long-standing appreciation of Irish culture, I picked up this book that had been sitting idle in my father's library. I was shocked to learn from this book of the depths of suffering the Irish endured during those years.

Gallagher tells the story of the famine so vividly that one would think he lived through it. Indeed, by the end of the book I felt like I myself had been an eyewitness to the events in Ireland that the author recounts. Gallagher's history progresses from the causes of the famine through the various crises it raised to the mass exodus of the Irish to the United States. His colorful, eloquent writing is as compelling as the best fiction.

"Paddy's Lament" is a touching, evocative, powerful account that is immensely valuable to anyone with an interest in Ireland and its people.

It's sad that it is now out of print. I was able to get it here last year, just before the publisher stopped printing it. It is full of valuable information on famine facts, and, as a writer doing research for a novel, I especially found helpful the actual narrative accounts used in this book. Stories and facts passed on from famine survivors to their children and granchildren are used in this book, along with the author's smooth writing style. It is easy to read, and paints a vivid historical picture of this bleak period of Irish history.

This book is important for all of us to read. We must learn from our past, but how do we do this if we are kept in the dark about such history? Why were we not taught this in school? It is too important and in reading, I feel I am paying my respects, empathy, and honor to all those who suffered such a tragic period in Irish history.

"Paddy's Lament" tells the story of those who lived through and died in the Irish Potato Famine of 1846-1847. Throughout the book I kept wondering if my ancestors lived through the horrors described.

The economic setting of Ireland is laid out as that of an island of tenant farmers and large, often absentee, landlords. Agriculture produced wheat and beef for export to England. A small proportion of the land was planted in potatoes, the only food which could feed the population on such small acreage. With the advent of the textile industry in England, wool became a more profitable crop than the traditional ones, if only the native population could be done away with.

A fungus led to the destruction of the potato crop in 1846. Relief was available through the prohibition of the exportation of grain, a step which had previously been taken in other famine stricken countries. The control of Ireland's destiny was within the control of the British Lords who regarded the Irish as a subhuman species of which they would prefer to be rid. The aid extended by foreign nations, particularly the U.S., was a sharp indictment of British indifference. The Famine would not have occurred in a country in control of its own fate.

The famine cause tenants to fall behind in their rents. Massive evictions and destruction of homes followed. Many Irish were forced from their home villages to travel across the land. Is this why Mary McKeever's two brothers were born in the East, but she was born in the West?

Relief came in bits and spurts. The British Lords commissioned the chef of the Reform Club, their gathering place, to create an economical recipe for Irish soup kitchens. Emphasizing economy, he created a soup which was easy on the British exchequer, but provided little nutrition to the Irish. Did William Casey eat this greasy water?

The famine led to widespread starvation. The vivid description of the appearance of the victims is grotesque. Did Matthew Gallen's parents die this death?

Privation forced the Irish to abandon their homes in search of a new life beyond the hated British Empire. The practice of the American wake, in which the family mourned the loss of the son or daughter who was to leave forever was a heart rending affair for all involved. Many sought to avoid the wake by running away. Is this why Thomas English and his brother ran away from home?

The reader accompanies a group of immigrants on a voyage in the stinking, rocking, wretched steerage section of a British ship. The inferiority of the British ships as opposed to American is explained. The sailor's grim prediction that there would be more room the further out they got became hauntingly true. Again the details are presented in such detail as to turn the stomach of the readers even after all of these years. Is this the type of voyage on which Johanna Lynch chose a crewman for her husband?

A new life started for the survivors upon arrival in New York. The contrast between the lethargy of the Irish in Ireland and their industry in America spoke eloquently of the altered prospects for reward for their labors. Although many stayed in New York, others moved out to rural environments more reminiscent of Ireland. Is this how Patrick Nealon got to Bath, Maine?

The British realized that, as they ridded Ireland of its excess population, they were creating an America which was becoming Irish and anti-British. The failure of the potato crop was an act of God. The famine was an Act of Parliament. This perception turned the Irish dissatisfaction with the British into an intense hatred.

This book helps us understand our past and what made us they way we are.

1st - Why the hell is this book out of print????? Every student of Irish history should HAVE to read this.

My parents had this book lying around our house for years, but it was not until I was in my 20's that I actually read it. I could not put it down. Thomas Gallagher did extensive research into the tragedy and genocide that was the Irish famine. The book is acurate and fast moving. Anyone interested in this period of history should read it immediately. This one book gives the complete story - from the evening when the 'fog' appeared to the Irish's desperate attempt to flee their country. I read a book a week, and this is honestly the most amazing book I have ever read.

No lie... I am going to break up with my boyfriend if he does not read it soon.

This wonderful book allows the reader to experience a place and a people now gone. The "stars" of Ballymenone come alive again in story, song and the descriptions of their lives by Henry Glassie. Unlike most academic books, this one is written by a poet...lyrical, powerful and evocative prose by a writer with suberb descriptive powers and spiritual impact. My husband and I recently visited Ballymenone and spent the day searching for what we had read about...but the people described are mostly gone, the landscape altered, the old replaced by new. For anyone who loves Ireland and wants to understand its ways and its culture this book is a must.

I read this excellent book over a year ago and am amazed at how often my thoughts return to visit. I find that many of the folkways described by this extraordianary observer are part of my own everyday life as American Scotch Irish over two centuries removed from roots in Ulster, Ireland. The descriptions of the kitchen hospitality, even the arrangement of the kitchen furniture are very familiar to me. The gifts of storytelling and musicmaking so vividly described are as frequently celebrated in my current mileau. Thanks for an excellent piece of research and writing.

This wonderful book allows the reader to experience a place and a people now gone. The "stars" of Ballymenone come alive again in story, song and the descriptions of their lives by Henry Glassie. Unlike most academic books, this one is written by a poet...lyrical, powerful and evocative prose by a writer with suberb descriptive powers and spiritual impact. My husband and I recently visited Ballymenone and spent the day searching for what we had read about...but the people described are mostly gone, the landscape altered, the old replaced by new. For anyone who loves Ireland and wants to understand its ways and its culture this book is a must.

For years anthropologists and folklorists have often "looked down" on the subjects of their studies, attempting to fit their subjects into preconceived boxes and categories. Unfortunately some anthropologists and sociologists continue to regard their "subjects" with condescension or even amusement. Henry Glassie's work is a much needed antidote to such practices. _Passing the Time in Ballymenone_ is a jewel. Henry Glassie regards the people of Ballymenone with respect and affection, allowing them to describe their ideas, life-ways, and values on their own terms, not his. Recognizing that theirs is a mindset and lifestyle that must be seen as an integrated whole, Glassie studies everything about Ballymenone from traditional songs to entertainment to religious beliefs to architecture, liberally quoting from the people who welcomed him into their homes over his extended stays. Some of his insights are pure brilliance, such as recognizing the way the poets and storytellers of a rural Irish district have adapted ancient Gaelic metrics to the English they use today. You will learn more about Ireland and its people in this one book than in a host of others. You may also find yourself re-evaluating your own lifestyle after encountering the wisdom of these tradition bearers. The book also serves as an excellent model for those who plan to work and study in folklore or anthropology.

As a study of the folklife and history of a community in Ulster, this book is full, rich, fascinating, and moving. I've used it as a first reading for graduate classes in fieldwork because it merges useful ethnographic research techniques with insightful analysis and eloquent prose. Students find the book both practical and inspiring, and it is a tour de force of the best of folklore research. Glassie's insights are more than relevant today for thinking through contemporary concerns about a range of important social and political concerns including what it means to foster healthy community life and provide honor and respect to old masters and stars. It is also a wonderful read for anyone interested in storytelling and Irish history and culture.

These essays or articles are engrossing reading for the insight they provide into the mind of one of the most fascinating revolutionary leaders in modern history. Thought of by many during his time and even now as a 'terrorist' or gunman, these writings reveal Collins to be a thoughtful, intelligent leader with a far-ranging interest in all aspects of the present and future of his country. Had he lived it seems very clear that the quality of his mind and the compassionate concern he had for his people would have made him as formidible a leader in peacetime as he was in war. His death was Ireland's great loss but he left an impressive legacy.

"Of all the words/ Of tongue or pen/ the saddest are these/ 'It might have been'/". Such go the words of a poet that I cannot identify. But they adequately encapsulate the emotions intended to be evoked by this finely-edited collection of various writings by Michael Collins, the Irish patriot, hero, and martyr (or traitor depending on one's perspective) who led his country's successful war of independence betwen 1919 and 1921. Assassinated during the Irish Civil War of 1922-1923 because of his role in setting up an Irish government not sufficently independent of Britain nor sufficiently encompassing the whole island to satisfy many of his former comrades in the struggle, he never got to be tested as a peacetime leader. Path To Freedom allows us to see the man through his own writings where he emerges as far more than a warrior. Keenly interested in economics and culture, well-informed and articulate on virtually every issue of state, foreign or domestic, Collins' legacy to the reader is to make him/her wonder what would the history of Ireland (North and South) be like -- even the history of Europe itself in the time of a coming Depression and Age of Dictators -- had Collins survived. The renowned modern Irish scholar-journalist Tim Pat Coogan provides a good introduction which is mostly lifted verbatim from his earlier biography of Collins.

It is difficult to top a book on Michael Collins composed primarily of his own words. After all, what better way to peek into his brilliant mind than by reading his words? This book was indeed published to coincide with the release of Neil Jordan's film in 1996, ostensibly to give curious moviegoers a way to better understand Collins before or after viewing the biopic. Tim Pat Coogan's foreword to the book is excellent and shows him in his usual top form. The book's chapters are "Advance and Use Our Liberties," "Alternative to the Treaty," "The Proof of Success," "Four Historic Years," "Collapse of the Terror," "Partition Act's Failure," "Why Britain Sought Irish Peace," "Distinctive Culture," "Building up Ireland," and "Freedom within Grasp." This book sheds light on how articulate, well read, historically aware and insightful Collins actually was. It is too often thought that Collins was a country bumpkin whose knowledge of anything beyond 'murder and mayhem' was quite limited. This simply isn't the case and it becomes apparent almost immediately into the book that Collins was a more than capable thinker. Collins discusses Ireland's tumultuous history, the accomplishments of the Easter Rising, the political events of 1914-1918, the many aspects of British rule, the potential resources of Ireland, and the work of Sinn Féin.

If you are looking for a traditional biography on Collins, this is probably not the right selection for you. _Michael Collins: The Man Who Made Ireland_, the book Tim Pat Coogan excerpted his foreword from, would be a much better fit for that need. If you are already basically familiar with the life and times of Collins, this book will give you a much richer sense of how his mind worked.

Tim Pat Coogan's account of the life of Michael Collins is full of information. The time and people come alive, and you are left knowing a lot more then you started with. This is the definitive biography of Mick.

Michael Collins own words provide a clear and insightful look at life in Ireland circa 1921, delving into the social conditions and circumstance that led to the infamous Black and Tan War. This book helped me see that enormous importance of the independence movement of the time, how Ireland was not even recognized as its own country, and what it meant to finally achieve that status. I could not picture a world without a free, seperate Ireland, its amazing to me that this was the case up until well into this century. Micheal Colins here is addressing the people directly, so you get a head-on view of the realities of the times without a lot of historical or sociological analysis. Thats good, because its better to encounter his words personally, to understand the case he is making in all its simplicity: The Irish people are, now and forever, Free!

Ever wonder what changed Ireland from the land of druids, political and religious confrontation, and poverty to "The Celtic Tiger"?

Why were the Irish and not the Italians or French or Spaniards able to turn what seemed to be a failing economy and fractured political and cultural environment to become one of the happiest people in the world with an annual per capita growth rate of 7% for almost twenty years and become the world's most interglobal economy?

It's all in the book but what is also in the book, and what I found the most fascinating, is how this turnaround has changed the way the Irish live. It is not always a bright picture. There are many dark sides to the Irish success and the book presents these in a balanced and thought provoking way.

I finished the book wanting to know more about the keys to the Irish success and followed up with another book "Luck and the Irish" by R.F.Foster. The two books provide a well written and inciteful account of the prosperous presnt and unclear future of Ireland. An both books are full of Irish wit and charm in telling the story.

Ireland is a whole lot different than the Ireland I learned about from my parents and other Irish-born relatives. It's wealthy, busy, and very fashionable. When I was there a few weeks ago, I learned that a lot of U.S. celebrities have houses in Ireland and a lot of Americans with Irish roots are returning there. "The Pope's Children" is a brilliant and hilarious description of modern Ireland. McWilliams is a rarity -- an economist who writes with verve and style.

I enjoyed the book immensely but I disagree with the author somewhat on the reasons behind of Ireland's economic miracle. The author claims joining the EU and getting access to European credit markets was the central factor. If that was the case, then Portugal would have enjoyed the same type of boom as Ireland. I think McWilliams understates other policy initiatives -- such as low taxes -- in attracting foreign investment into Ireland. Still, I have to give the book five stars. McWilliams provides a sharp and memorable portrait of today's Ireland.

Ireland's evolution from the poorest country in Northeastern Europe to become the Celtic Tiger, certainly deserves some explanation. I am not sure that the miracle is adequately explained in this book. The author certainly shows us how the Irish themselves have changed. I was not particularly amused by Mcwilliams' glib style, it made the author's intelligent analysis harder to decipher. One thought I had reading the book, was that the Irish had taken on all the bad attributes of Americans, and none of their graces.

David McWilliams may be an economist, but that shouldn't stop anyone from reading this rollicking good overview of modern Ireland. Using first hand observations, data, and a dry Irish wit, he shows us the Ireland that has leapt into the 21st Century as a fully formed economic powerhouse. If you've been to Ireland in the past decade or so, you will recognize the changes. If you are looking for an example of economic development, both the good and the bad, here it is. Through it all, The Pope's Children will entertain as it educates.

Dr. Connelly has produced an outstanding piece of work on the subject matter. I highly recommend this easy to read and understand material. Many kudos are deserved. Simply put, an enjoyable read with a wealth of information.

Portrait of a Priestess: Women and Ritual in Ancient Greece is a book I'd recommend to scholars. It is well researched and well composed. However, the topic is also of interest to those who enjoy exploring the ancient world and a woman's place in it. Women's lives in this historical period are difficult to access but Connelly has done so in a way that is both useful to those who work in the field and accessible to those who have a general interest and curiosity about the women who acted in and acted out the roles of priestess. An impressive collection of images is of interest to both groups of readers. RD Anderson

This is a fantastic book. I am a non-specialist and found it easy and understandable. The photographs are beautiful, and her understanding of the material complete. Having read the book, I feel like I have a much greater understanding of women's lives and the work of priestesses in the ancient world. This is a classic in the field and wonderful for both scholars and non-scholars alike.

Wow! This is a substantial body of work! The author is articulate but not boring, a very difficult balance to achieve given the amount of material she is wrangling. Her hypothesis make sense and are well supported. The photography, graphics and composition are excellent. This is a book to savor, chapter by chapter. There is simply too much to digest quickly, especially since much of what is presented completely upsets long held paradigms. Kudos to Joan Breton Connelly for investing the time and effort to produce such a satisfying brain food banquet!

The status of women in the ancient world has long been a controversial issue. The traditional view of male historians has been that it was always a male-dominated world. Some feminists have countered this with arguing, on rather fragile evidence, in favor of prehistoric matriarchy and mother goddesses and so forth. Ancient Greece, in particular, has always been a kind of blank screen on which thinkers project their own image of what it was like. Most of the written evidence has suggested that women in ancient Greece were subordinate and secluded. Against this has been the fact that some powerful Greek gods were female and served by female priests. What these priestesses did,, and what their place was in society, has been somewhat mysterious because what we got from the historians and poets and playwrights was scanty. Connelly supplements this by a careful and scholarly (perhaps too scholarly for the general reader) examination of epigraphs and images.
The text is pretty hard going for the non-specialist but the pictures are great and it will make a handsome addition to a feminist coffee table although it will be a shame if it stays there. I think the large format is justified on more than esthetic grounds because Connolly's argument depends on her ability to bring to bear on the subject her abilities as an art historian and therefore adequate illustrations are needed. These are more than adequate; they are magnificent. It would be presumptuous to pronounce on the strength of her case without more expert knowledge than mine. No doubt other academics will be on the attack and it will be fun to see the fur fly in the Times Literary Supplement etc.
At the risk of quibbling I must break a lance in my ongoing battle against publishers who transcribe Greek inscriptions into lower case. Greek lower case was unknown before the Byzantines. I noticed that she does not mention the triple bronze serpent in the Hippodrome at Istanbul in her discussion of the Pythian oracle at Delphi. Is it authentic?

This book on the Portuguese history overseas is not a boring record of past events but a lively account of the intense movement of the Portuguese in the so-called Age of Discoveries, from Madeira to Brazil, to Japan and to Korea. It is a fascinating and well-documented record of the constant flow of people and commodities between Portugal and Africa, Asia and America. The superb illustrations help bring to life this constant flux and reflux. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and am very happy to recommend it to anyone interested in Portugal and its people,of today and yesterday.

This is a lively account of the Portuguese sea discoveries in the 15th and 16th century, arriving at new lands and meeting new people, the trade and other exchanges that followed, all presented in a most interesting manner. Movement, colour, adventure make this book engaging reading. I also have Hermano Saraiva' s "Portugal a Companion History", another excellent book. I think they go very well together, one for the overseas history the other for Portugal itself. These are two books that bring history to life.

Well written and researched. From the preface to the last chapter the learner in you will be rejoicing. A great account of one of histories great exploration eras and the impact on the exploring nation and those they came in contact with. Great job.

In terms of scope of work, Russell-Wood's Portuguese Empire -World on the Move is a welcome addition to the "holistic" study of Portuguese overseas enterprise. To be sure, Portuguese scholarship has "caught up" with developments in Western historiography in the last two decades or so; there is also no shortage of area studies. Yet coverage remains uneven and this is especially so where English works on the subject is concerned

In terms of Western historiography, global history remains a nascent field. The diversely and globally located formal and informal enclaves does not mean that the overseas experiences belong to the Portuguese people alone, they were not to be claimed exclusively by Asians, Africans or Brazilians either; but as one scholar remarked -it was a shared memory

Like its more "matured" British counterpart, Portuguese history is increasingly interacting with indigenous and primary sources. Russell-Wood's Portuguese Empire is built on largely secondary sources, as expected; including afew Portuguese primary materials. Mastering the languages and the necessary paleography remains a daunting task for any historian. Eventhough the perspective might be Portuguese, the issues dealt with are global in nature; qualifying it in the category of world history. Russell-Wood also clarified from the beginning that he will not be probing too much into the political-administrative-military aspect but with explore the technologies, geography, demography, economics, ideas and dynamics of ecology (ie flora, fauna and disease)

In terms of perspective, the Portuguese Empire does indeed take on a "new history" approach, looking not only at the business of "the high class" in society (ie administrators and clergy) but also at the individuals and the voiceless

Whether in terms of human experience or traffic of goods, Russell-Wood has woven the international nature of the Portuguese empire well into the book. In an illustration of the former, there was a father and son team who were given appointments from Brazil to Africa to Goa and Macao and even returning briefly to Portugal to participate in the War of Spanish Succession (p 70-1). In the terms of trade, cloves from Ternate were carried to Malacca, to Cochim, then to Lisbon, reloaded there for Morocco and exchanged for wheat which became a further part of the exchange system of the South Atlantic (p 134). Excellent maps and tables were also interspersed in the book to explain the flow and traffic of commodities exchanged between the Portuguese and their hosts or that of the complicated wind system of the Atlantic or Indian Ocean

In some ways, the largely non new primary resource based and reinterpretative nature of the book meant it will still resonates afew outdated ideas. For example, the book continues to portray a planned approach by which the Portuguese were undertaking their overseas enterprise (p 21). Even the historians of the more "successful" British are conceiting that the formation of its First Empire might be more haphazard that what have been previously believed. Granted, the Portuguese venture had seen more of the state/crown intervention in the beginning than the private enterprise approach of the British; logistical and technological challenges of the time forbid a more coordinated effort

The book professed to look at development of the "Portuguese Empire" to the eve of the Napoleonic Wars just on the onset of nineteenth century (beginning of modern era?). Space does not permit it to treat the entire period with justice even on the secondary sources available. On trying to tie the Portuguese world together, the book did a splendid job and certainly complement, as the author humbly acknowledged, Boxer CR's magnificently written Portuguese Seaborne Empire as well as many other research done to date on political and military aspect of this human experience

What an empire, the first truly global empire! The Portuguese impact and acheivements in the world deserve greater recognition and this book will detail them. Before the British, the Dutch and the Spanish the Portuguese had achieved so much. Even today the past can be seen all over the world.