BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Irish Culture Good Book, "The Princes of Ireland"

"The Princes of Ireland: The Dublin Saga" by Edward Rutherford is as good a book on Irish history as I've seen in a long time. Delightful reading.

It starts off in pre-Christian Ireland and wends its way through to the time of Henry VIII, a natural end for this two-part Dublin Saga.

The author, Rutherford, is a brilliant storyteller and a serious historian. His other works include "Sarum," the history of Salisbury and Stonehenge, "Russka," a broad history of Russia, "London," and "The Forest," which brings ancient England into focus.

"The Dublin Saga" is the first of two books on the founding of the city of Dublin. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book.

Best,
me

Thanks, Mary Ellen. I plan to pick this book up. Have you read his others?

No, but I plan to! I am enjoying this one immensely. I love books that "dumb down" Irish history to a level that I can understand! This one is just right. Don't get me wrong, I love the history, but so many of the books are just way over my head. We had so many in the house when I was growing up, and I was ravenous to read them, but the print was generally 3 point Flyspeck, rife with unexplained Old Gaelic vocabulary, and long, drawn-out associations (and dates, jeekers, I hate dates; they bedevil me).<img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I really like well-written, historically accurate novels. Every year in high school and college, I would read everything I could get my hands on about a different period of history. By comparing the different books, I could be pretty sure I had a good handle on the period. One year it was the American Civil war, another it was the French Revolution, then Ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt... Irish histories were always there, but often as a chore rather than for pleasure. Now they seem to be becoming a bit more friendly, or maybe it's because I'm older.

My dad could tell you the date and particulars of everything since the discovery of turf...in Gaelic. I am not so gifted. I need a good story line to absorb the details.

It's good to hear from you, Jeri. I was wondering if you had taken off for a long trip or something. <img src="/images/graemlins/irish.gif" alt="" />

Best,
me

Have you read the Morgan Llewelyn historical novels (Irish Century series)about Irish independence...I know you don't like dates, but the titles are "1916", "1921", "1949" and the newest is "1972". Her fictional characters are real people you care about, and she weaves real historical figures. I think they're very well done.
I'm off on some PTO from work now for a week...catch you next week.

I love historical fiction and Ireland - Morgan Llewelyn's books are really wonderful, better than Rutherford's. She also wrote "Bard" and some others, prior to the ones that Jeri mentioned. Better than good - they are "must reads"!

Nancy

I can stand dates when they are compressed. When we were in school, history tests often included a specific day, month, year for events. I didn't like that at all. I've always read too fast for that stuff.

Morgan and I have been author and reader for years, but I haven't read the Irish Century series. Great! Books to read. A successful summer is at hand. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the heads up, or in this case, head down.

I hope your time off is good. <img src="/images/graemlins/irish.gif" alt="" />

Hi Nancy:

Thanks for reminding me of Llywelln. I loved "Grania" and some of her early stuff. I confess I had forgotten her work. Now I have a good excuse to buy some summer reading. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Oops, I spelled Rutherfurd wrong.

Best,
Mary Ellen

On reflection, it's not dates I have issues with, it's the dry recitation of dates in histories. History is a living thing, and to reduce it to memorization of dates to impress a teacher is a waste of time, IMHO. When a person reads a good history book, they will remember the dates of important events spontaneously.

Mary Ellen, I've finished "Princes of Ireland". Really enjoyed it and learned a lot! I had no idea that the Viking influence was so pervasive. Also enjoyed the contrast between the Roman church and the Celtic church. Too bad the Celtic ways didn't defeat the other, in my opinion.

I enjoyed it as well. I've since read "Lion of Ireland" and "Druid" by Llywelyn, and they're fantastic.

Good to hear from you.
Mary Ellen