The coming of the Normans to Ireland from 1169 is a pivotal moment in the country's history. It is a period full of bloodthirsty battles, both between armies and individuals. With colourful personalities and sharp political twists and turns, Strongbow's story is a fascinating one. Combining the writing style of an award-winning novelist with expert scholarship, historian Conor Kostick has written a powerful and absorbing account of the stormy affairs of an extraordinary era.
Exiled from court, distrusted and indebted, Richard de Clare is a man whose past is greater than his prospects and whose once-great name overshadows his deeds. Having backed the loser in the civil war, he faces penury and disgrace due to the disfavour of the distant and over-mighty king. He has, however, one last gambit to play, one final attempt to claim a wealth and glory that would eclipse even the greatest exploits of his mighty fathers. And, nothing less than the hand of an Irish princess and a throne will suffice if Richard is to surpass the great feats of his family.
A young man only at peace when he is at war Young Halfdan is a slave. He is crafty with a bow and arrow and wise in the ways of the animals, but he can only dream of a warrior's life. That is, until the dark day a Saxon's blows lay his father on his deathbed, and his mother makes a tragic bargain for Halfdan's freedom. A boy's destiny can come at the most terrible price. Halfdan must suffer a grave loss in order to grasp what he most desires: to train by, to live by, and, if the fates decree it, to die by the force of his sword and the swiftness of his arrow. He is to be a warrior -- a great warrior. Bloody, furiously paced, heart-wrenching, and unflinching, this is a story of a land where the destinies of boys and men are forged in the heat of battle. Young Halfdan shall come to know the glories of true brotherhood and the unspeakable horrors of true evil. In this first book in a saga teeming with thrilling details of the Viking world, young Halfdan emerges as a new hero . . . a new myth . . . a new legend.
Marta Enos is having a bad day. It begins when the wind blows her homework out the window and the dogs chew it to pieces. Her grandmother consoles her with a tortilla as "big and pale as a rising full moon," along with ancient words of advice. This charming story, set on a Papago reservation in southern Arizona near the Mexican border, offers Native American wisdom that helps children--and adults as well--put their problems in perspective.
Hafdan's training as a Viking warrior leads him to fight in bloody battles between nations--and gives him conflicted feelings about his killer instincts.
From Norman invaders, religious wars—and the struggle for independence—the fascinating, turbulent history of a tortured nation and its gifted people When Shakespeare referred to England as a "jewel set in a silver sea," he could just as well have been speaking of Ireland. Not only has its luminous green landscape been the backdrop for bloody Catholic/Protestant conflict and a devastating famine, Ireland's great voices—like Joyce and Yeats—are now indelibly part of world literature. In Irish History For Dummies, readers will not only get a bird's-eye view of key historical events (Ten Turning Points) but, also, a detailed, chapter-by-chapter timeline of Irish history beginning with the first Stone Age farmers to the recent rise and fall of the Celtic tiger economy. In the informal, friendly For Dummies style, the book details historic highs like building an Irish Free State in the 1920s—and devastating lows (including the Troubles in the '60s and '70s), as well as key figures (like MP Charles Parnell and President Eamon de Valera) central to the cause of Irish nationalism. The book also details historic artifacts, offbeat places, and little-known facts key to the life of Ireland past and present. Includes Ten Major Documents—including the Confession of St. Patrick, The Book of Kells, the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, and Ulysses Lists Ten Things the Irish Have Given the World—including Irish coffee, U.S. Presidents, the submarine, shorthand writing, and the hypodermic syringe Details Ten Great Irish Places to Visit—including Cobh, Irish National Stud and Museum, Giants Causeway, and Derry Includes an online cheat sheet that gives readers a robust and expanded quick reference guide to relevant dates and historical figures Includes a Who's Who in Irish History section on dummies.com With a light-hearted touch, this informative guide sheds light on how this ancient land has survived wars, invasions, uprisings, and emigration to forge a unique nation, renowned the world over for its superb literature, music, and indomitable spirit.
Searching for and writing about the lives of her ancestors has become a passion for author Karen Cox Gray. She has visited France, Switzerland, Belgium and the United Kingdom following the paths of her family roots. In the United States, she has traveled throughout the Eastern states and the Midwest researching the basis of family legends. After a career as an Illinois regional library consultant, Karen compiles her research and writes stories from her home in central Illinois. She is the author of seven previous books. Artist Meghan Cox Meghan Cox is an artist working in Philadelphia. She has exhibited work regionally, nationally and internationally. She is also the recipient of several grants including the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant. Meghan currently teaches painting and figure drawing at Drexel University.
The Irish Times Top 10 Bestseller! From war to revolution, famine to emigration, The Darkness Echoing travels around Ireland bringing its dark past to life It's no secret that the Irish are obsessed with misery, suffering and death. And no wonder, for there is darkness everywhere you look: in cemeteries and castles, monuments and museums, stories and songs. In The Darkness Echoing, Gillian O'Brien tours Ireland's most deliciously dark heritage sites, delving into the stories behind them and asking what they reveal about the Irish. Energetic, illuminating and surprisingly funny, The Darkness Echoing challenges old, accepted narratives about Ireland, and asks intriguing questions about Ireland's past, present and future. 'My history book of the year' Ryan Tubridy 'As thought-provoking as it is informative and entertaining' Irish Times 'Hugely enjoyable, thought-provoking and informative ... An essential read' History Ireland
