From the arrival of the Celts to the present, "Heritage of Ireland" reveals how history, climate, and culture have worked together to create a distinctively Irish identity. 150 color and 50 b&w photos.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
"A keen sense of history is a vital element in the Irish identity," writes British scholar Nathaniel Harris in gentle understatement. His oversize, lavishly illustrated book encapsulates key events in the island's history from the Ice Age to the present. Harris quite properly notes that there are many ethnic strains among the Irish, Celt, Scandinavian, Anglo-Saxon, and Norman French among them, and that this commerce among different peoples has yielded a "long and tangled relationship," one that is often contested, as recent events in Northern Ireland attest. Harris writes appreciatively of Ireland's contributions to European culture as a sanctuary of learning and tradition after the fall of the Roman Empire; he gives a useful précis of the Tudor conquest of Ireland and the island's total subjugation under the reign of King William a century later; he describes the political conditions that led to the so-called Ascendancy, when the Episcopalian Church of Ireland supplanted Catholicism and Presbyterianism alike; and he gives an intelligible account of the confusing politics of the 20th century in both Northern Ireland and the Republic. In the latter pages of the book, Harris surveys Irish culture, ranging from medieval illuminated manuscripts to contemporary manifestations like the Lord of the Dance and U2. It all makes for an easily read, enjoyable survey. --Gregory McNamee
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rich Text and Lavish Illustrations make this a Book to Own,
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This review is from: Heritage of Ireland: A History of Ireland & Its People (Hardcover)
Nathaniel Harris is the author of numerous history and art books including The Easter Rising. He returns once again to the subject of Ireland in this lavishly illustrated authoritative text that vividly depicts not only the topography of this Atlantic island of mist and myth, but also its history and culture through the ages.The Oxford educated Harris lives with his wife and son in Worcester, England. Harris explains how Ireland's climate and culture have combined to create the distinctive Irish identity. From the island's past which includes Early Stone Age settlements to the coming of Christianity, and through numerous invasions and rebellions one sees the mold that has shaped contemporary Irish life. In the book's 224 pages, Harris examines the Celtic world, the age of monasticism, the Irish at war, the Ascendancy, Home Rule, the Easter Rising and partition, the life of the Traveller, farming, industry, sport and music. Readers will also learn about Irish art, the place of the church in Irish life, Georgian Dublin, the Big House, castles and strongholds, the Literary Revival, and James Joyce. A chapter devoted to myth and magic explains the life and death of Cuchulainn from the cattle Raid of Cooley, one of the best known stories from the Ulster Cycle. Shown is the bronze statue of the mythic hero which now stands in the General Post Office in Dublin's O'Connell Street. In Dublin's Fair City, the reader may enjoy a vicarious tour through the Georgian City with stops at Royal Kilmainham, now an art gallery; the library at Trinity College, home of the Book of Kells and which, along with the British library, receives a copy of every book published in the British Isles; and the James Gandon designed Custom House and Four Courts. Celtic and Christian art in the form of incised stones, beehive huts, high crosses, chalices, torcs, brooches, and illuminated manuscripts fill the pages and provide insight into Ireland's cultural past and the unbroken continuity that extends to the present day. Heritage of Ireland is skillfully written; Ireland is brought vividly to life on every page of this fascinating volume and is sure to make you want to hop on the next plane to Dublin to see for yourself. Reviewed by Suzanne Barrett
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A lively celebration of Irish life, history and people.,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Heritage of Ireland: A History of Ireland & Its People (Hardcover)
Nathaniel Harris' Heritage Of Ireland celebrates Irish life and history, providing a lively review of the peoples and geography which have formed the Irish peoples. Vintage illustrations and modern photos accompany a fine colorful review.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the read!,
By
This review is from: Heritage of Ireland: A History of Ireland & Its People (Hardcover)
I found this book to be an easy and informative read - worth the time if you are researching Ireland and the many diverse natures of it's people.
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