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Summary: A great beginers guild to "the troubles"
Review: As a newcomer to the subject of Ireland and in particular to "the troubles", I found this book to be quite informative. Of particular intetest is that the time frame starts so early in history. After hearing about the problems in Northern Ireland all my life through the media, it was interesting to hear a version that, in no way, favored the British side. It was a fascinating walk through of the whole story of the conflict from the very beginning to present day. The book, however, does not move as quickly as had been propounded. It is a great work, regardless.
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Summary: Ideal for its Purpose
Review: Evaluating Golway's book in terms of its subtitle-- a thousand years of Ireland's heroes-- I think this selection is fantastic. As a semi-biographical profile of many prominent, legendary, and simply amazing Irish revolutionaries, this book does exactly what it should. Golway discusses such notables as Brian Boru, the O'Neill family, Wolfe Tone, Daniel O'Connell, Charles Stewart Parnell, Arthur Griffith, O'Donovan Rossa, Kevin Barry, Richard Mulcahy, the leaders of the Easter Rising, Eamon de Valera, Michael Collins, Kevin Barry, Bobby Sands, Countess Markievicz, Bernadette Devlin, and many more. Other reviewers have summarized quite well what the book is; I would like to provide readers with an idea of what the book is not. This would make excellent supplementary reading for anyone with an interest in Irish history. However, Golway does focus on elements of biography and therefore does presume a fair bit of knowledge on the part of the audience. If you are looking for a good starting point in learning about Irish history, I would not suggest this title. On the other hand, if you already have a general working knowledge about Ireland, these biographies would very, very much enrich your experience. Bottom line: buy it for the biographies and consider any Irish history you pick up along the way an added bonus.
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Summary: Excellent Book on Irish History
Review: Golway has a very easy to read writing style. He gives seemingly very intimate details about each person he talks about, and also gives you alot of background information that you might miss in other books. In some parts of it, you can almost imagine that the heros of old are still alive and fighting for freedom.He covers more about history 1850 onwards than previously, but he gives fair time to both of them. A fascinating book for anyone who wants to know about Ireland, or the history of Revolutions in the world.
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Summary: Good overview
Review: Golway's summary of 1,000 years of Irish history provides a very good overview of the highlights of Irish history. It is a great introduction for someone just starting their study of Ireland's rich history. For those who have delved into the history already, it is an enjoyable read. Golway just skims the surface, though. The collection is far from complete in any of the eras it covers.
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Summary: How little I knew of Irish struggle
Review: I'm part Irish-American and I knew some about the conflicts between the British and the Irish. After reading For the Cause of Liberty, I now realize how little I knew. The book provided an excellent history of the Irish struggle. The information on the Irish heroes (both Protestant and Catholic) who fought the British was very readable. I never knew that the French had a hand (or tried to) in the rebellion in the late 1700's. The extent of the savagery and despicable behavior that the Irish endured was very effectively presented. Overall, an excellent book.
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Summary: How little I knew of Irish struggle
Review: I'm part Irish-American and I knew some about the conflicts between the British and the Irish. After reading For the Cause of Liberty, I now realize how little I knew. The book provided an excellent history of the Irish struggle. The information on the Irish heroes (both Protestant and Catholic) who fought the British was very readable. I never knew that the French had a hand (or tried to) in the rebellion in the late 1700's. The extent of the savagery and despicable behavior that the Irish endured was very effectively presented. Overall, an excellent book.
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Summary: Best Introduction to Irish Nationalism I Know!
Review: I've read a lot of books on Irish nationalism--if not as many as Terry Golway has listed in his excellent bibliography!--and I recommend his work as a readable, fair-minded, and well-told introduction to the subject. A thousand years condensed into a little over 300 pp. of lively narrative; although about 700 years gets condensed into the book's first few pages. Most of the concentration is upon the period from the 1700's forward, and the pace picks up when the 1798 rebellion, the first of many, begins. Golway's capsule biographies of many of participants gather essential details and apropos anecdotes to give a brief sketch of many names that most readers may have only heard a bit at best about before. This panoramic perspective gives the history a broader scope than other such introductions to Irish history, and he uncovers factual nuggets about many of the figures that help the curious reader to keep them easily in mind. Assuming nothing on the part of the reader in prior knowledge of the period, he writes a study that at the same time can satisfy those who thought they were already familiar with these events. Like a good popularizer should accomplish in a popular history, Golway tells the story with no wearisome editorializing, no maudlin asides, and no apparent ideological hidden agenda. The facts speak for themselves, and whet your appetite for more--many further works can be tracked down through his notes and bibliography. If you're looking for a place to start yourself or another reader on a journey into the Irish past and present, it's a great place to begin.
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Summary: The Art of Storey Telling and History
Review: Incredibly interesting book to learn how Ireland and its politics got to where they are today. Its not just religion in the sense of Protestant vs. Catholic. Its cultural going back to the 5th century and the difference between Tribal culture of the Celts, the Northern European Culture of Normans and English, and the arrogance of the Papacy. Golway packs it all into a relatively short book that reads like a novel.
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Summary: Facinating account from the past to the present.
Review: It's amazing that Golway put so much information in such a little space, complete with pictures of all his subjects. An excellent account of Irish history through the personalities that made it. Most of the book covers the 19th and 20th centuries but most of the changes took place in that era. I thought I knew everything about Ireland but I was sure wrong. This book also reads like a novel which makes it even better. I can't wait to read his book on John Devoy.
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Summary: Great Read for "Ireland-ophiles"
Review: Terry's Golway's latest book is a really great read. It's a perfect way to learn about 1,000 years of Irish history! It's informative and entertaining. The Irish have been incredibly resourceful people throughout history. Congratulations Terry for giving me such an interesting history lesson!
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