Making Sense of the Troubles: The Story of the Conflict in Northern Ireland

“Buried in the text of most histories you can detect the views of the author. Making Sense of the Troubles, the first attempt to tell the whole story of the past 30 years in Northern Ireland, is an exception.” –Anne McHardy, Observer

“One of the great merits of David McKittrick and David McVea’s book lies in the authors’ ability to pinpoint the causes of trouble while avoiding oversimplification…. A valuable resume of causes and effects.” –Patricia Craig, Independent

“If you want a frank, accurate and authoritative account you cannot do much better…. There could be no better guide through the intricacies of the Peace Process. This book…is likely to be the definitive account…. An important book…. It should be on every bookshelf.” —Irish Independent

“Comprehensive, considered and compassionate.” –Paul Arthur, Irish Times

“A masterly account.” –Barry White, Belfast Telegraph

“Extraordinarily well-balanced, sane, comprehensive, and rich in sober understatement.” –Cal McCrystal, Glasgow Herald

“This book tells a sorry tale, and it tells it with a powerful clarity…. It took steady nerves to undertake such a book.” –Susan McKay, Sunday Tribune

David McKittrick writes for the Independent and is a winner of the Orwell Prize for Journalism. In 1999 he was named correspondent of the year by the BBC’s What the Papers Say. He has reported on Northern Ireland since 1973.

David McVea was, for many years, head of the politics department at a leading Belfast grammar school. He now works for Northern Ireland’s examinations board. With David McKittrick he helped to produce the book Lost Lives, which tells the stories of all those who died as a result of the Troubles.