February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Right from the beginning, “Secret History” takes the reader on a deep dive into the murky depths of the IRA’s war against the North’s body politic and its British superstructure. The book frequently conflicting forces raging within the IRA’s own ranks. Simply put, “Secret History” is one of those books that are hard to put down though it is certain that the reasons behind such a reaction will be many and varied. This book, already at the top of the bestseller list in Ireland, will intrigue and incite, excite and infuriate. W.W. Norton. 600 pp. $28.95.
BILLY
Pamela Stephenson
The Scots have a rare old sense of humor and many would argue that Billy Connolly, more than anyone, has brought the sardonic Scots view of life’s absurdities to a global audience. Connolly’s comic edge, not surprisingly, is rooted in those aspects of life that are anything but a joke. This biography, written by his wife, Pamela Stephenson, has been described as a Scottish “Angela’s Ashes.” So the reader laughs and cries. But, hopefully, mostly laughs. Stephenson is well placed to chronicle Connolly’s wild ride on the roller coaster to fame. She is not just the man’s wife, but also a comedian and psychologist. Overlook Press. 291 pp. $24.95.
CALLAN BRIDGE
Niall and Cillian Vallely
The debut duet CD recording from the Vallely brothers has been long awaited by those, on both sides of the Atlantic, who have followed their progress as the offspring of a well known Armagh traditional music family. Cillian, who plays uilleann pipes, has played in the U.S. with groups such as Whirligig and Chulrua and has also performed with “Riverdance on Broadway.” Niall Valelly, on concertina, was a founding member of the group Nomos and is well regards as a composer of original material for his chosen instrument. From Compass Records, Nashville: www.compassrecords.com.
IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT IRELAND
Carmel McCaffrey and Leo Eaton
The authors had a lot of dust to blow off the standard texts of Irish history since they started out at 9000 BC. But that is what they set out to do with a work that was recently seen as a series on PBS stations across the U.S. Much of ancient Irish history is not so much shrouded by the mists of time as it has been muddied by writers in the 19th century who lost the run of themselves. This well-researched book, which takes Ireland’s story from the very beginning up to the arrival of the English, will add considerably to what viewers learned by watching the PBS series, the TV format being invariably an edited version of the original book source. New Amsterdam. 286 pp. $26.