Making Sense of the Troubles: The Story of the Conflict in Northern Ireland Kindle Edition

I became interested in this conflict after watching the 2002 movie Bloody Sunday with James Nesbitt. I found myself embarrassed that I had so little knowledge related to what had been occurring in Northern Ireland for most of my life. To think that there is a conflict that has simultaneously been characterized as 1) A war for independence, 2) a civil war, 3) a war on terrorism, 4) a war for Civil Rights, and 5) a war supporting a colonial possession and state ally; occurring in a 20th century industrialized nation was fascinating to me.I was a little worried that this book might be a little skewed one way or the other; but was extremely pleased to find it to be a very even handed and balanced reference.This book does go through over 30+ years of the conflict's history; so don't expect a deep dive into any particular event or person. That being said, I was very impressed with the breadth and width of the information the authors were able to put into a book that took me a 4 day weekend to get through. From the background history leading up to Operation Banner, through the military activities of the different parties, to the politics, to the personalities involved, it was easy to follow, and an easy read.I would highly recommend this book for those, like me, who are coming into the Northern Ireland Troubles cold, and want a comprehensive overview of the conflict. This book is probably not the one for anyone wanting to get deep into any specific event or personality.

Simply put: If I was teaching a college-level course in Northern Ireland history, this book would be at the top of my syllabus. The authors rose to the daunting challenge of assembling a concise and readable synthesis of the Troubles in just over 200 pages. Of course one will will not cover everything; this book is not meant for this level of analysis. Authors like Tim Pat Coogan and Peter Taylor will help you get deep into the nasty, gritty details. But if you are new to the Troubles, this book is your ticket. Also included is a historic timeline--a real bonus--and some supportive tables.My only quip, yet not enough to dock it star ratings, is that it screams for an update. So many public records have recently opened up with new findings and interpretations that challenge (or put to rest) older assumptions.A 5 star read across the board, and very highly recommended from this history Ph.D.

Excellent, cogent, concise overview of a fairly complex situation. I've read several other histories and found my head spinning and unable to keep track of the various players and their shifting motivations and alliances. This puts everything in an understandable framework.

A brisk review of The Troubles written fairly well and finely researched. If you're looking for a primer on this era, Making Sense of The Troubles is a great place to start. The authors cover all major events of the period, delving deeper into some than others, doing a particularly good job on the peace process. Overall, a nice job offering a quick look at The Troubles and a good starting point if this is your first look into these complicated years.

It is beyond me how most of the people in Northern Ireland survived during the height of the troubles. I would have been afraid to go to a super market during this time.

Really needs updating as life has changed in the last decade in Ireland. More to be written as the years move on.

there is always something fascinating about the war in Northern Ireland and the overlapping between religious and political reasons. Movies like In the name of the Father and 71 pushed me to read the book. it is very well written with a style more similar to a diary than to an essay. For those who love history it gives a balanced perspective of the Troubles

I am familiar with Irish history, including that of Northern Ireland, so I was able to approach this read not as a novice. I thought the authors drew all the strands together well, and without, to my mind, bias towards one side or the other. I would recommend that many should read it, particularly Americans, a number of whom have in the more recent past been seduced by the message of anti-Britishness emanating from Ireland, without appreciating the real history of Northern Ireland and understanding the complexity of the Troubles.

I'd always been curious about how the "troubles" of Northern Ireland came about. As an American with no British or Irish forebears, it always puzzled me how, in the second half of the 20th century, two apparently similar peoples, Irish Catholics and the Protestant descendants of 16th and 17th century Scottish colonists, could generate so much enmity between them. My knowledge of both British and Irish history is comparatively superficial, so I downloaded the free sample of the Kindle edition of "Making Sense of the Troubles" and began reading.The book got off to a good start, focusing at the outset on Northern Ireland's formal creation at the conclusion of the Irish war for independence. Northern Ireland, it seems, represented in microcosm the same struggle, albeit one that remained hidden for many decades. A key difference was that in the enclave Catholics were not the majority of the population, but the minority. The book left me with the understanding that the creation of Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom was, in effect, part of the price of Irish independence. But the enclave, and the highly sectarian political order that the majority imposed on the minority created a powder keg that would ultimately explode in the late 1960s. While the book provided a better understanding of the Troubles, I would have liked even more historical background concerning the early days of northern Ireland and its development as a Protestant stronghold.Following the excellent introduction, however, the narrative soon transformed into a seemingly endless chronicle of sectarian violence and internecine quarrels among the various factions that emerged as the conflict wore on. Comparing this book with "Line in the Sand," which I recently read and which addressed the origins of the Arab Israeli conflict, this book never came alive for me. "Making Sense of the Troubles" is nevertheless a worthwhile book and provides a detailed and apparently impartial account of the events that eventually led to peace and stability. What was a flaw for me may very well be a strength to readers with a greater interest in or familiarity with the subject.

A really helpful point of view- pretty balanced. I grew up in England and only really heard about the IRA and was curious about the DUP given the recent political spotlight- this got me up to speed, it rattles through the key events well, not dwelling on any one too much- so you will need another book if you need detail, but sets out the timeline and peaks and troughs of a difficult issue.

Easy to read and a fairly balanced view of the troubles. Having lived through this period in NI history, it was a good reminder of how easy it would be to slip back into divided communities.

An interesting, well balanced look at the Troubles that does a good job in explaining how such an awful conflict came about and how it so rapidly escalated as both sides choose war, not because it resolved anything but it meant they could stay in their own bubbles without having to consider what compromises they would need to make to have peace.The only disappointment in an otherwise excellent read, is the final chapter which is largely an executive summary of the overall book.

A good review of the troubles. particularly relevant at the moment with the Brexit , Irish border issues coming to the fore. I was interested in the relations between the British government and Unionists. An eye opener. Talks going on while SF were dubbed over with actors what a farce!