Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe

Say Nothing
by Patrick Radden Keefe
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As an American of Irish descent, I have often heard about the Troubles and the IRA, but admittedly, it has always been in passing and never in much detail. That being said, a lot of what happened and is chronicled in Say Nothing was a complete surprise to me! From the very first chapter, this book was a page turner! 

The sheer volume of research that Keefe must have done for this book is massively impressive. The attention to detail is what makes this historical novel so outstanding. Not only is this book teeming with information, but Keefe did an impeccable job with not overwhelming you. At no point in this book does the author simply list facts in sentence form (which is unfortunately quite common in this genre), nor does he force so much down your throat at once that you cannot follow the story easily. From beginning to end, Say Nothing is a masterpiece of historical recollection. 

The best part of this book by far was Patrick Radden Keefe's ability to humanize the terrorists belonging to the IRA. He gives a background to every individual that had a role in these awful events (that took place over the course of 30 years!). He gives you insight into how the IRA consisted of many members who had humble beginnings as Socialist Pacifists. The road to terrorism was a wild one, but it becomes clear, as you read through the chapters, just how easily groups such as the IRA are able to suck in those who are blinded by their desperation. 

I would highly recommend Say Nothing to anyone interested in the general topic of history. I personally believe that stories about homegrown terrorism have become incredibly vital as white terrorism is becoming more and more prevalent in the United States. This is definitely a must read!