"Extremely well researched, carefully argued and very stimulating … In a short notice, it is difficult to do justice to the richness of this book … this is a book that has new information and interpretations on almost every page." - English Historical Review
This book looks at popular print culture in Ireland during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Small cheap books featuring knights and heroes, highwaymen and rapparees, the Battle of Aughrim and other historical episodes circulated widely in both town and country. They were absorbed by a vibrant culture and the study touches on topics as diverse as Orange ritual, folk drama and religious songs in the Irish language. This book takes an interdisciplinary approach to a little-known area of Irish history and literature and, by pursuing comparisons with other European regions and cultures, adds a new dimension to the growing body of studies of popular reading in the past.