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Rating: 
Summary: Magnificently crafted memoir of a great Irishman
Review: O'Brien is the living embodiment of what it is to be a polymath and a man of letters. The range of his work as statesman, academic and author is rivalled in recent history only by Malraux. This is a magnificent memoir of an exemplary life. The most striking characteristic of O'Brien the statesman is his extraordinary courage - physical courage, not merely the willingness to express a controversial view - in expounding the essential moral difference between democracy and terrorism, and the need for a democratic polity to defend itself against those who would undermine it by violence. One need not agree with all of O'Brien's policy conclusions - an unyielding rejection of the deeply flawed Good Friday agreement, and a curious addendum in this volume that nonetheless Ulster Protestants might have to reconcile themselves one day to a united Ireland - to be thankful for, and to benefit from, his lesson that the advocates of revolutionary violence stand in defiance of the values of a civilised and liberal order. The recurrent theme of the book, reflecting O'Brien's lifelong fascination with the subject, is the interaction of nationalism and religion. He is deeply critical of the cult of revolutionary nationalism in his native Ireland, and analyses with great insight the sources of nationalist mythology. He is similarly knowledgeable of the connections between Jewish nationalism and religion, and takes the - by now, unfortunately rare - position of a Gentile with a principled and liberal sympathy for the cause of Israel. It is, in short, a consistently thought-provoking book by a man of courage, literary skill and outstanding intellect. Highly recommended.
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