"A History of Northern Ireland" offers a detailed account of Northern Ireland's history, from its beginning in 1920, until 1996, when peace talks were underway. Although it is thorough, the book is rather tedious, often reading like a list of facts rather than the compelling account it could have been. Northern Ireland's history is far from boring, and if you are intrigued by the Troubles, you might want to pass on this one -- it saps all the passion and fury out, leaving only a dry compliation of facts.