Each of Foster's books has generated vigorous discussion, but in "The Irish Story" he breaks fresh ground even by his own standards. Driven by his sense of the seriousness of history and a fascination with those who distort it, "The Irish Story" examines how key facets of Ireland's past have been tampered with to serve a multiplicity of purposes. "The Irish Story" is endlessly varied, surprising and funny. It is also a rallying cry for those anxious that contemporary Ireland may be in danger of turning itself into a meretricious historical theme-park.