Peter Taylor - Provos The IRA and Sinn Fein from 1998 might be more in your line.
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If i recall correctly Moloneys is more a history of the leadership starting with the good old ra thorough the 30s and 40s to O’ Bradaigh then onto Adams
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I read Operation Chiffon by him and I can’t say I loved it; felt it was poorly edited and repetitive in parts.
The Provos documentary that came with that book was interesting alright.
It’s very dense. I found you’d nearly need to reread a paragraph to make sure you’ve taken it all in.
Taylor is the best journalist on the North in my view.
His documentaries, Provos and Loyalists, are brilliant. I think they are available on YouTube.
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I agree.
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I’ll be checking this out. Your previous recommendations have been spot on.
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Moloney’s book heavily reliant on those opposed to Peace Process…Brendan Hughes and Ivor Bell in particular. Its importance has receded as the dispensation arrived at via GFA has largely remained in place, its various issues notwithstanding.
If it had fallen apart and things returned to what they were, then those previously (very) close to Adams, with views on his apostasy, would probably be of greater relevance and importance.
Toby Harnden’s ‘Bandit Country’, flawed and tendentious though it is, has some good insights, largely from security sources, into the MO of the south Armagh IRA if that’s what you’re interested in.
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Finally got around to reading Eoghan Murphy’s book. Entertaining read with a good bit of insight into how gov actually works.
Looking for a book as a Christmas gift for someone who loved both That They May Face The Rising Sun and The Bodhran Makers. Have any of ye clever sorts got a recommendation. Is At Swim Two Birds anything like them at all?
@Fagan_ODowd would be your man I’d say.
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Definitely not like TMFTRS anyway,
At Swim Two Birds is not a standard book. Unless your present person is into weird out there stuff then I’d stay well away.
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Donal Ryan is an option as an offbeat Irish pariah story
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Not a fella iv ever encountered. They didn’t at all like Kala by Colin Walsh if that helps as an indicator.
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How about another McGahern book?
Amongst Women is his best in my view.
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They have read that also and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m running out of ideas.
Brooklyn or Long Island by Colm Toibin might be a bit lighter than those two but decent read along same lines maybe…or Donal Ryan but prob need to make sure they can read the Ryan book in isolation of any prequels
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Ryan has a great book of short stories which I can’t recall the name of
Il go with Long Island on your recommendation - if Christmas is ruined il get the satisfaction of blaming it on a Cork man.