I Am of Ireland: Women of the North Speak Out

Over the past few years, I've been fortunate to learn about "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland. One of the first things I learned is that very few sources of information are unbiased. Elizabeth Shannon defies that tenet with "I am of Ireland."While her husband served as the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, Shannon took the opportunity to explore women's roles, or the lack thereof, in the political spectrum in Northern Ireland. She did this by interviewing women from all walks of life in the North, from paramilitary members to politicians' wives. These interviews culminated in Shannon's superb study.In "I am of Ireland," Shannon shows the reader there is no cut and dried solution to bring an equitable and just peace to Northern Ireland. She accomplishes this through the interviews. No matter religion, economical stature, or political stance, the women Shannon interviewed all had valid concerns regarding their circumstances.Through these women's voices, Shannon respectfully reveals the human price all the citizens of Northern Ireland have paid: anguish over lost loved ones, pain from their own injuries, constant terror, apathy to the terror.This book came highly recommended to me, and I can't recommend it highly enough to others who wish to gain an even insight into the human side of "The Troubles."