"Bookworm [History Ireland] is always on the lookout for publications that appeal to a particular type of reader: Leaving Cert and A-level student, languid undergrad, or general readers whose enthusiasm for history is not matched by the necessary leisure time to plough through academic monographs - A case in point was the 'Life and Times' series published by the Historical ... Read moreAssociation of Ireland in the 1990s, which aimed 'to place the lives of leading figures in Irish history against the background of new research'. The good news is that the series is back, with the same mission statement, this time published by UCD Press." History Ireland March/April 2009 "It is a phenomenal tale by any standards and must be respected for its long dedication and endurance in the service of Irish liberation. In the end Mitchel served that cause best by his pen and by the example of his life. Many others made immense sacrifices but few had such an able and, it must be said, such a vituperative pen - Discourse is valueless if you are always betrayed. How valid were Mitchel's views? - Mitchel was out to give the British credit for nothing and so weakened his case. Adaptable in many ways, as in earning a living and finding a place to do so, he was rigid in this. To try to grasp his approach to slavery is not to excuse or endorse it - Perhaps too long a sacrifice did make Mitchel's heart stony in some crucial respects and rendered him a character it is hard to warm to." Rory Brennan Books Ireland May 2009 "Quinn, executive editor of the Dictionary of Irish Biography, offers a new biography of Mitchel (1815-75), whose harsh views of the British empire affected later Irish nationalists, but whose support of slavery after he escaped from prison to the US has led to his neglect by scholars in recent years. He places Mitchel's anglophobia in the context of the times." Book News Inc August 2009 "Also welcome is the new series of the Historical Association of Ireland's Life and Times concise biographies, which started out some years ago under the Dundalgan Press imprint. It has now been taken over by the excellent UCD Press and given a makeover and smart new livery, keeping the bright blue colour scheme of the originals. The aim of the series is to provide scholarly and accessibly brief biographies of major figures in Irish history by experts in the field, suitable for Leaving Certificate, A level and undergraduate students but also for the general reader." Irish Democrat November 2009 Show Less