Roy Foster is one of Ireland's leading historians, the author of
the much acclaimed two-volume biography of Yeats as well as the
definitive history Modern Ireland, which has been hailed as
"dazzling" (New York Times Book Review) and "elegant, erudite,
wise, witty" (Irish Times). Now, this brilliant writer offers a
"short and combative" account of Ireland's astonishing
transformation over the last three decades.
Has there really been an "economic miracle"? Where does the
explosion of cultural energy in music, literature, and theater come
from? Has the power of the Catholic Church really crumbled?
Focusing largely on contemporary events, living people, current
controversies, and popular culture, Luck and the Irish explores
these questions and raises other provocative questions of its own.
Foster looks at the astonishing volte-face undertaken by Sinn Fein,
eventually taking office in a state they had once fought to
destroy. He describes how Catholicism, once the bedrock of Irish
identity, has been decisively compromised, as evidenced by the
exploitation and abuse scandals and the drastic decline in
devotions. At the same time, the position of women in Irish society
has been transformed, with the growth of feminism, a revolution in
sexual attitudes, far more women in the work force, the ascendancy
of President Mary Robinson, and the movement of women to front-rank
Cabinet posts--all of which have put the position of Irish women
ahead of that in many European nations.
Many old molds have been broken in Irish society over the last 30
years, and the immediate results have been breath-taking. But are
these developments really as permanent or even as beneficial as
they appear? Everyone curious about the recent past, the burgeoning
present, and the unclear future of Ireland will want to read this
superbly written and deeply thoughtful book.
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