{"product_id":"luck-and-the-irish-r-f-foster-9780195179521","title":"Luck and the Irish: A Brief History of Change 1970","description":"Roy Foster is one of Ireland's leading historians, the author of the much acclaimed two-volume biography of Yeats as well as the definitive history \u003cem\u003eModern Ireland\u003c\/em\u003e, which has been hailed as \"dazzling\" (\u003cem\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/em\u003e) and \"elegant, erudite, wise, witty\" (\u003cem\u003eIrish Times\u003c\/em\u003e). Now, this brilliant writer offers a \"short and combative\" account of Ireland's astonishing transformation over the last three decades. \u003cbr\u003e Has there really been an \"economic miracle\"? Where does the explosion of cultural energy in music, literature, and theater come from? Has the power of the Catholic Church really crumbled? Focusing largely on contemporary events, living people, current controversies, and popular culture, \u003cem\u003eLuck and the Irish\u003c\/em\u003e explores these questions and raises other provocative questions of its own. Foster looks at the astonishing volte-face undertaken by Sinn Fein, eventually taking office in a state they had once fought to destroy. He describes how Catholicism, once the bedrock of Irish identity, has been decisively compromised, as evidenced by the exploitation and abuse scandals and the drastic decline in devotions. At the same time, the position of women in Irish society has been transformed, with the growth of feminism, a revolution in sexual attitudes, far more women in the work force, the ascendancy of President Mary Robinson, and the movement of women to front-rank Cabinet posts--all of which have put the position of Irish women ahead of that in many European nations. \u003cbr\u003e Many old molds have been broken in Irish society over the last 30 years, and the immediate results have been breath-taking. But are these developments really as permanent or even as beneficial as they appear? Everyone curious about the recent past, the burgeoning present, and the unclear future of Ireland will want to read this superbly written and deeply thoughtful book.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e R. F. Foster\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0195179528\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780195179521\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Oxford University Press, USA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/14\/2008\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 240\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.04lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.25h x 6.51w x 0.88d","brand":"R. F. Foster","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":44715568660735,"sku":"9780195179521","price":37.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_f4e36c5f-d81a-4dfc-860b-02698eaa01ad.jpg?v=1705672751","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/luck-and-the-irish-r-f-foster-9780195179521","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}