From the Republic of Conscience: Stories Inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [Hardcover]

This book is not a political tract. It is literature. As a vehicle of verbal contraptions constructed by many of our best writers, it swings along sweetly. A perfect book to dip in and out of, to enjoy a range of offerings, that are as short as they are apposite. At times the tone is comic, mournful at other times and even, on occasion, darkly disturbing. In telling us about ourselves and how we relate to each other, this book is intended to renew our faith in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that inspired it. Thankfully it succeeds. --Liz McManus, The Irish Times

Good Read, Good Cause. --Metro 08.12.09

The book is informative on a number of levels. It offers the readers a unique chance to actually read each of these articles in isolation. Generally such documents are written in a language guaranteed to confuse and bewilder but here, the text is clear and unambiguous, not to say uplifting. --Galway Advertiser- The Week 4/03/10

..a beautifully produced book, with some striking artwork...a project deserving of the highest acclaim. --Books Ireland

Liberties Press are delighted to announce the launch of the first bound collection of stories and essays by renowned Irish authors originally published to mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Writers include Seamus Heaney, Roddy Doyle, John Boyne, Colm Tóibín, Jennifer Johnston, Maeve Binchy, Joseph O'Connor, Anne Enright, Hugo Hamilton, and Kevin Barry. The book is dedicated to the memory of Frank McCourt who contributed one of the essays in the book. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was created in 1948 as a direct response to the inhumanity suffered worldwide throughout, and following, World War Two. To mark the UDHR's 60th anniversary in 2008, Seán Love, who was executive director of Amnesty International (Ireland) at the time, and author Roddy Doyle decided to celebrate the declaration, telling the story of human rights to a new generation in a unique and compelling way. Each author took a different topic for each of the articles in the UDHR tackling the varied subjects of fair trials, prison, torture, war, refugees, but also, education, poverty, health, leisure, employment, and housing. The book, which features an introduction by Seamus Heaney, is a special commemoration of the work of the UDHR and Amnesty International. In a modern twist, it also features a special 'additional article'; by Ross O'Carroll-Kelly adding to the contemporary worth of this collection. Several visual artists such as Robert Ballagh, Vivienne Roche, Amelia Stein and Jim Fitzpatrick have contributed images to accompany some of the essays, while the cover features a piece by Louis le Brocquy, created especially for Amnesty.

About the Creators: Roddy Doyle is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, and dramatist; in 1993 he won the Man Booker Prize for Paddy Clarke, Ha Ha Ha. Roddy's work has also been serialised for Ireland's multi-cultural weekly Metro Éireann. Seán Love was executive director of Amnesty International (Ireland) from 2001-2008. During that time he was also a founding director of Amnesty Education and Art for Amnesty. Since February 2008, he has been executive director of Fighting Words, a new creative writing centre established in Dublin by Roddy Doyle and Seán.