Comments on The Pensive Quill: The Fourth Red Stained Green Field

Mackers, agree with you that he is very astute. Fa...

2010-04-18T21:03:39.184+01:00

Mackers, agree with you that he is very astute. Fascinating read, absolutely packed with information. A lot to take in though, so I will read it again.
My friends seem to think the book of the moment is the Ed Moloney book, one commented to me last night that she never read such a thought provoking book.
This would be a brilliant book for prople who do not like the dictates of analysis.

Nuala, The New Politics of Sinn Fein is by Kevin B...

2010-04-15T10:12:13.153+01:00

Nuala, The New Politics of Sinn Fein is by Kevin Bean. A very substantive analysis by a very astute analyst. Glad you enjoyed it.

Simon, Tony Geraghty's book was so poor in ter...

2010-04-15T10:10:15.975+01:00

Simon, Tony Geraghty's book was so poor in terms of content - too many factual inaccuracies. I found it very disappointing for that alone.Then there was the very skewed perspective to bear. Still, I stuck with it and found parts of it useful

For me objectivity is more important in history bo...

2010-04-14T22:09:10.115+01:00

For me objectivity is more important in history books than any other genre. The best historians are those that bring all points of view into the analysis. Even if they finally come to their own absolute, definite conclusions. At least you will then be aware of some arguments you mightn't have come up with on your own. A book that draws on other research, books and opinion is often better than one that stagnates in partiality: I like the phrase "beware the man of one book". Having said that, my goal now is to be patient enough to try more one-sided texts. Then I will not only have to think for myself but will have to overcome strong partial arguments as well.

Nuala the new politics of psf would be like Albert...

2010-04-14T19:00:42.258+01:00

Nuala the new politics of psf would be like Alberts colouring in book, i.e. anything the dummy tits want it to be

Mackers, bought this book at Christmas for my son ...

2010-04-14T16:13:55.480+01:00

Mackers, bought this book at Christmas for my son and he absolutely loved it. He was not overly concerned about the author's lack of objectivity i.e. bias. In fact, he said he likes to hear other people's interpretations even if they do not fit with his own.

Hard to get a book that is not subjective. The fact that a author decides to right about a certain topic, is subjective in itself.

Anyway there is another extremely good read out there, which someone bought me for Christmas, (Mackers forgive me if you have already mentioned this one) "The New Politics of Sinn Fein" Definitely a book for people who do not mind analysis, especially when that analysis is backed up by facts!

Sometimes I read books on a subject in which the d...

2010-04-13T18:16:11.311+01:00

Sometimes I read books on a subject in which the dogmatism obscures the reality which can be frustrating if there is no obvious alternative book on the same subject available. I also hesitate reading purely historical books written by politicians, of whatever hue, because of bias. I know that every writer is biased and I agree that sometimes it is enjoyable trying to get at the truth by reading between the lines. That is why I watch the BBC. Another example is Tony Geraghty's "The Irish War". It was in two parts: one on the recent conflict and one on earlier Irish History. The first part was readable and interesting but the second part on earlier times was so one-sided as to make interpretation redundant. I am glad the reviewed book isn't more of the above and I plan on getting it. Thanks again.

AHEM! Anthony have you tried the bible.. ............

2010-04-13T15:52:33.106+01:00

AHEM! Anthony have you tried the bible.. ...........only joking

Simon, it is anything but a polemic. I think a mul...

2010-04-13T13:05:54.001+01:00

Simon, it is anything but a polemic. I think a multiplicity of narratives and discourses on any subject all contribute to a better understanding of it. Even those contributions which are dogmatic and claim to be definitive have some value. Many readers want their authors to be assertive in their conclusions so that they can challenge them. Others prefer such conclusions because they provide facile answers. I always remember someone telling me 'beware the man of one book'. No one book provides us with everything

Operation Harvest all I can say about that episod...

2010-04-12T13:37:01.733+01:00

Operation Harvest all I can say about that episode is that it was lions led by fools, were all the I.O,s away on holiday or what,

Thanks Anthony. Perhaps I exaggerated a little. I...

2010-04-12T11:26:30.472+01:00

Thanks Anthony. Perhaps I exaggerated a little. I just like a more objective analysis which leaves a little more room for manoeuvre, one that takes other viewpoints into account. This book sounds like an individual thesis that hammers the writer's own point home. Not an historical discourse. His conclusions seem too definite. A little ambiguity goes a long way with this type of book. I get your point that "very few books leave it up to reader EXCLUSIVELY to draw their own conclusions" but I feel the less explicit the author's conclusions the better. I want to think when I read a book not to be told what to think. I want a little doubt, a little uncertainty about the subject. Something thought-provoking. But thanks for your advice that it is well worth reading, I'll give it a try. I suppose if it was so strongly critical of the campaign that it amounted to a polemic you would have said so. Thank you.

Simon, I am not sure any book would give you what ...

2010-04-12T09:13:35.678+01:00

Simon, I am not sure any book would give you what you want given your approach to reading material. There are very few books that leave it up to the reader exclusively to draw their own conclusions. I would suggest it is well worth reading and while reading it the task of analysing both events and narrative would be up to you

A couple of months ago when I became aware of this...

2010-04-11T23:54:13.988+01:00

A couple of months ago when I became aware of this book I was immediately ambivalent towards buying it. The subject interests me and I have read about it before yet not in great depth. However, the title implied the book's central theme was an analysis that criticised the campaign. I prefer a narrative which leaves the analysis up to the reader. The Border Campaign was too far back in time yet too close to present political discourse to prevent such explicit criticisms of the "methods, ethos and tactics" from ruining an informative book. Having just read your review I am still being pulled in two directions on whether or not to read the book. Anthony, for someone like me who can be frustrated in reading subjective analyses when I like to make up my own mind is the book still worth a try?