Customer Reviews

Falls Memories: A Belfast Life

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Falls Memories is really more of a collection of short pieces on
life in the Western corner of Belfast than a novel or history with
any coehsive theme. It is literally things Gerry Adams, President
of the political party Sinn Fein, remembers about the neighborhood
in which he grew up, or memories of those who lived in the area.
There is some attempt to give a brief history and political context
for the memories, but these sections are poorly integrated into the
narratives about his boyhood adventures, the characters in the area,
and the traditions of the Falls. The context pieces sound driven
(perhaps appropriately) by anger and frustration while the narratives,
even when describing violence or sectarian harassment, have a softer
feel to them.

Falls Memories is a valuable book, despite these shortcomings.
First of all, it chronicles life in an area that has literally
been obliterated in the last 25 years. As the Northern Ireland
government has torn down unfit housing and replaced it with more
sanitary and comfortable abodes they have erased many streets
from the map, replacing them with new layouts which meet new
security standards and are less emotionally charged with history.
Secondly, much of the book deals with day to day occurances which
might happen anywhere in the world - young boys sneaking into
movies, girls playing jump rope, adults telling stories abuot the
"good old days." Falls Memories serves as a reminder that the
people affected by the Troubles are not so much different than the
rest of us.

The historical information in this book is fascinating. I loved the style of writing. I would recommend this book to any one interested in Irish history.