Let me start by saying I am not a tram enthusiast, in the anorak sense of an arcane interest in serial numbers etc. I am however interested in the history of Dublin and the tram system was an integral part of the city and its development for many years. The attraction of this book is that it can be read on many levels. There is certainly enough technical and fleet data to interest the specialist but there is also much to interest anyone looking for social history. Unusually in books of this nature proper attention is paid to the owners and employees of the companies involved, the commercial policies followed and who actually used the trams. Also to be recommended are the many interesting photos which show the development of the city from the horse drawn era through to the dominance of the car and lorry. The tram system generally responded to the growth of Dublin but also was itself at times a catalyst to that growth. Another aspect that I found interesting was the way the genuine pride and professionalism of the workforce in their jobs and the company was tested to the limit and beyond by some mean minded company rules and management that was authoritarian even by the standards of the time.The trams were a focal point of the 1913 industrial action that ripped through Dublin with ramifications felt for many years afterwards. All this is very well covered and the author is to be congratulated for giving the reader such a good impression of the part the tram system played in Dublin life.