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Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland
The Blair administration's pursuit of a lasting settlement in Northern Ireland stands out as one of the great achievements in modern British politics. Even after the initial moves towards a peace, there was every chance that long-nursed grievances would break out again into paramilitary extremism. That they did not is a lasting monument to the determination and guile of many of those involved. As the government's key negotiator, Jonathan Powell is uniquely qualified to give the definitive account of the end of the Troubles. Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland will become a landmark in the literature of conflict resolution: an historical document of lasting importance that is also a vivid and dramatic account of fallible men and women working at the limits of their endurance.
338 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 6, 2019
Definitely on the granular end of history - Powell essentially writes chronologically from 1994-2007, charting his personal involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process. But - given his role in Downing Street - it’s striking just how sustained his personal focus was, and how many barriers needed to be overcome even post the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and how easily it could have unravelled. Not a book for someone who is looking for an initial overview of the peace process, but a very clear first-hand account of what the barriers were and how they were addressed.
July 8, 2018
Difficult to review this book without betraying political viewpoints - which I try to eschew on social media being in a communications role. All I will say is that it’s an interesting, and reasonably unbiased, insight into some of the: deals, tantrums, leaps of faith, precarious promises and political sacrifices that got us all to the most sustained period of an imperfect, but widely welcomed, peace we’ve had for decades. I don’t think it betrays any particularly partisan view to say that I really hope that peace can be preserved.
I’m not sure about the choice of title. It’s a Yeats quote but it is one of those lines of self criticism which sounds profound when used by someone Irish / Northern Irish but seems a little patronising when used by someone who isn’t.
I’m not sure about the choice of title. It’s a Yeats quote but it is one of those lines of self criticism which sounds profound when used by someone Irish / Northern Irish but seems a little patronising when used by someone who isn’t.
June 26, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed this behind the scenes look at everything that went on during the negotiations leading to the Good Friday Agreement and subsequently the St. Andrews Agreement.
While it would be impossible for Powell to go into every nook and cranny of a 10 year plethora of negotiations, I feel he really successfully captures the 2 steps forward, 1.9 steps back style of Northern Ireland politics. The smaller stories - such as Adams and McGuinness out playing in the garden with Blair's son - make for very enjoyable moments and it certainly couldn't be criticised for bias.
While it would be impossible for Powell to go into every nook and cranny of a 10 year plethora of negotiations, I feel he really successfully captures the 2 steps forward, 1.9 steps back style of Northern Ireland politics. The smaller stories - such as Adams and McGuinness out playing in the garden with Blair's son - make for very enjoyable moments and it certainly couldn't be criticised for bias.
July 12, 2019
This was an exceptional book. A detailed, personal account that gives an insight into the patience and determination required for such important negotiations. It's a day by day, sometimes hour by hour story of the journey to peace in Northern Ireland, with plenty of odd little anecdotes thrown in. A must read.
December 10, 2020
It took me ten tries to read this book. It put me to sleep every time. Filled with self-serving , irrelevant anecdotes ( do you really care the author turned down half a sandwich? Or Blair’s Spanish skills on vacation were lacking? Or he was interrupted trying on trousers? Good God!). Mindless drivel for the most part.
May 1, 2020
Incredibly detailed book about the Northern Island peace process and the discussions that the author along with Tony Blair and many others had with all parties in a repeated attempt to keep the peace process on track
March 27, 2015
Reading Nelson Mandela’s ‘Long Walk to Freedom’, ANC’s negotiations with the South African government particularly interested me, and whetted my appetite for further reading in conflict resolution. ‘Great Hatred, Little Room’ is a landmark book in this area. Jonathan Powell was a key participant in the negotiation process which led finally to the peace agreement. And what a torturous – one step forward, one step backward – process that turned out to be. Having finally achieved the Good Friday Agreement, in 1998, it took another 9 years of drawn out negotiations with both sides before the agreement came into force – when the power sharing government finally began to function.
According to Powell, not since Gladstone was there a PM more anxious than Tony Blair to solve the Irish problem. His doggedness and refusal to give up, over much of his PM tenure explains why he finally succeeded and why others – like Major, Thatcher, Callaghan and Wilson – failed. Had Blair’s reputation not been sullied by his stance on Iraq, his lasting legacy would be peace in Northern Ireland – certainly to a greater extent than it is. I’m not sure if, and to what extent, Powell downplayed the contribution of others – like George Mitchell, Clinton’s negotiator, and President Clinton himself. The Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, referred to as “Bertie’ throughout, is highly praised for his reasoned approach, and, for example, the Irish side for dropping their claim to a united Ireland.
Nelson Mandela in his autobiography convinced me that the ANC were correct in not renouncing violence until an agreement had been achieved because to do so too early would cause the government to backpedal. Similarly I accepted the stance of the IRA (whom I abhor for the most part) ‘that the only way to get the attention of the Brits was to ensure that the threat of violence remained present, otherwise they would sink back into their traditional zone of ignoring Ireland’.
Paradoxically, when Powell is faced with negotiating with Ian Paisley and the more extreme Democratic Ulster Unionists they make instant headway. This is because there was no one to outflank them and make more extreme demands (the Nixon/China paradox). Powell admits having a soft spot for David Trimble of the less extreme Ulster Unionist Party. But negotiating with him was a frustrating experience. He was less dominant than Paisley in his party, and this made him more hesitant to compromise on any issue.
Interestingly, Powell admits frankly at one point, that Blair and his team didn’t really care what was agreed to, so long as there was an agreement. This was a help. They convinced the Irish Republic to drop their claim to a united Ireland, not that they wanted this per se, but simply so that it would be part of a quid pro quo with the Unionists, the quo mainly being power sharing with the republicans.
According to Powell, not since Gladstone was there a PM more anxious than Tony Blair to solve the Irish problem. His doggedness and refusal to give up, over much of his PM tenure explains why he finally succeeded and why others – like Major, Thatcher, Callaghan and Wilson – failed. Had Blair’s reputation not been sullied by his stance on Iraq, his lasting legacy would be peace in Northern Ireland – certainly to a greater extent than it is. I’m not sure if, and to what extent, Powell downplayed the contribution of others – like George Mitchell, Clinton’s negotiator, and President Clinton himself. The Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, referred to as “Bertie’ throughout, is highly praised for his reasoned approach, and, for example, the Irish side for dropping their claim to a united Ireland.
Nelson Mandela in his autobiography convinced me that the ANC were correct in not renouncing violence until an agreement had been achieved because to do so too early would cause the government to backpedal. Similarly I accepted the stance of the IRA (whom I abhor for the most part) ‘that the only way to get the attention of the Brits was to ensure that the threat of violence remained present, otherwise they would sink back into their traditional zone of ignoring Ireland’.
Paradoxically, when Powell is faced with negotiating with Ian Paisley and the more extreme Democratic Ulster Unionists they make instant headway. This is because there was no one to outflank them and make more extreme demands (the Nixon/China paradox). Powell admits having a soft spot for David Trimble of the less extreme Ulster Unionist Party. But negotiating with him was a frustrating experience. He was less dominant than Paisley in his party, and this made him more hesitant to compromise on any issue.
Interestingly, Powell admits frankly at one point, that Blair and his team didn’t really care what was agreed to, so long as there was an agreement. This was a help. They convinced the Irish Republic to drop their claim to a united Ireland, not that they wanted this per se, but simply so that it would be part of a quid pro quo with the Unionists, the quo mainly being power sharing with the republicans.
April 3, 2019
A personal narrative written by Tony Blair's Chief of Staff and principal negotiator of the 10-year back and forth that, against all odds, produced a wary and fragile peace settlement in Northern Ireland.
Powell's book presents the British perspective on this incredibly complex, intense and fraught process in exhaustive and exhausting detail. Reading it made me think of a very different book, John Reed's "Ten Days That Shook The World". Both put the reader through the wringer, bring a burning sense of immediacy to immensely important events that were always poised on a knife-edge of disaster. Of course the issues dealt with by the two books are very different; and Powell is a somewhat detached narrator of his own intense involvement, whereas Reed sweeps his reader along with his passionate enthusiasm for the Russian revolution. But the acute historical tension conveyed in each kept my adrenalin flowing long after I had finished reading them. For anyone interested in Ireland, or in the complexities of a decade-long negotiation to end a centuries-long conflict, Powell's book is required reading.
I have never been a fan of Tony Blair, and believe that his decision to allow British forces to invade Iraq was based on a knowing deception presented as fact to the British parliament (read paragraph 16 in Annex B of the Report of the Intelligence and Security Committee about Blair's vaunted "45 minutes" claim if you have any doubts on this score). But his steadfast commitment to bringing peace to Northern Ireland throughout his ten year's in 10 Downing Street must be acknowledged as unique amongst British Prime Ministers, and the peace accord was in very great measure due to his tenacity.
Powell's book presents the British perspective on this incredibly complex, intense and fraught process in exhaustive and exhausting detail. Reading it made me think of a very different book, John Reed's "Ten Days That Shook The World". Both put the reader through the wringer, bring a burning sense of immediacy to immensely important events that were always poised on a knife-edge of disaster. Of course the issues dealt with by the two books are very different; and Powell is a somewhat detached narrator of his own intense involvement, whereas Reed sweeps his reader along with his passionate enthusiasm for the Russian revolution. But the acute historical tension conveyed in each kept my adrenalin flowing long after I had finished reading them. For anyone interested in Ireland, or in the complexities of a decade-long negotiation to end a centuries-long conflict, Powell's book is required reading.
I have never been a fan of Tony Blair, and believe that his decision to allow British forces to invade Iraq was based on a knowing deception presented as fact to the British parliament (read paragraph 16 in Annex B of the Report of the Intelligence and Security Committee about Blair's vaunted "45 minutes" claim if you have any doubts on this score). But his steadfast commitment to bringing peace to Northern Ireland throughout his ten year's in 10 Downing Street must be acknowledged as unique amongst British Prime Ministers, and the peace accord was in very great measure due to his tenacity.
June 4, 2008
I'm actually more interested in what the Republican community thinks of this book. Most of the sources seem to be from their side, presumably from Adams and McGuinness. There's been very few surprises from Trimble, Paisley or really from any Unionist. I'm more shocked by the seeming silence from Trimble since in many ways he's been forgotten by history for his role in the peace process.
You'd think he'd want to bring his story to the forefront -- then again he became much more hardline after the DUP took power so maybe he looks at the power-sharing executive as a sell out to Unionism and Northern Ireland.
The part that surprised me the most? Powell's description of Bill Clinton's role. I think he downplayed Clinton's role in bringing Nationalist community to a realization that a political solution was inevitable and thoroughly more rewarding than war. From the moment he took office he actually took the Troubles as an international issue as opposed to following the British line of it being an internal matter.
I was pleasantly surprised that GW Bush actually picked up the phone every so often and tried to help -- I still don't think he did enough particularly with debate over the photographs, but at least he did something.
You'd think he'd want to bring his story to the forefront -- then again he became much more hardline after the DUP took power so maybe he looks at the power-sharing executive as a sell out to Unionism and Northern Ireland.
The part that surprised me the most? Powell's description of Bill Clinton's role. I think he downplayed Clinton's role in bringing Nationalist community to a realization that a political solution was inevitable and thoroughly more rewarding than war. From the moment he took office he actually took the Troubles as an international issue as opposed to following the British line of it being an internal matter.
I was pleasantly surprised that GW Bush actually picked up the phone every so often and tried to help -- I still don't think he did enough particularly with debate over the photographs, but at least he did something.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2023
A difficult book to review. I've given it 5 stars because it deserves more than its current average of 3.81. It is also a difficult book to read but worth persevering with. As someone with no personal connection to the Troubles it sometimes seemed like the stumbling blocks to a settlement were petty and ridiculous which made me put the book down in frustration. However, that does a huge disservice to the people who did bring about peace. It also fails to recognise the huge history of hurt, pain and conflict. I am sure history will look kindly on them and rightly so. I only hope that one day people will come together and do the same for the Middle East.
September 17, 2009
Excellent update on the peace process in Northern Ireland, especially for those who may have read Making Peace by George Mitchell. Powell clearly describes the diplomatic tightrope that was walked by all involved and gives a fairly balanced view of the process. Having grown up in Dublin during the beginning of the Toubles and many of the worst excesses of the conflict, one can only hope that lasting peace has truly broken out. If this is the case, Powell and his boss Tony Blair can take a reasonable share of the credit.
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January 6, 2009Really enjoying this book so far. Will probably finish it in a couple more days, am going through a chapter + a day, when I get time. It's a breezy read so far.
Of course after I wrote that I put it down and haven't gotten back to it yet. It sits on my nightstand accusing me. But sometimes you have to give politics a miss. :-)
Of course after I wrote that I put it down and haven't gotten back to it yet. It sits on my nightstand accusing me. But sometimes you have to give politics a miss. :-)
January 6, 2015
A v. fair account (from a particular viewpoint) - great detail, easy to listen to and interesting. Would listen to again. Jonathon Powell is the narrator also.
May 4, 2016
all the little gestures that led to the good friday agreement in granular detail
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews