The Royal Irish Academy Library contains the richness of Irish history and culture. In this beautiful book, librarians Cunningham and Schnabel, with author Fitzpatrick, present the full spectrum of the library treasures, from fragments of the first known manuscript in Irish to manuscripts by contemporary authors. Chapters describe the works or collections, explaining why they are relevant to Irish culture. Even more, they tell the stories of the authors or collectors, linking the artifacts to people and events. The subjects are literary, religious, scientific, and antiquarian. They include travel journals, public documents, sheets of traditional music and wrenching photographs of the aftermath of the Easter Uprising. The quality of reproduction is excellent; one can actually read the handwriting in the manuscripts. Native Irish and those of Irish heritage will be enthralled by the collection and the stories behind it. Distributed in the US by ISBS. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
