Easter Books

An excellent book for those who want to know the effect of the 1916 Easter rising on the average Dubliner. Walking out one morning the author narrates how he saw small groups of people gathered on each corner. They all seemed to be looking in the same direction. He finally stops to inquire what is going on and hears that the Sinn Fein have taken over parts of the city. From there the book recounts his spectator's view of the uprising.

The book is not a military or political history so it doesn't cover the planning of the uprising or the responses of the British. Instead the author narrates his observations and the reactions of the people around him as the uprising continues. At first people are in shock and even angry at the insurrectionists. But then, as the days pass and the uprising continues Stephans is puzzled. More and more he notices people smiling. It is only later that he realizes that they are smiling out of pride. If the uprising had been immediately quashed they would have been depressed. However as the fighting dragged on the author recounts the growing feeling of pride that the people began to have for those involved in the futile uprising. All in all a great book for those who want insight into stirrings of nationalism in a people.

The Irish Republic by Dorothy Macardle. Published by Wolfhound Press. Price #40 hardback. "Whether the Irish Republic ever existed has been disputed not only by jurists and not only with words. For the Irish people the Republic was, for a few tense years, a living reality which dominated every aspect of their lives. its existence was a fact of human history, if not of logic or of law." With these eloquent words, Dorothy Macardle begins her monumental work on the history of the Irish struggle for freedom between the years 1916 and 1923. Its republication this week is an event in itself and is long overdue. The Irish Republic is a book which has been neglected for over 30 years, last reprinted in 1968 and frowned upon ever since by 'revisionist' historians. You will not find this book on most academic bibliographies. Because it views events from a frankly republican standpoint it was deemed out of bounds by the anti-republican historians who dominated history writing and history teaching. Yet the same historians used this book in the quiet of their university libraries as an invaluable source of information not to be found elsewhere. The great value of Dorothy Macardle's book is its attention to detail and its strict chronological approach. Add to that the 32 documents and speeches in its appendices and its biographical notes and you have by far the most comprehensive survey of the period. The book was written soon after the events it describes with the benefit of the author's personal experience and wide circle of friends and acquaintances who were centrally involved. The book, and Macardle's reputation, have suffered because of de Valera's association with it. De Valera wrote the preface and the book has been described by Tim Pat Coogan as a "hymn to de Valera". But to drag down this book along with the reputation of de Valera would be a travesty. It is not an apologia for any one person but is the testimony of a people in struggle. Dorothy Macardle was an independent-minded feminist republican. She played her own part in the national struggle, was for long an admirer of de Valera but, like so many others, became disillusioned with his regime in the 1930s. She was among the prominent republican women who publicly deplored the anti-woman 1937 Constitution and urged de Valera to change it. He ignored their demands. This book, the major achievement of Dorothy Macardle's writing life, deserves to be reclaimed and rediscovered. For anyone interested in Irish history it is essential reading. The cult of Michael Collins has distorted the view of the Civil War period and this book is especially important in understanding the republican perspective of that time. But equally, its carefully documented account of the Home Rule crisis, the 1916 Rising, the growth of Sinn Fein and the Tan war has to be read for a thorough understanding of those revolutionary years. All public and school libraries should be encouraged to obtain it. Hopefully a more accessible paperback edition will follow fairly soon so that many more people can add it to their personal libraries. By Micheal MacDonncha

My mother read this poetic little book to me during my preschool years, and I am blessed to say that it was influential in my eventual commitment to Christ. The book opens with a passage from Jon Chapter 20; the version chosen is clear and easily comprehensible to the young. Next, the author poetically explains the nature of Easter and the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the holiday. The teaching is sound and the style is clear yet easily captivating. I would recommend this book to any Christian family wishing to explain the reason for celebrating Resurrection Day to their children.

The magic of Easter Island is so intoxicating it is a great challenge to capture in a book. This book along with a few others, gave me the chance to reflect on my trips there in a meaningful way.

The book is a bit academic and dated, though that is a positive since it provides a snapshot of that time period and the uncorrupted ideas of a long time resident and historian of the island. More current and controversial theories (Fischer) can be found in later books. Though some have issues with these theories, I don't.

Enjoy, few places on Earth behold this kind of awe, and this book is a part of it.

My 14 month old loves the book. It is small- perfect for her hands. The glitter stays on the book which is also a plus. I would definitely recommend this book as an Easter gift! Very cute. My daughter almost knows all the characters names now!

Ably translated into English by Linda M. Maloney, Rolf Krenzer's Jesus Is Risen is an outstanding children's picturebook about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Simple, color illustrations by Constanza Droop help present this straightforward account of the Christian miracle for young readers. Jesus Is Risen is very highly recommended for family, Sunday School, and Parochial School picturebook collections.

OK, of course I say it's a nice collection; I'm the author. :) This combination book/DVD is a selection of our favorite hacks from Hardware Hacking: Have Fun While Voiding Your Warranty and Game Console Hacking. If you're curious about modifying hardware and electronic products to do things they weren't intended to do, then this collection is for you. It's a great way to get involved in the hobby without breaking the bank. Cheaper than either of the previously mentioned larger books, only 4 chapters are printed (Tools of the Warranty-Voiding Trade, Electrical Engineering Basics, Operating Systems Overview, and Coding 101) The actual hacks (the rest of the material) is on the included DVD in PDF and HTML format with high-resolution images (most of them in color, as opposed to the black and white of the previous books). Some of the hacks include: Declawing your Cuecat, hacking the Playstation 2, hacking the iPod, modifications for the classic/retro Atari 2600, 5200, 7800, and 8-bit systems, hacking the Xbox, and how to build your own DVR/Home Theater PC. Don't be afraid to modify or hack your hardware - have fun voiding your warranty!

My husband and I were driving to the East Coast to visit our daughter and new son-in-law. I bought this book at the Notre Dame bookstore. The title caught my eye, as I am always trying to find the joy in my life. I loved the premise of this book which was stated in the preface. As a Christain society, we spend a great amount of time with Lent and Easter Sunday and then promptly forget the Message of resurrection and redemption. I loved the variety of poems, spiritual readings, and artwork in this book. I read from the book to my husband while he was driving and we shared some time in 'morning inspiration'. It was lovely.We're not as 'sappy' as this sounds; I think we turned the NCAA ballgame on shortly after, but it spoke to our spirits at this time.

We received book as a gift for our 7 year old son. He was able to read it during Mass. It answered many of his questions about the Stations of the Cross.

Fr Groeschel is well-known for his speaking talents and his writings but this little book is outstanding.His comments and guidance each day through Lent has helped me contemplate on issues I hadn't even thought about. He helps you see things in perspective and deal with adversity grounded in a perspective based on historical understanding. Lent is now in its fourth week and every day I am eagerly looking forward to reading his text.