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This book is beautiful and heart-wrenching through its realistic depictions of normal people trying to live their ordinary lives in extremely violent times.

In 1970s' Belfast, a young Catholic school teacher falls in love with a Protestant married man and we see the tragedy of living during the Troubles unfold.

I enjoyed both this one and "Milkman".

Terrific day at the used bookstore with lots of great finds from Europa and other small presses. Also was able to hit the amazing periodical store (which unfortunately is closing after many years due to a rent hike - hoping desperately they can find a new location) and snagged the two most recent Paris Reviews. #europacollective

I came home to this book at my door. My friend sent this to me from across the country. Time to get reading!

This is an incredible book about the Troubles in Northern Ireland, using the disappearance of Jean McConville as the framework to show the key players on both sides of the divide.
It was tough to know who to root for by the end. Nearly everybody was both a victim and a villain, but Jean left ten kids behind and they, like so many other Irish children, paid the price.

This has been on my TBR for a while. Starting now on audio.

One of the best nonfiction books I‘ve read recently. Really well written and researched. I knew very little about this conflict, and I feel like I learned a lot. I wouldn‘t say this is a flaw, but the book doesn‘t aim to be a comprehensive history of the Troubles. It focuses primarily on the culture of secrecy and fear that the IRA cultivated in Northern Ireland, highlighting several key figures. The backstory of the cover image is amazing.

Loving these new monthly wrap up graphics from Storygraph. You can really tell I had a major reading slump during the middle of the month, which resulted in me only finishing 4 total books in August. My top read was Say Nothing (will post a separate review soon!).

I listened to this.
Northern Ireland in the 70‘s is a scary place! I was most affected by the young school children who are forced to grow up way before they should. Their childhoods stolen by the reality of life in conflict. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Everything I read in July 2024; tagged book was my favorite.