First published 2010
Modern Irish history unfolds through the voices of those who lived through the Troubles. Joshua Levine draws from extensive interviews with participants, victims, and witnesses from both sides of the conflict. Four decades after the Provisional IRA formed and British troops deployed to Ireland, former enemies Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness lead a shared government between Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists. The peace appears fragile as old tensions resurface. Levine presents survivors whose lives were destroyed, people who ignored the violence, bridge builders who sought reconciliation, those who reject the current peace, and others who refuse to revisit the past. The author examines how ideology clashes with human compassion, revealing how centuries-old battles continue shaping how neighbors view each other today. This comprehensive account demonstrates how political injustice and time's passage can transform complex realities into seemingly straightforward historical narratives.
Genres: history, 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Ireland, Northern Ireland
Period: 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s
384 pages · Hardcover · Harpercollins Pub Ltd
Content warnings: violence