321
people found this helpful, as of 2023
ranked #76,360 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★★★★
A must read
I visited Northern Ireland as a psychologist, in 1997. I had been working with families of murder victims, and had the chance to learn about the differences between street violence in America and political violence in Northern Ireland. Nothing prepared me for what I found.
Keefe's book is the best book I have read about the reasons for, and impact of, political violence in Ireland. It goes deeper into the minds and lives of IRA operatives than anything I have read. It is terribly sad. And it is chillingly detailed. This is truly one of the finest pieces of investigative reporting and narrative nonfiction I have ever read. One other thing: this book provides a warning for those in America who ever consider the use of paramilitary violence to achieve extreme ends.
March 2019 · Books · verified purchase