Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1025367 in Books
• Published on: 1996-11-07
• Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews

very detailed book
I love books on the northern ireland conflict which give details of names,operations etc,rather than spend too much time theorizing. This is why I thoroughly recommend this book. Ian Phoenix joined the northern ireland police,then the royal ulster constabulary (RUC) in 1970. The book details his life and career(obviously from only one point of view,as the book is based on his diary entries). There's a great wealth of paramilitary names,together with details of operations(ones where the security forces got things wrong as well as the successful ones. ) As a bonus,the book contains both the identities of the 7 man ARMY COUNCIL of the provisional irish republican army(PIRA), sometimes just referred to as the IRA,paramilitary anti british organization.and the organizational structure of the ira's general headquarters (GHQ). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and insightful book.

Real and touches the reality of the real heros
This book is not only believable, but it is loveable. Phoenix was certainly a unique man, who made friends easily and despatched the enemies with compassion and thought. Lets hope Susan Phoenix and Jack Holland write a sequel, I am sure there is more to tell.

Fantastic
An extraordinary insight into the news stories from 20 years of The Troubles. Reading this book it was impossible not to be reminded of the names of various killers from news items I heard when I was growing up in NI. Other gems include a photo of a certain Gerald Adams Jr, then Commander of PIRA Northern Area, as a young man.

One can't help but wonder at the stupidity of putting all of a country's intelligence chiefs into one aircraft - not exactly tactical genius on display, and very surprising. The other surprise was that he was able to keep up the pretence to Jack Holland of being a hearing aid salesman for all those years! This is a very interesting book, of particular interest to people from NI, Ireland (the 6 counties/the North of Ireland &c, &c), or people from the UK with an interest in politics or history.

I am sure that policing is a lot duller and less fun without Detective Superintendant Ian Phoenix.