Michael Collins by Eithne Massey

From his childhood on a West Cork farm, Michael Collins dreams of fighting for Ireland's freedom. His dream comes true when he takes part in the 1916 Rising, but crashes with the surrender of the rebels and internment in a prison camp. Michael fights his way back to become a leader in the fight for independence, creating a spy ring of ordinary people, in a Dublin where nothing is quite what it seems.

But this story is not just about politics and war; Michael's crazy sense of humour, his friendships, his faults and his love of his Kerry Blue terriers are brought vividly to life.

This books shows us not just why Michael Collins became one of the bravest and most effective leaders Ireland has ever known, but also why he held the keys of 100 Dublin houses, houses where the families were willing to risk their lives in order to keep him safe.

---

There's a strange tendency - or maybe it's just me, I don't know! - to imagine historical figures as, sort of, springing into being just in time to do the famous thing. A lot of history books just focus on one part of people's lives, with maybe a few pages about their childhood if it's relevant.

Not so this one. Eithne spends a good part of the book on Micheal's childhood and upbringing, showing us how his character was shaped and how he became the Big Fellow, almost folkloric though it's not a hundred years ago yet. She manages to keep the different groups and causes separate, which is no easy task when dealing with that part of Irish history.

As a story this book is great (though a slightly downer ending!) As a history it's brilliant, because it makes these people and events real. Just wonderful.