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Armed Struggle
- The History of the IRA
- Narrated by: Roger Clark
- Length: 20 hrs and 6 mins
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Armed Struggle
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 380
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Jean McConville's abduction was one of the most notorious episodes of the vicious conflict known as The Troubles. Everyone in the neighborhood knew the I.R.A. was responsible. But in a climate of fear and paranoia, no one would speak of it. In 2003, five years after an accord brought an uneasy peace to Northern Ireland, a set of human bones was discovered on a beach. McConville's children knew it was their mother when they were told a blue safety pin was attached to the dress--with so many kids, she had always kept it handy for diapers or ripped clothes.
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Kevin Fulton was one of the British Army's most successful intelligence agents. Having been recruited to infiltrate the Provisional IRA at the height of the Troubles, he rose its ranks to an unprecedented level. Living and working undercover, he had no option other than to take part in heinous criminal activities, including the production of bombs which he knew would later kill. So highly was he valued by IRA leaders that he was promoted to serve in its infamous internal police - ironically, his job was now to root out and kill informers.
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In the late summer of 1944, 80 British Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers undertook a covert commando raid, parachuting behind enemy lines into the Vosges Mountains in occupied France to sabotage Nazi-held roads, railways, and ammo dumps, and assassinate high-ranking German officers, undermining the final stand of Hitler's Third Reich. Despite their successes, more than half the men were captured, tortured, and executed. After the war ended, a top-secret black ops unit was formed to hunt down the SS commanders who had murdered their special forces comrades....
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The Iliad is one of the most enduring creations of Western Civilization and was originally written to be recited or chanted to the accompaniment of various instruments. Properly performed, this work today is just as meaningful, just as powerful, and just as entertaining as it was in the ninth century BC, and it casts its spell upon modern listeners with the same raw intensity as it did upon the people of ancient times.
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In Thatcher's Spy, the Cold War meets Northern Ireland's Dirty War in the remarkable real-life story of a deep under-cover British intelligence agent, a man now doomed forever to look over his shoulder. In March 1985, as he climbed the six steps of Margaret Thatcher's prime-ministerial jet on the runway of RAF Aldergrove, little did Willie Carlin know the role Freddie Scappaticci played in saving his life.
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This book is Harry McCallion's blistering account of the history of Britain's war against the IRA between 1970 and 1998. From new insights into high-profile killings and riveting accounts of enemy contact, to revelations about clandestine missions and the strategies used in combating a merciless enemy, Undercover War is the definitive inside story of the battle against the IRA, one of the most dangerous and effective terrorist organisations in recent history.
Written by: Harry McCallion
-
Say Nothing
- A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
- Written by: Patrick Radden Keefe
- Narrated by: Matthew Blaney
- Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 446
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 380
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 383
Jean McConville's abduction was one of the most notorious episodes of the vicious conflict known as The Troubles. Everyone in the neighborhood knew the I.R.A. was responsible. But in a climate of fear and paranoia, no one would speak of it. In 2003, five years after an accord brought an uneasy peace to Northern Ireland, a set of human bones was discovered on a beach. McConville's children knew it was their mother when they were told a blue safety pin was attached to the dress--with so many kids, she had always kept it handy for diapers or ripped clothes.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best book I’ve read in years
- By MadameX on 2019-10-26
Written by: Patrick Radden Keefe
-
Double Agent
- My Secret Life Undercover in the IRA
- Written by: Kevin Fulton
- Narrated by: Stephen Armstrong
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 9
Kevin Fulton was one of the British Army's most successful intelligence agents. Having been recruited to infiltrate the Provisional IRA at the height of the Troubles, he rose its ranks to an unprecedented level. Living and working undercover, he had no option other than to take part in heinous criminal activities, including the production of bombs which he knew would later kill. So highly was he valued by IRA leaders that he was promoted to serve in its infamous internal police - ironically, his job was now to root out and kill informers.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Touts Out
- By Mike Keane on 2023-07-20
Written by: Kevin Fulton
-
The Nazi Hunters
- The Ultra-Secret SAS Unit and the Hunt for Hitler's War Criminals
- Written by: Damien Lewis
- Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell
- Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 16
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
In the late summer of 1944, 80 British Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers undertook a covert commando raid, parachuting behind enemy lines into the Vosges Mountains in occupied France to sabotage Nazi-held roads, railways, and ammo dumps, and assassinate high-ranking German officers, undermining the final stand of Hitler's Third Reich. Despite their successes, more than half the men were captured, tortured, and executed. After the war ended, a top-secret black ops unit was formed to hunt down the SS commanders who had murdered their special forces comrades....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
all new to me
- By Gary McAuley on 2022-02-27
Written by: Damien Lewis
-
The Iliad
- Written by: Homer, Richmond Lattimore - translator
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 22 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
The Iliad is one of the most enduring creations of Western Civilization and was originally written to be recited or chanted to the accompaniment of various instruments. Properly performed, this work today is just as meaningful, just as powerful, and just as entertaining as it was in the ninth century BC, and it casts its spell upon modern listeners with the same raw intensity as it did upon the people of ancient times.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very Well Done
- By Hmackdad on 2019-01-10
Written by: Homer, and others
-
Thatcher's Spy
- My Life as an MI5 Agent Inside Sinn Féin
- Written by: Willie Carlin
- Narrated by: Matthew Forsythe
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 5
In Thatcher's Spy, the Cold War meets Northern Ireland's Dirty War in the remarkable real-life story of a deep under-cover British intelligence agent, a man now doomed forever to look over his shoulder. In March 1985, as he climbed the six steps of Margaret Thatcher's prime-ministerial jet on the runway of RAF Aldergrove, little did Willie Carlin know the role Freddie Scappaticci played in saving his life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Enthralling but sad story
- By Harold Locke on 2023-02-21
Written by: Willie Carlin
-
Undercover War
- Written by: Harry McCallion
- Narrated by: Colin Mace
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 6
This book is Harry McCallion's blistering account of the history of Britain's war against the IRA between 1970 and 1998. From new insights into high-profile killings and riveting accounts of enemy contact, to revelations about clandestine missions and the strategies used in combating a merciless enemy, Undercover War is the definitive inside story of the battle against the IRA, one of the most dangerous and effective terrorist organisations in recent history.
Written by: Harry McCallion
Publisher's Summary
The IRA has been a much richer, more complexly layered, and more protean organization than is frequently recognized. It is also more open to balanced examination now - at the end of its long war in the north of Ireland - than it was even a few years ago.
Richard English's brilliant audiobook offers a detailed history of the IRA, providing invaluable historical depth to our understanding of the modern-day Provisionals, the more militant wing formed in 1969 dedicated to the removal of the British Government from Northern Ireland and the reunification of Ireland. English examines the dramatic events of the Easter Rising in 1916 and the bitter guerrilla war of 1919-21, the partitioning of Ireland in the 1920s, and the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. Here, too, are the IRA campaigns in Northern Ireland and Britain from the 1930s through the 1960s. He shows how the Provisionals were born out of the turbulence generated by the 1960s civil rights movement, and examines the escalating violence that introduced British troops to the streets of Northern Ireland. He also examines the split in the IRA that produced the Provisionals, the introduction of internment in 1971, and the tragedy of Bloody Sunday in 1972.
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What listeners say about Armed Struggle
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Anastasia Beaverhausen
- 2022-01-31
Dry
This book is full of in-depth detail but it’s presentation is so dry that it’s hard to follow. There are too many long list of names, half of which are never mentioned more than once. The acronyms, although defined clearly in the beginning, easily become mixed up to the listener pretty quickly.
The narrator, however, is excellent.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jake Hamilton
- 2021-01-27
The best unbiased account of the IRA there is.
This is easily the most deeply informative general source on the history of Irish Republicanism and the IRA itself. It's presentation of the history of the Provisional IRA specifically is what stands out. It is both engaging and thorough, and manages to avoid bias moreso than any volume on the topic. As an avid researcher of The Troubles, and a family member of one of the people mentioned in the novel, I can strongly affirm not only the accuracy of the accounts, but likewise the ideologies and viewpoints from every major player involved. If you want information and a strong source, look no further - this is the best there is.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Stefan Filipovits
- 2020-02-04
A comprehensive history of the IRA
The history of the conflict in Ireland is as complex as it is fascinating. The best studies of the IRA are ones with an intricate knowledge of the struggle and the religious, socioeconomic, and political nuances that fanned it. Armed Struggle is one of those studies. Armed Struggle is as fair, even-handed, and thorough a history as I’ve been able to find. Far too often in works like these the IRA is either lionized and made completely sympathetic or villainized and portrayed as bloodthirsty killers whose only goal is the murder of innocents. English shows the IRA and Sinn Fein for what they are: normal men and women fighting politically and through guerrilla tactics an abnormal and unique war. The atrocities of both the IRA and loyalists are never excused or downplayed. On the contrary, the very human cost of the war is exhaustively catalogued. While I personally find this subject utterly compelling, I don’t think those beginning to study this subject should start here. The work is as I said incredibly thorough and so expansive it can be overwhelming to the uninitiated or unfamiliar. 40 years of conflict, brutality, and atrocities are catalogued in exhaustive detail. There’s also a fair bit of historical speculation and analysis. The inevitability of the conflict is challenged by the author and a series of “debatable and avoidable decisions” by the UK are analyzed. I’m positive this book will spawn numerous debates by historians and readers alike. However, I think they’re all questions worth asking and I don’t think this is a partisan or biased history. If you’re looking for an exhaustive, nuanced, and thorough account of one of the 20th centuries most devastating conflicts then you’ve come to the right place. It’s comprehensive in its scope, engaging in its depth, and thought-provoking in its analysis.
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26 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- raskolnikov
- 2021-01-13
Dense, but worth it
A dense, scholarly, seemingly very fair history. The narrator did a great job, especially with pronouncing some of the more intimidating names and phrases in the book. A chore to get through at times, but very informative and definitely worth the effort if you're interested in a scholarly history of the IRA.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Cassie
- 2020-12-20
Dry but valuable
It's not going to remotely hold your attention similar to something like Say Nothing. It doesn't use the modern mode of broad histories where little micro-biographies along the way introduce and humanize the people. Don't expect a retelling of the story of the IRA as much as a scholarly study of the IRA
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Karen
- 2023-04-02
Listen to a sample before downloading
I couldn’t get through the first chapter. The narration is delivered in a flat American accent that somehow manages to convey an undercurrent of… anger? I can’t adequately describe it. Just listen to a sample first. You may save yourself a bit of time. There are so many amazing Irish narrators. Who made this choice and why? I’ll never know.
Gave the story a 3 but Tbf, I didn’t listen long enough to have an opinion on the author’s version of this bit of history.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- J.Brock
- 2021-12-08
Good but very LONG
This isn’t a particularity long book per say as measured in hours, but it feels long. It’s so dense, making it feel about twice as long as it really is. It’s a very interesting subject, but one could possibly do without this much excruciating detail. It is as balanced as it can be given the subject matter. The IRA doesn’t lend itself to unbiased views generally. It also doesn’t focus on any one time period over another. It’s very generalized. For a focused read, a book liked “Say Nothing” is what one would want to read. Roger Clark does his usual outstanding job.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2021-08-20
Amazingly details the journey of the IRA.
The details in this book are amazing. The author’s breakdown is truly a trip into history. From Michael Collins to Gerry Adams and all those in between. A history lesson of great worth.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ReginaD143
- 2021-08-10
Very detailed and compelling.
My mother lived in Belfast as a Catholic. This really helped me to understand the ‘troubles’.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alednam A Uonopk
- 2021-07-09
Well narrated.... good from beginning to end...
I have a knack for Ireland's struggle so this book didn't disappoint.. Connected by this and other books to better grasp the past and it's message
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Marina
- 2023-09-11
Subtly biased in favor of the Unionists +English
While the author discusses atrocities and inflammatory decisions on all sides (in admirable detail) there are instances in which he reveals a bias in favor of the Unionists and British Army. An example is how he will sympathetically note that a killed British Army soldier had been married with x number of children. He doesn’t strike a sympathetic tone for IRA members, in one case describing in detail how physically unattractive an IRA man was.
He also uses a mocking tone at times regarding the IRA, unlike his handling of the Unionists.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- MATTHEW
- 2023-04-05
Good over view of all sides
Good overview of the personal cost of the conflict for all parties. Some times difficult to follow while driving because it immediately goes into abbreviations without any reminders of what the abbreviations stand for.
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