The Story of the Irish People
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- Synopsis
- Sean O'Faolain, a distinguished Irish novelist and short story writer, has written a terse, luminous inquiry into Ireland and the Irishman. "This book," writes O'Faolain, "is not a history of political events, although some political events are described briefly in the course of the main narrative. It is, in effect, a creative history of the growth of the racial mind; or, if the term were not too large and grandiose, the story of the development of a national civilization..." This modest description of the author's purpose does not indicate that The Story of the Irish People is unusually good history and unusually good reading. The Story of the Irish People presents and explains the historic influences that have molded the character of the Irish down through the centuries. In agreement with Arnold Toynbee's view of history as a series of challenges and responses, and with R. G. Collingwood's statement, "History proper is the history of thought; there are no mere events in history," O'Faolain ranges the fields of political and religious history, economic and artistic development, mythology, literature, and social structure. He does much to clarify the contradictions of Irish character and history that have so long puzzled historians and biographers. O'Faolain contends that contemporary Irish traits and values are largely the results of a series of invasions dating from prehistory. He shows that each of these invasions in turn made its distinct contributions. The Celts brought their mythology, the Romans Christianity, the Danes built the towns, the Normans erected the abbeys and the castles, and the English brought their language and their law. Irish characteristics are epitomized in Ireland's rebels, writers, and clergy, all of whom receive a penetrating analysis. As a preliminary to the study of Irish literature, to research in Irish history, or simply as an introduction to the people "whose wars are always merry and whose songs are always sad," this book, by one of Ireland's leading writers, is helpful, informative, and highly interesting.
- Copyright:
- 1949
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Excellent
- Book Size:
- 191 Pages
- ISBN-13:
- 9780517379899
- Publisher:
- Avenel Books
- Date of Addition:
- 01/21/17
- Copyrighted By:
- The Devin-Adair Company.
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- History, Nonfiction, Politics and Government, Sociology
- Submitted By:
- Evan Reese
- Proofread By:
- Lissi
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.
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