Brian InglisBesprekingen

This is a good readable general history of Ireland, though I hadn't realised when I first downloaded it, that it only goes up to the mid 1960s (so largely before the main period of "The Troubles"). The first three sections of the book, first published in the 1950s, only go up to 1921, with the addition in this edition of a final section "After the Treaty" and a revised introduction bringing the text up to the then present day in the 1960s. My main problem with the book was that the the first three sections covering the history of Ireland up to 1921 divided the material into three themes: nationalism; land and people; and culture and religion. These themes were too overlapping for me, and hindered rather than helped an understanding of the chronological flow of events and longer term developments.

That said, I learned a lot and this was a useful introduction for the general reader, though of necessity outdated in its coverage. It is good to understand how the crucial relationship with Britain and the sectarian divide in Irish society have arisen and evolved, with all the nuances that these can involve (for example, in the 18th to early 20th centuries, there was quite a strong element of Protestantism in Irish nationalism, whereas the latter is generally thought of now as being exclusively Catholic). There were some other striking factors, such as: the deep concern caused by mass emigration from Ireland - in 1950 for example, 1.5% of the population emigrated and the author claims (though I find this a bit hard to accept given the horrors of WWII in particular) that Ireland was the only country in the world whose population declined in the first half of the 20th century; and the very primitive condition of much of the Irish economy, especially its agriculture, until into the second half of the 20th century. A fascinating read.

Una visión panorámica de la percepción extrasensorial, la psicoquinesia, la adivinación. ¿Ha tenido alguna vez una experiencia extracorporal? ¿Ha compartido un sueño? ¿Ha visto algún fantasma? ¿Ha vaticinado el futuro? ¿Ha presenciado el fenómeno potergeist? Hoy casi todo el mundo acepta la existencia de fenómenos paranormales en alguna de sus manifestaciones: percepción extrasensorial, telepatía, apariciones, etc. Brian Inglis presenta en este libro una amena y reveladora guía de las múltiples variedades que componen la dimensión paranormal, utilizando para ello una verdadera profusión de fuentes históricas y experimentales. Además de mostrar la interconexión entre diversos fenómenos paranormales, Brian Inglis describe prácticas mágicas, como la cirugía psíquica, habla de los estados alterados de conciencia y alude a fenómenos extraños e inexplicables como la combustión espontánea y los rayos globulares. Unas breves notas biográficas sobre los médiums y los investigadores psíquicos más famosos completan esta apasionante y completísima enciclopedia, que se ha convertido en lectura esencial para cuantos se interesan por el tema.

Librería 7. Estante 6.

A readable and interesting review of the evidence for paranormal happenings, mostly in the West or recorded by Western observers, and its treatment by materialists. Marred by the brief and inadequate mention of similar phenomena recorded or produced by adherents of Eastern religions and systems since the time of the Buddha which have become much better known since 1914, the date at which this summary ends.

1684 Abdication, by Brian Inglis (read 3 Jan 1982) This is a book published in 1966 by a "popular historian" of England. It has no footnotes and is based on secondary sources in large part. It tells the story of Edward VIII's abdication. I found the book unfailingly interesting, and, covering, as it does, an event occurring just before my beginning what I consider intelligent and full awareness of "the news" I felt it very worthwhile to read. I usually think of the annexation of Austria in March of 1938 as the date when I began to systematically follow the news--I was 9 at the time. This book is rich in its study of the principals in the abdication crisis. I confess I like Stanley Baldwin and I approve of the way he handled the matter. Can one seriously say that things worked out other than for the best? The British monarchy is a fascinating study.

This is a superb historical overview of paranormal phenomena (and cultural response to it) in Western civilization from antiquity until 1914; highly recommended.

Strictly for nuts only - this book has hardly any relation at all to the real world or to any real facts.½