J. Bowyer Bell (1931–2003)

2532 The Irish Troubles: A Generation of Violence 1967-1992, by J. Bowyer Bell (read 5 Sep 1993) This is a 1993 book on the years from 1967 to 1992--showing how insoluble is the situation in Northern Ireland. I cannot say I enjoyed reading this big book: it recounts all the horrors, all the efforts at solution, all the failures, and always one knew it would end with nothing solved. The author is pretty fair-minded and he has little good to say for the ultras on the Protestant side. Of course, no one can say anything good for the murderous terrorists on the IRA side either. There are 22 chapters in this book, and it tells the story chronologically. But it is heavy on explaining feelings and reactions but not by quotes--just on the author's analysis. This book tells a dismal history--less recent Irish history is much more fascinating.… (mere)