| Synopsis: |
Conor Cruise O'Brien's brilliant and hugely controversial 1965 essay on the political convictions of W B Yeats is the title-piece for this superb 1988 collection of pieces on politics, religion, nationalism and terrorism. "O'Brien is a man of strong views, and he writes with verve and wit. Agree with him or not, one reads him with enjoyment." (Foreign Affairs). "[Passion and Cunning] displays once again [O'Brien's] wonderful range of talents: a beautiful command of the language, gentle wit and coruscating satire, shrewd political judgment and a raking critical power. O'Brien is, moreover, a critic against all-comers, his spiky guns pointing in all directions: woe betide anyone incautious enough to presume that O'Brien is on their 'side'...O'Brien believes in all manner of good causes, but his own independence is finally what he cares about most." (R W Johnson, London Review of Books). |