An unprecedented look at the life and times of "the man who made Ireland," The Illustrated Life of Michael Collins ties in with the release of a new film, Michael Collins, coming this fall, starring Liam Neeson, Julia Roberts, Alan Rickman, Aidan Quinn, and Stephen Rea. 100+ photos, many in color.
I didn't really know much about the history of Ireland, and the struggle for independence from England. This book tells the story of Michael Collins and his role in Irish history. It includes many photos taken of Collins and other prominent people during that period in time which greatly enhance the story. It provided a good introduction to the Irish struggle for independence, although at times it went into too much detail for a beginner!
I quite enjoyed this short book (read it in about 3 hours) both because it has pictures that help to give life to the history of the time, but also because it filled in a number of holes in my understanding of the 1916 rising and the subsequent history.