Backstop Land

by Glenn Patterson

'Funny, wise, entertaining and illuminating, this book is one of the best things to come out of the Brexit saga' FINTAN O'TOOLE. 'Read this absorbing book to understand why, since 2016, we have been playing with fire. There is no longer any excuse for ignorance' MISHA GLENNY. Northern Ireland's frontier with the South has been an invisible line since the peace agreement of 1998. Now the battle over the UK's decision to leave the EU risks turning it into a hard border. Yet few people in the rest of Britain (or Ireland) know anything much about this most volatile part of an increasingly disunited Kingdom. This book was written in the feverish summer of 2019, in the aftermath of the 'New' IRA's murder of Lyra McKee, with the fear and anxiety of Brexit looming over a region in which paramilitary forces are still carrying out beatings, and worse, even as the numbers of tourists drawn by the Titanic and Game of Thrones continue to grow. The power-sharing government created by the Good Friday Agreement has not met – a bleak record in a long-running farce – in over 1,000 days. If it wasn't for the wonderful weather you might wonder why anyone stayed there at all. Glenn Patterson brings a lifetime's engagement with Northern Ireland and a brilliant novelist's eye to an informative, darkly entertaining portrait of a fragile country. Welcome to Backstop Land.

Genres: Politics, Irish Literature, Nonfiction, History, Ireland

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2019

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The backstop issue for Brexit and Northern Ireland is no longer on the table. Regardless, Patterson's account of the impact on Northern Ireland of the difficulties around Brexit are often humorous, and at times, profoundly confusing. The chapter on Stormont nearly made this is DNF for me. But with the encouragement of a friend, I discovered other chapters that delighted me, particularly the chapter on GLBT+ rights and a chapter on the bizarre geography of Belfast due to "peace walls" that have become permanent, and roads that were cut off decades ago.

Patterson delivers a detailed and moving tribute to the 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee killed by the Real IRA in Derry in April 2019. Lyra, a native of Belfast, started writing as a child. At the age of 24, her "Letter to My 14-Year-Old Self' about the bullying she suffered in secondary school, after she confided in the wrong person that she was gay, made her famous.

A good read for those interested in Brexit and its impact on Northern Ireland.
3.5 stars.

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually not very Brexit heavy, though that ongoing clusterfuck has been a useful reminder both of the ongoing significance of the region, and of the widespread ignorance amongst politicians and public alike. This book is an excellent corrective to that

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3337565.html

A book on the agonies of Northern Ireland, written by an author who I generally admire (he wrote the script for the film Good Vibrations, which stars Jodie Whittaker as the wife of legendary Belfast music figure Terri Hooley). He takes the story right up to the start of last month, which of course means it's now rather out of date, with the December 2019 election and the restoration of devolution having happened in the meantime (having said which, cracks are already appearing in the new settlement). Patterson's style is engaging, but I wish he had something more concrete than offering a long long sigh of despair. Not that I can really blame him. I think it would be an entertaining and fairly light introduction to Northern Ireland for people who don't know too much already.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from reading this book, despite the fact that many of the the details of Northern Irish politics were above my head. I persisted in reading it anyway and I have a significantly deeper and helpful understanding of Northern Ireland, a place I dearly love, than I did before. I think Mr. Patterson did not adhere to a clear idea of who he was writing this book for or to a clear idea of why he was writing it. The title led me to believe it would clarify the issues of Brexit and the Irish border. But it was in fact not about Brexit at all. The book, in initial intent, I think was an attempt, by a very smart, Northern Irish Protestant, to answer the question he kept hearing around him in the south of England when the issue of the border came up over Brexit: "Who are those people?" (meaning the people in Northern Ireland.) But he diverged from that attempt, and I think the book ended up really being written for a Northern Irish audience. The author has great insight, knowledge, is honest, fair-minded, and witty. But much of it would be I think above the heads of the people asking "Who are those people?" However, as an outsider with some knowledge and a strong connection to Northern Ireland, I got a huge amount out of it and I'm grateful for his effort and glad I read it. He is a real humanitarian and his honesty and his sadness over the tragedy of violence is in every line. I think for people with strident, self-righteous opinions about Northern Ireland but little actual information, this book would be a real step in the right direction.

[Mark Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and recent collection of musings about the state of play with Northern Ireland and it's immediate future, what with the way those Brexit negotiations have been going, not to mention their own internal machinations of the political variety.

Patterson, a native of Belfast himself, takes us on a journey around the city and tries to piece together not just the lessons of history, but contemplates on how to best solve what could be an unsolvable situation and taking it back to the darkest, troubling days.

I got this from the library to take to Belfast with me, but ended up postponing, due to their new local Covid restrictions, which is a shame because it would have been great to take this book in with one of Europe's most unique cities as a backdrop.

It's a great way to refresh oneself of not just the history of the region, but also what the future may hold, especially with the current mood and climate in the area. Which still hangs on a knife edge, by all accounts.

[Madeleine McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important book to read.
By page 15, my head was reeling from the complexities of Northern Irish politics, made even more complex by the fact that the UK government threw Northern Ireland under a bus to get Brexit done. I would have written absurdities instead of complexities, save that some of the 1.87 million inhabitants are still murdering each other, or ordering punishment beatings with crowbars or baseball bats, all for the 'crime' of belonging to the other tribe. Many many more sympathise with or support the terrorists on their own side.
At least the closing chapter offers faint glimmers of hope.

[John Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An oblique but still penetrating look at Northern Ireland from the perspective of the point in time a year or two after the referendum taking the UK out of the EU, with the consequent complications for Ireland, North & South. Written by a "Protestant", but even handed. Reflects the author's professional bent (the artistic scene) and has a strong dose of robust NI humour throughout. Style is a bit dense and an excessive number of "inside" references, but still readable. Essential reading for anyone interested in the subject.

[Frances Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learnt a lot and at first I was wildly enthusiastic about this book but after a hundred pages or so, I wearied of the style plus it was less well written, proof read, or reaching conclusions, due to the breakneck deadline the author was trying to meet to get latest events in. Have put one of his novels on my amazon list plus another NI book which looks to have more gravitas, so I’m glad to have read this nonetheless

[MR J · Rating 1 out of 5]

I managed one third of this book. The sarcasm and supercilious "humour" became increasingly wearisome. The author exists in the elite, illiberal echo chamber and cannot fathom why anyone would have a different worldview from his own. I had hoped for a balanced exploration of the issues but this was just a polemic. Waste of money.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and scary at the same time. Deals sensitively with the present situation in Northern Ireland. Read this now as it gives am impression of things as they stand from point of frustration yet hope rather than cynicism.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wide coverage of northern irish history, culture, and identity - but at a very complex reading level. Paragraphs spin wildly off course with substructures and parallel ideas - making it rather difficult to follow.

[Patrick Millais · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting for the NI perspective, but struggled to fully engage with this - the chapters go off on tangents and I didn't feel like the book had a strong guiding direction.

[Patrick Taggart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty and informative

[Laura Jager · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

[Alex Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just proof that people aren’t sound. If people were sound then the world would be easy.
You’re all holding on too tight.

[Mr Christopher Flack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect look both back and forward.

I've been a fan of Patterson's books for years, so too his opinion pieces and commentary in newspapers. This book is an extended version of both that explores the difficulties of Brexit in Backstop Land. It is a lovely thing, from a wonderful writer. Just don't lend him a pen, you'll never see it again.