Very few books about the Troubles focus on an area and bring the conflict down to the level of families, farmhouses and fields.

It is also written in an accessible way, aimed not just at the Northern Ireland aficionado but also at the general reader who wants to find out what the IRA is about. It really makes you feel what it was like to be on the ground, and gives you a great understanding of how the region's history of ungovernability relates to the events of the Troubles.If you want to understand the knife-edge stumble along the precipice to peace, you must read this book (Toby Harnden.

Second, it's all about military operations by the IRA in South Armagh and doesn't attempt to deal with the internal politics of Sinn Fein or the IRA. The Daily Telegraph's Irish correspondent Toby Harnden's book, Bandit Country, introduces readers to a brief history of the ancient area known as the Fewes, encompassing South Armagh, the outlying areas of North Louth and North Monaghan. You should take care when trying on items to ensure that clothing is not stained with fake tan, make-up deodorant etc. In just one example of many, Harnden describes in detail the Goldfinger sniper crew who stalked British patrols, striking so much fear in their enemy that some British units stopped doing their jobs and hid in their camps so as not to be the next victim. The majority of pages are undamaged with some creasing or tearing, and pencil underlining of text, but this is minimal.

I also had access to secret Army and RUC documents which contained previously-undisclosed details of undercover operations.

Additionally, for the first time, the identities of the men behind the South Quay and Manchester bombings are revealed. I believe that on of its overall strengths is the amount of new detail contained throughout - the book is not just a collection of what is already in the public domain. One chapter, dealing with the Kingsmill massacre and other events over the course of several years, is entitled "A long-awaited day", but never identifies which day in particular it's talking about. This book purports to be critical reading for anyone wanting to “understand Northern Ireland and the knife-edge stumble along the precipice to peace.He was one of the first journalists at the scene of the IRA's Docklands bomb and, after moving to Belfast, reported on the second IRA ceasefire, the Good Friday Agreement and the Omagh bombing as well numerous explosions, shootings, riots, marches and political crises. The author, rightly, does not give his writing any political slant and simply narrates the tit for tat exchanges in a neutral voice. Ex-CIA war crimes investigator Johnson is up against a ticking clock as the sniper’s body count rises and the president and UK prime minister prepare for a G8 world summit near Belfast. Packed with new information, 'BANDIT COUNTRY' penetrates the IRA and the security forces in South Armagh. While the book is based on a lot of interviews and a fair amount of secondary reading (as evinced by the bibliography), it is not properly referenced.

To the army, South Armagh is 'Bandit Country', 200 square miles of the most dangerous and hostile terrain in Northern Ireland which has claimed the lives of 115 soldiers since 1969. Regretfully, one of his colleagues blamed Superintendent Buchanan's death on his belief in predestination, which, allegedly, meant that he did not take adequate precautions to avoid getting murdered. Branded 'Bandit Country' in 1975 by Merlin Rees, then NI secretary, no other part of the world has been as dangerous for someone wearing the uniform of the British army. A dual British and US citizen, he spent a decade as a Royal Navy officer before becoming a journalist.

We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there is something for every literary palate. However, its worth finding a copy as its one of the best books about the troubles and the stories of South Armagh are incredibly interesting. However, do not let this put you off if you have an interest in understanding the course of the `Troubles' in South Armagh and how it influenced the broader struggle in the north of Ireland.