irishhistory

Killing Thatcher: The IRA, the Manhunt and the Long War on the Crown | Rory Carroll

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I‘ve had this book on my wishlist for a while. “Killing Thatcher” is a very exciting, but still impeccable researched political thriller about the very long plot of killing Prime Minister Thatcher, by the IRA. I highly recommend it if you‘ve ever been to Ireland and/or are interested in Irish history.

LiteraryHoarderPenny For some reason the name is changed to There Will Be Fire for the North American version! Took me on a little journey to find it - found it - marked it to read! 😊 5d

thewallflower0707 @LiteraryHoarderPenny did they think it was too inflammatory or that Americans might not buy it because Thatcher is less well-known over there? 😅 5d

LiteraryHoarderPenny @thewallflower0707 probably the title! 🤪 3d

21 likes3 comments

bibliothecarivs

The Big Fellow: A Life of Michael Collins | Frank O'Connor

Random book from our home library:

📖 The Big Fellow: Michael Collins and the Irish Revolution by Frank O'Connor

2010 review: ★★★★★

6 likes

bibliothecarivs

Sun Dancing: A Vision of Medieval Ireland | Geoffrey Moorhouse

Recent acquisition:

📖 Sun Dancing: A Vision of Medieval Ireland by Geoffrey Moorhouse

6 likes

bibliothecarivs

How the Irish Saved Civilization | Thomas Cahill

so-so

★★★☆☆
I have a problem with the fact that the Irish were barely mentioned before page 70, that the author's main point didn't emerge until page 183 (this in a book of only 250 pages), and that the final 50 pages of core subject matter felt rushed. Also, the Irish didn't save civilisation in general as the title seems to say - they played a critical role in preserving Greek and Roman writings.

breadnroses What was the role of the Irish in preserving Greek/Roman texts? My understanding is that they were translated into Arabic, which later were (re)translated in Medieval Europe, but maybe this is oversimplified pop history… 3w

9 likes1 comment

bibliothecarivs

How the Irish Saved Civilization | Thomas Cahill

Cahill finally getting to his thesis on page 183:

'While Rome and its ancient empire faded from memory and a new, illiterate Europe rose on its ruins, a vibrant, literary culture was blooming in secret along its Celtic fringe.'

6 likes

bibliothecarivs

How the Irish Saved Civilization | Thomas Cahill

p. 108: 'So Patrick was really a first - the first missionary to barbarians beyond the reach of Roman law. The step he took was in its way as bold as Columbus's, and a thousand times more humane.'

8 likes

bibliothecarivs

Through Irish Eyes: A Visual Companion to Angela McCourt's Ireland | Malachy McCourt

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★★★★★

? Through Irish Eyes: A Visual Companion to Angela McCourt"s Ireland by David Pritchard, forward by Malachy McCourt

8 likes

bibliothecarivs

How the Irish Saved Civilization | Thomas Cahill

Started

📖 How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe by Thomas Cahill

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Texreader

The Stolen Village: Baltimore and the Barbary Pirates | Des Ekin

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Almost the entire Irish village of Baltimore was taken captive by pirates in the early 1600s and sold as slaves in #Algeria. With little records about their lives as slaves, the author relies on a number of accounts by other slaves to try to describe what their lives could have been like. The author also posits a hypothesis that the taking was an elaborate plan of an evil mastermind who wanted to rid the coastal town of its inhabitants for his ⬇️

Texreader own reasons—and the hypothesis seems to make sense! I had heard about this historical event but I‘d never realized how many “northerners” from England, Iceland, etc were captured as slaves by Barbary pirates and not just sailors from captured boats, but hundreds of women and children. I also learned how the women may have had a better life as slaves than in the cold northern climes. Islam treated women more equally! A very interesting read for ⬇️ 2mo

Texreader #Ireland #foodandlit @Catsandbooks 2mo

Catsandbooks 👍🏼🇮🇪 2mo

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Teresereading We visited Baltimore in 2016, it‘s a fascinating story and one I hadn‘t heard before. Thanks for sharing. 2mo

Butterfinger So interesting. 2mo

tpixie Wow! Interesting part of history! 2mo

Cuilin One of my favorite places. I grew up near there. #🩷Cork 2mo

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bibliothecarivs

On an Irish Island | Robert Kanigel