In Reasonable Hope: Philosophical Reflections on Ultimate Meaning by Patrick Masterson (Catholic University of America Press, $34.95pb/ £22.99; if required a case bound edition is available at £99.00) In this study Patrick Masterson poses the question: ‘What does it all ultimately mean?’ In effect he is asking what is the purpose of our lives? The response…

Joyce the Student: University College 1898-1902, Dublin by John Kelly (Gleoiteog Press, €15.50/£12.99) During June an air of Joycean enthusiasm descends on Dublin, with all kinds of events — and even non-events in the eyes of some — taking place. This year, however, a local writer makes a real contribution by the publication of a book,…

Up From the Ashes: A Syrian Doctor’s Story of Sacrifice and Hope by ‘Dr A’ with Samara Levy (Hodder & Stoughton, £16.99/€19.99) Anthony Redmond This is a truly incredible and inspiring story of a Syrian Christian doctor who decided to stay in his country and help as many people as he could after the horrific war…

To Kidnap a Pope: Napoleon and Pius VII by Ambrogio A. Caini (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, £ 20.00 / €24.00) Frank Litton Of all the themes in European history, the relationship between Church and state, religion and politics, has had the greatest impact in making Europe what it is. With the French Revolution,…

God is Not a White Man: And other revelations by Chine McDonald (London: Hodder & Stoughton, £16.99 / €19.70 ) Kevin Hargaden Have you ever noticed the way tights are marketed? The hosiery section of Marks and Spencer is an unlikely place to experience a revelation, but God can use any means to illuminate us. Dispatched…

Revolutionary: Who Was Jesus? Why Does He Still Matter? edited by Tom Holland (SPCK Publishing), £19.99 / €23.99 It is a very popular question today to ask ‘who is X’? The answer expected is one that must, in a few short sentences, sum-up exactly who X is. That is an ambitious target, so to add on a second…

From the Grand Canal to the Dodder: Illustrious Lives by Beatrice M. Doran The History Press, £20.00/€23.00 With the lifting of restrictions and the prospect of fine summer weather many people will be thinking of getting out and about in Dublin and elsewhere exploring localities and trying to find out about their past history and the…

The Irish to the Rescue: The Tercentenary of the Polish Princess Clementina’s Escape by Richard K. Maher (Peter Lang, Oxford, €39.95) This is a collection of papers presented to a seminar to commemorate the rescue and escape of the Polish princess, Maria Clementina Sobieska from Innsbruck in August 1719. Maria Clementina was born on July 18,…

Ignatian Spirituality and Interreligious Dialogue: Reading Love’s Mystery by Michael Barnes SJ (Messenger Publications, €24.95/£22.95) In medieval times there was a curious contrast between pilgrims to Jerusalem – whose minds were fixed on the Christian experience – and travellers such as Marco Polo, who went beyond Jerusalem and encountered on their explorations a great range of…

Ballymacandy. The Story of an Ambush by Owen O’Shea (Merrion Press €14.95) Joe Carroll  The first day of this month was the centenary of the IRA ambush at Ballymacandy of 12 RIC/Black and Tan policemen. It was a one-sided fight with 59 listed IRA men against the cycling policemen who were coming back from Tralee to…