We Don’t Know Ourselves is a personal history of modern Ireland by Fintan O’Toole. The book tells the story of how, after centuries of outsiders defining Irish identity for them, the Irish people have begun to define themselves in the twentieth century. It covers major political events such as Partition and the Troubles, while also exploring aspects of social change and cultural life. Alongside his own stories from growing up in Dublin during this time, O’Toole incorporates anecdotes and insights from many well-known personalities who helped shape modern Ireland, including Eamon de Valera, Seamus Heaney and Bob Geldof.
For who is this book for ?
We Don’t Know Ourselves is a personal history of modern Ireland by Fintan O’Toole. The book tells the story of how, after centuries of outsiders defining Irish identity for them, the Irish people have begun to define themselves in the twentieth century. It covers major political events such as Partition and the Troubles, while also exploring aspects of social change and cultural life. Alongside his own stories from growing up in Dublin during this time, O’Toole incorporates anecdotes and insights from many well-known personalities who helped shape modern Ireland, including Eamon de Valera, Seamus Heaney and Bob Geldof.
Pros :
- The book provides a comprehensive history of modern Ireland, told from the perspective of an insider.
- It is written in an engaging and accessible style, making it enjoyable to read.
- O’Toole includes anecdotes and insights from many well-known personalities who helped shape modern Ireland.
Cons :
- The author’s personal stories can be quite distracting and don’t always add to the main point of the book.
- The book jumps around a lot in terms of time, which can make it difficult to follow at times.
- O’Toole includes a lot of information that might not be relevant to all readers.
Learn more about the author
Fintan O’Toole is an Irish journalist, author and playwright. He has worked as a columnist for The Irish Times since 1988, and his work has also appeared in The New York Review of Books, London Review of Books and other publications. O’Toole was the lead judge for last year’s RTÉ Lyric FM poetry prize.
Reader Reviews
“A beautifully written, passionate and compelling account of modern Ireland…It is a humane book, full of empathy for the characters it portrays.”
“A beautifully written and intelligent account of modern Ireland.”
“We Don’t Know Ourselves is Fintan O’Toole’s compelling and beautifully written account of the Irish journey from a country that was defined by others to one in which the Irish have begun to define themselves. It is an extraordinarily rich, multi-layered book, ranging across politics, history, society and culture. O’Toole brings his immense talents as a writer and storyteller to bear on describing how Ireland has changed over recent decades – sometimes for the better, but often in troubling ways.”
“O’Toole has written a book that is both intensely personal and sweepingly historical, charting the progress of his native country from its post-colonial angst to the present day . . . It is intelligent, impassioned and highly readable.”
