May the Lord in His Mercy Be Kind to Belfast [Paperback]

The rest of the book is dedicated to over sixty interviews. Parker briefly sets up each interview with a description of the setting, including the outward emotional appearance of the interviewee unless specifically asked to do otherwise. That small description at the beginning of each interview is the only time that we hear Parker's voice.

Parker interviewed ordinary people, children, elderly people, teachers, professors, students, political party leaders, army personnel, police, priests, clergy, people trying to make a difference, and people considered terrorists.

The main point of this book was to give a voice to the people of Belfast. The point was to provide an opportunity for people to explain how they felt and why they felt that way without being edited or judged. The effect was that each person was able to be heard exactly as they had expressed themselves.

Father Michael Brown expressed his disappointment that the church (either of them) had not taken more of leadership role to "build bridges . . . to keep the peace. . ." (p. 61). This book was perhaps the only format in which he was able to express his disappointment without being branded a traitor of sorts.

Parker interviews several people from both sides of the Troubles who are seen as terrorists by the other side. To say the least none of them sees himself or herself as being a terrorist. Here they get a chance to explain why. Marie Jones is a member of the IRA. The intelligent manner in which she spoke lent credence to her philosophies. She spoke of her first moment when she began to feel anti-British sentiment. She had been walking home alone from school when two British soldiers stopped her with rifles pointed at her head just to ask her name and address. Given this opportunity she is also able to express her dislike and distrust of the Catholic Church. This opportunity would never present itself to her in any other format. Being a member of the IRA it would naturally be assumed in most circles that she is Catholic and proud of it. Parker's theme was kept throughout the entirety of the book. With each interview the reader understands that the speaker is speaking from a place of non-judgement as they get their chance to be heard. I was convinced throughout the book that Parker went to whatever extreme was necessary to make the interviewee as at ease as possible so that they would speak honestly and openly. On many occasions this was very obvious. Nowhere was this more obvious than when he interviewed members of the Royal Ulster.

"The agreement was simple and straightforward. A completely false and misleading name, no description of appearance or manner, and no indication of where the interview took place." (p. 199)

With that agreed upon, "Max Harvey" was able to talk openly without fear of being identified by a paramilitary group.

When he interviewed members of the British Army he was just as honest with the reader about the main point of his book being compromised in that section.

"(Only after a long delay did the Army authorities agree to interviewing of (their) selected personnel: and only on the condition that it was carried out in the presence of a `minder' who tape-recorded the tape-recorded interviewing. An undertaking had to be given that they could sensor any parts they wished to: and a further condition was that these conditions should not be mentioned.)" (p. 175)

The result of Parker's relentless quest for honest, open, and non-judgmental interviews is that the reader learns so much about the people of Belfast that a news-media blitz can never be watched the same way again.

From an American's point of view there are many acronyms, phrases, and words that are quite unfamiliar. When this book was released for publication in the United States it would have been more than helpful to have had a glossary that defined the acronyms and explained who the groups were.

Before reading this book I would suggest that the reader have at least some knowledge of the large incidents that have occurred in Northern Ireland's history with regards to England. I stopped midway through chapter five and read a brief history of Northern Ireland so that I could better understand what the interviewees were referring to.

Parker organized his book superbly. I never expected a book of interviews to flow so well. Each interview was as exciting as the last and always for a different reason. I found myself grabbing the book every spare moment I got.

This book is a wonderful contribution to historical studies. It presents a view not often seen in history books-that of the people living through the making of history. If not for a book of this nature the history of the Troubles would be told probably only by party and government leaders. Now for decades and centuries to come the world will know how the people of Belfast were affected, how they felt, and how they as individuals affected the history of Northern Ireland.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who has any interest in Northern Ireland, England, or in the human condition.