Andrew Lynch | Business Post

Andrew Lynch

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Have book, will travel: Business Post writers select the best reads of summer

Business Post Magazine contributors Andrew Lynch, Andrea Cleary, John Walshe and Pat Carty unpack their best of summer books

Book review: Death in the Fields examines a vicious corner of an embattled North

Jonathan Trigg, historian and former British soldier, focuses on Tyrone’s role in the conflict in this painstakingly even-handed and insightful study

Book review: Brilliant account of Macarthur case even has an interview with the Gubu man

A vividly written exploration of the bizarre murders that caused a major political crisis in 1980s Ireland is Gubu in its own right; gripping, unpretentious, brilliant and unputdownable

Book review: How Boris Johnson made history for all the wrong reasons

A damning indictment of how the former British prime minister failed his office, his people and his own potential, Johnson at 10 is a cautionary tale, told with great authority and skill, if not a lot of flair

Book review: An enormity of suffering endured and eloquently expressed

Magdalene laundry survivor Maureen Sullivan’s bleak account of cruelty and torment is a starkly painful but memorable read

Book review: Warm, benevolent John Betjeman biography a true reflection of the man

Though it can feel a little self-indulgent, this meander through the Irish experiences of the late British poet laureate has a light heart and generous spirit

Book review: Perils of United Ireland laid bare which shows we have barely scratched the surface as a country

Academic Padraig O’Malley says there are far more perils than prospects concerning the country uniting and concludes that our island is nowhere near ready yet for such a radical reshaping – socially, economically or psychologically

Book review: Look back at the Troubles underlines unspoken support for the Provos in the South

In his continuing series of books about the Republic of Ireland and the Troubles, Gearóid Ó Faoleán argues that officially the South was deeply anti-IRA but that the truth of the matter is more complex and nuanced

Book review: A riveting history account that reads like a thriller

Rory Carroll, Ireland correspondent for the Guardian, has produced an account of the 1984 assassination attempt on Margaret Thatcher’s life that is filled with human drama and generates terrific tension

Film & Television

Book review: Straight-shooting history of Defence Forces exposes continuing gamble on peace

The free access to armed forces archives granted to Eoin Kinsella has resulted in a well researched and beautifully illustrated book, though on occasion the author skirts around controversial topics

Book Review: Will of iron or heart of stone? Biography explores life of Civil War hero Liam Lynch

Gerard Shannon’s impressive book on the anti-Treaty figurehead argues the case for his grim determination to see the struggle out to the bitter end

Book review: The Ties that Bind is an insightful look at links between Scotland and Northern Ireland

Boris Johnson’s bridge idea may be dead in the water, but Graham Walker and James Greer show that the psychological links between the two countries are more profound than any physical one

Book review: The day a friend and fixer to the stars pinned a drunken John Lennon to the ground

Tony King worked for superstars like the Beatles, Freddie Mercury and Elton John, but he’s too loyal to disclose any real scandals, and The Tastemaker is at its best when he focuses on his own insecurities

Book review: How capitalism and democracy should be run like Ireland

Martin Wolf, the author The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, gives a favourable nod to the way Ireland is governed as he outlines a series of piecemeal reforms that he says would restore people’s faith in both capitalism and democracy

Conor Miley on why he gets more from Radiohead than any other band or artist

The singer-songwriter, formerly with folk group We Raise Bears, reveals which artists and songs he draws inspiration from

Book review: Much to learn from this multifaceted study of the genocide of European Jews

From the director of the Holocaust Research Institute at the University of London comes a disconcerting new history of the Holocaust

Book review: Academic’s history of Soccer and Society in Dublin is a story of two halves

Trinity lecturer Conor Curran reveals that football in Dublin was initially an upper-middle class sport, but with opposition from the Catholic Church and competition from across the water, its relationship with the capital city has not always been easy

Electronic duo The Cope on the stratospheric power of Daft Punk’s classic Around the World

David Anthony Curley and Joe Furlong, who released their debut EP towards the end of last year, list the artists and tracks that inspire them

Les SalAmandas on the wonder of Dolly Parton and loving sad songs

The French-Irish duo, whose debut album is due out, list the songs and artists who inspire them most

Book review: The Fight of His Life is a well sourced insight into Biden’s White House

Author Chris Whipple’s authoritative analysis of US President Biden’s first two years in office focuses on the essential but often tedious political horse-trading that has been a hallmark of his presidency