Description The inside story of the Northern Ireland peace process by the leader of Irish Republicanism Gerry Adams has been at the forefront of the Irish peace process since he and Nobel Prizewinner John Hume embarked upon “the Hume/Adams initiative”. The most highly regarded Irish Republican leader of modern times, he has brought his revolutionary movement on an extraordinary journey from armed insurrection to active participation in government.
An author as well as an activist, Adams brings a vivid sense of immediacy and a writer’s understanding of narrative to this unique story of the triumph of hope in what was long considered an intractable bloody conflict. He conveys the tensions of the peace process, the sense of teetering on the brink, and he has a sharp eye and acute ear for the more humorous foibles of political allies and enemies alike.
He reveals previously unpublished details of:
* secret talks between Republicans and the British government
* the Irish-American role and meetings in the White House
* the South African role
* differences within the Republican movement; the emergence of “dissidents”
* the breakdown of the first IRA cessation
* the final negotiations: what was agreed and what was promised
He paints revealing portraits of the other leading characters in the drama that was acted out through ceasefires and stand-offs, discussions and confrontations. Amongst these are Martin McGuinness, Bill and Hilary Clinton, Jean Kennedy Smith, Teddy Kennedy, Tony Blair, Mo Mowlam, Peter Mandelson, David Trimble, John Hume, Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, and four Irish prime ministers.
Gerry Adams is the President of Sinn Féin, MP for West Belfast, and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly. He is the author of an autobiography, Before the Dawn (1996), and several other books, which include local history, short stories, and an account of his political views, Free Ireland: Towards a Lasting Peace (1994).
Author President of Sinn Féin and Westminster MP for West Belfast, Gerry Adams has been a published writer since 1982. His books have won critical acclaim in many quarters and have been widely translated. His writings range from local history and reminiscence to politics and short stories, and they include the fullest and most authoritative exposition of modern Irish republicanism.
