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  • Irish History for Dummies

  • By: Mike Cronin
  • Narrated by: Patrick Moy
  • Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (99 ratings)
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Irish History for Dummies

By: Mike Cronin
Narrated by: Patrick Moy
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Summary

Putting history into a perspective, Irish History for Dummies is an engaging, entertaining and educational trip through time, packing in equal parts fun and facts, providing listeners with a riveting history of this ancient land. The history of Ireland has shaped the world far beyond its borders. And few stories have a greater need for a balanced and light-hearted telling than the complex and often controversial saga of Ireland and her people.

With more than 250 million books in print and more than 1,800 titles, For Dummies is the most widely recognized and highly regarded reference series in the world. Since 1991, For Dummies has helped millions make everything easier. For Dummies audiobooks offer listeners proven experts presenting even the most complex subjects in plain English.

©2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (P)2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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What listeners say about Irish History for Dummies

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fun and Interesting in every way

Would you listen to Irish History for Dummies again? Why?

Ignore the wannabe history professors reviewing this and read the title. I am Irish and like most; think I know the full story in a kind of patch work way. This is what this book does. It's all your History classes from school brought together in a humourous and well constructed way. I purchased this knowing I would be on a long journey home and I loved it.
It is not supposed to an intellectual thesis; but a easily accessible story with some brilliant characters that perhaps we have forgotten about.
So never mind some would-be, late night, boring as hell reviewer who wants to really just say how clever he is...and enjoy a nostalgic trip back to 3rd year double history on a Wednesday afternoon and remember how bloody rich our little land is.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Ireland - The Years Before Bono

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25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Mediocre would be a compliment too far!

This guide to Irish history, tailored as it is for 'Dummies', will serve poorly all who hear it. There are a large number of inaccuracies - wrong dates, misleading causal statements, etc., which for anyone familiar with Irish history, flash like beacons. For those who use this book to give themselves a basic grounding in Irish history, or, God forbid, use it as a reference, they'll be embarrassed when what they believe to be facts are outed as fiction.
The narrator's voice is not bad, if lacking the gravitas required for a book on history. Obviously the youthful tone imparted by the narrator helps negate the austerity that history audiobooks often impart, yet it just seems incongruous in too many contexts. The 'jokes' that are often stapled into the narration are invariably so obvious as to be painful.
Irritatingly, the book is poorly written, quite repetitive in parts and generally sloppy in its conversion to audiobook format.
In the version I downloaded, the introduction is forced on the listener twice; at the start of each part - two times more than it should be!
Too poor to recommend.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A good canter through Irish history

This is a simple, quick and unsubtle canter through Irish history but that is exactly what it sets out to be. Because Irish history post Cromwell is very complex with competing narratives a helicopter overview to give a basic structure for further reading this audiobook fills a gap. I studied parts of Irish history at undergraduate level and I found this book, nearly 30 years on from my undergraduate studies. I would strongly recommend this book to English readers. It gives a neutral (albeit potted) but not Anglo centric view of Irish history.

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9 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book

I have to say I was very surprised at how good this book is. I have read a lot about Irish history and bought this book for an easy listening refresher. It is my for book in the for dummies series. I will now look at what else they have on offer.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A perfect whistlestop tour of Irish history

Really liked this book. I am Irish and very interested in Irish history and didnt find this too basic at all. Learned a lot and it put a lot of things I did know into better context. Narrated really well too. Highly recommend this!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen, some amazing sections

It’s a book that gets more interesting as history gets more recent.
Story of Ireland told in a very balanced way.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A great listen

this is a comprehensive look at the history of Ireland. It is funny at times but the narration is beautifully done and must to understand a country's history.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great for those times, lads

The craic’s fierce and pure, sure, it’s mighty, but it’s a long, bloody history, lads.

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