Voices of Northern Ireland: Growing Up in a Troubled Land - Hardcover

Meyer, Carolyn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0152006354 ISBN 13: 9780152006358

Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books, 1987

Synopsis

A journalist relates her visit to Northern Ireland, where she interviewed Protestants and Catholics and recorded their feelings growing up in a country torn by political strife

About this title

About the Author

Carolyn Meyer is the acclaimed author of more than fifty books for young people. Her many award-winning novels include Mary, Bloody Mary, an ABA Pick of the Lists, an NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess, a New York Times bestseller; White Lilacs, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, an NYPL Best Book for the Teen Age, and an IRA Young Adults' Choice; and Marie, Dancing, a BookSense Pick. Ms. Meyer lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visit her website at www.readcarolyn.com.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-9 Following the same method used in her successful Voices of South Africa (Gulliver, 1986), Meyer spent six weeks in Northern Ireland, interviewing groups of young people in schools and youth organizations, attempting to find spokespersons for the Catholic and Protestant factions that divide that country. Unfortunately, most of the Irish were neither so cordial nor as willing (or able) to express political opinions as the people whom Meyer met in South Africa. Meyer found the young people of Northern Ireland to be unwilling to bridge the gap between the religions, and more concerned with past history than a better future. There is information in the book about the origin of ``the Troubles,'' about current economic problems, and about organizations and authorities working in their various ways to keep peace. However, Meyer's decision to assure confidentiality by changing names of persons, streets, and even towns, makes much of the information of doubtful reference value. For understanding the political passions and religious divisions of Northern Ireland, fiction seems better than Meyer's journalistic approach. James Forman's A Fine Soft Day (Farrar, 1978) and Peter Carter's Under Goliath (Oxford University Pr, 1977; o.p.) introduce people who seem more real and more involved than the sullen and discouraged young people whom Meyer met. Perhaps the best use of her personal narrative is to provide authenticity to the settings and events of such fictional accounts. Shirley Wilton, Ocean County Col . , Toms River, N.J.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books
• Publication date: 1987
• ISBN 10: 0152006354
• ISBN 13: 9780152006358
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 212