The Trouble with the Irish

A Humorous Look at Ireland's Grim History

De: Leonard Wibberley

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

A witty, affectionate, and delightfully informal look at Irish history told from the perspective of Leonard Wibberley, the beloved author of The Mouse that Roared.

Raised in both Ireland and England, Wibberley offers a light-hearted yet insightful exploration of the complex love/hate relationship between the Irish and English. Through fascinating details of the struggles and interactions between the two peoples over the centuries, Wibberley reveals their shared strengths and surprising similarities. With his trademark humor and warmth, he holds out hope that they can ultimately put their “troubles” behind them and face the future together.

This book was originally published with the title, The Trouble with the Irish… or the English Depending on Your Point of View.

“The Trouble with the Irish will delight those who prefer the story phase of history, who like their wisdom bottled in wit.”—Los Angeles Times

“…infused throughout with a special sort of good nature which frequently finds its best expression in humor.”—Chicago Tribune

“This little book is a marvel in fairness as well as condensation… Personal and witty.”—NY Herald Tribune

“Wibberley has an eye for the ‘chronic shortcomings’ and ‘talented imbecility’ of the Irish and a sympathy for their long oppression. He tells their story with color and vigorous concern.”—Kirkus Reviews

★★★★★ “I stumbled across this book in my college library while researching for a thesis. Wibberley, who was educated in both Ireland and England, paints an amusing, brief picture of some of the history of Ireland and Ireland’s relationship with England. He mixes wit in with sometimes tragic history in what seems to me to be a very Irish fashion. It’s one of my favorite books, which has since been tracked down...”—Amazon Review

Interesting book but AI narration is unacceptable

The book is a good summary of Irish history but much more grim than humorous. There are some weaknesses. The discussion of the Great Famine seemed brief and shallow, particularly after listening to Padraig Scanlan’s recent book, Rot. There is surprisingly little about The Troubles. This is not a new book and it may be that an audio version could not be made without artificial narration. However, it is soulless and sometimes simply irritating. For example, the many uses of the acronym for the Irish Republican Army are always pronounced I - long pause - R A.

An Irish tale

I learned much and enjoyed the style of the writing. The book ends in the mid 50s but the history is intriguing and really gave me a broader understanding of the Irish scene. Recommended