Michael Collins: The Lost Leader: A biography of Irish politician Michael Collins

by Margery Forester

In print continuously for more than thirty years, this book is long established as a reliable and affectionate portrait of Michael Collins. First, published in 1971, its great strength is that the author was able to interview Collins' surviving contemporaries and was offered unrestricted access to personal and family material. Michael The Lost Leader has been praised by authorities such as Robert Kee and Maurice Manning and remains compulsive reading even today.

Genres: Ireland, History, Nonfiction, Biography

460 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Kathryn Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating man! I learned a lot.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book and I can see where later biographies of Michael Collins would favour quoting from this book.

[Phillip Kerrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a character like Michael Collins is taken at such an early age (32) you have to wonder what Ireland's modern history would be if he had lived.
He towered over most men of his time with his intellect and courage and love of life and his country.

[Míceál Ó Gealbháin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding bio of Michael Collins. I've read many and this is one of my favorites. If you are new to the history of the Easter Rising, the War Of Independence and the Irish Civil War this is the book for you. It never bogs down but gives a clear view of the politics and militarism of the period and the impact Michael Collins had on Irish history at the time and today.

[Keith Mckenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book in 1979. More books and a movie followed but the story remains the same. He was, in many ways unfortunate. I gave a loan of the book to a guy called John Murphy from Wishaw, never to see it again.

[Vikas Datta]

A matchless introduction to a truly brave leader...