O'Brien Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music (Pocket History series)

Rating:
Summary: Finally a place to begin
Review: I have been interested in Irish music for so long but never found a book that really covered the music in any kind of context. This is a brilliant handy little book which I have often used as an affordable gift. It covers all the historical bases as well as the modern groups and performers. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Compact but far ranging
Review: It lacks an index, but helpful headings on almost every page help you find sections. Really "covers the map" including topics such as Irish Traditional Music in Quebec or The Scots-Irish in the Appalachians. It profiles important musicians in the history of Irish music, but I wanted more details on the recent (1970s-2000) artists.
The list of traditional music organizations, glossary, discography and note on session etiquette were useful.
Good for getting the basic background on Irish music, but I recommend taking a look at Far from the Shamrock Shore for a more emotional, yet historical look at the same topic.