An Awfully Big Adventure

Patrick Leigh Fermor was a man of great talents who inspired affection and deep friendship among those who knew him and who was fortunate in the friends he made.

The Noble Earl

A historical novel based on a fourteenth century Hiberno-Norman chieftain reminds us that Ireland was a multilingual and multicultural country long before any of us were born.

The Opening to Others

Believers make use of supernatural stories to give detailed content to and make more tangible the sense of openness to the transcendent, openness to strangers.

Oscar and the Irish

A history of Oscar Wilde’s reputation in Ireland is uplifting and rhetorically adroit. But perhaps we should also ask if it is true.

Theories of Everything

Markets on their own will neither guarantee their own continuation nor broader societal prosperity. They rely on inclusive and adaptable political institutions, which in turn are created by political choices.

War, Death and Hubris

The British are good at remembering their history in Afghanistan, but then so are the Afghans. The two versions are irreconcilable.

Sharp Mind, Sharp Tongue

Hugh Trevor-Roper was an historian of exceptional gifts, but some wondered why he needed to spend so much time hating people.