Silver Linings: Travels Around Northern Ireland

by Martin Fletcher

Northern Ireland has made headlines around the world for three decades. The province has become synonymous with conflict, terrorism and tortuous efforts to forge peace. But what is life there really like?

In this enchanting and highly original book Martin Fletcher presents a portrait of Northern Ireland utterly at odds with its dire international image. He paints a compelling picture of a place caught in a time warp since the 1960s, of a land of mountains, lakes and rivers where customs, traditions and old-world charm survive, of an incredibly resourceful province that has given the world not just bombs and bullets but the Titanic, the tyre and the tractor, a dozen American presidents, two prime ministers of New Zealand and a Hindu god. He meets an intelligent, fun-loving, God-fearing people who may do terrible things to each other but who could not be more welcoming to outsiders. He describes a land of awful beauty, a battleground of good and evil, a province populated by saints and sinners that has yet to be rendered bland by the forces of modernity.

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

305 pages, Paperback

First published May 11, 2000

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time well spent. Martine Fletcher wrote a balanced and very readable book about Northern Ireland. My only complaint is that I wish an updated edition was available.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

As travel books go, this is not great. Fletcher can be mildly amusing at times, but he dwells too much on minor historical connections -- the birthplaces of Chester Arthur's ancestors, writers of hymns, and military leaders of colonial India -- and ruined and/or revamped manor houses. He's better when he focuses on the present -- his descriptions of road bowling, Lambeg drumming, and eel fishing are interesting -- but he doesn't compare to Tony Hawks, whose "Round Ireland with a Fridge" is my standard for Irish travel books.

I give Fletcher a lot of credit, though, for aspiring to write a non-fiction book about Northern Ireland that doesn't focus on the Troubles. I don't know if he quite achieves his goal -- there are a number of instances where he describes a lovely village and then proceeds to say something like, "but even a charming place like this hasn't been untouched by violence" and goes on to describe a horrible bombing and I'm not sure everyone would appreciate his "it looked just like any other part of the United Kingdom" comments -- but I think his efforts go a long way toward changing outside perceptions of NI.

[Phaedra Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I am a travel biog fan anyway, but I learnt a lot about the history of NI and The Troubles from this book, as well as geography and quirky facts, without it ever getting hard going. I never knew so many American presidents, inventors, artists etc were from NI, or descended from NI emigrants!

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is almost 25 years old, so much has changed, and situations have evolved in Northern Ireland since Fletcher's time here. He has a strong understanding of our country and its issues. I have visited many of the locations described and very much enjoyed the stories.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fletcher does a very impressive job of showcasing the best things about Northern Ireland. If you're traveling, this will give you some great activity ideas. You can also just read this as a great insight into Northern Irish Culture and history.

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent snapshot of a quirky tour of Northern Ireland, written 20 years ago so now (thankfully) dated. But entertaining in the Bill Bryson manner and worthwhile.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was full of arcane information. Mr. Fletcher is a journalist. And I definitely do not enjoy reading journalists on political subjects (such as "The Troubles"-- because they tend to shape facts into good guy/bad guy plots because it makes good stories, but their interpretations are therefore almost always not only shallow but wrong. But I have to give Martin Fletcher credit. It seemed to me that he started writing in one place (with "a slant") and that he genuinely LEARNED about Nor'n Ir'on as he went along. And he was honest. When something horrified him, he said so. He gives everybody and everything a chance (including poaching). I particularly enjoyed the connections he drew between Ulster and the U.S. If you love Northern Ireland, but don't get to live there, then this is a lovely read. And grudgingly, I think much of what he says is truthful and insightful.

[Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martin Fletcher is a good travel writer in the same class as the great H.V. Morton. He takes you there and even more, makes you want to be there. He walks the Irish tight-rope with ease, a difficult achievement indeed since the Ceasefire was only a few years old when the book was written.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cleverly written travel book that presents a unique blend of Northern Ireland's present and history.

[Heather Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, eye-opening read. A fantastic look into the life of the Northern Irish from the eyes of an Englishman.

[Janie O · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good book!

[Andrew O'kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply a superb book. One of the most Northern Irish books that you will read and it was written by an Englishman! Brilliant!

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite travelogue/biographies. Northern Ireland. Rural life. Right up my alley.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I own this one will definitely be sharing it with my Ireland travel group.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read, but somewhat dated.