SOCIAL SCIENCES

Bitter Freedom: Ireland in a Revolutionary World

by Maurice Walsh
Liveright: Norton. May 2016. 544p. illus. maps. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781631491955. $35; ebk. ISBN 9781631491962. HIST
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In this accessible history of the creation of the Irish Free State, documentary filmmaker Walsh (The News from Ireland) begins with the Easter Rising of 1916 and closes with the official cessation of hostilities in 1923. More than a simple recitation of events, this work provides a close examination of the period under consideration. The text is constructed in such a way that it is often difficult to tell whether Walsh is quoting a source, responding to the work of other scholars, or advancing new arguments based on the historical evidence. This lack of clarity could frustrate scholars who wish to mine this volume for its research value. Walsh supplies an excellent index, notes, and a select bibliography, which will be especially useful for further reading.
VERDICT An entertaining and accurate introduction to a critical period in Irish history, Walsh's work will be of greatest interest to general readers. Academics wishing to survey texts relating to Irish studies should also take note.
Reviewed by Hanna Clutterbuck-Cook, Harvard Univ. Lib., Cambridge, MA , Mar 01, 2016
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