In a format reminiscent of Irish Women's Letters (edited by Laurence Flanagan; LJ 10/15/97), Lenox-Conyngham, a broadcaster for the Irish national broadcasting service, presents 400 years of Irish history through the eyes of those who lived it. The book's purpose, she notes, is to give "a perspective on the state of Ireland through the years"--a purpose that is nicely achieved through these balanced selections. Included are such events as the Battle of the Boyne and the siege of Limerick (both 1690), the "Great Hunger" of 1845-48, the Easter Rising (1916), and the Irish literary revival (late 19th to early 20th centuries), as well as the less spectacular occurrences of everyday life through the years. Diarists include John Wesley, Theobald Wolfe Tone, James Stephens, and Lady Gregory, along with less famous men and women in the right place at the right time to observe history as it happened. Recommended for academic and public libraries.--Denise J. Stankovics, Rockville P.L., Vernon, CT
