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Rating: 
Summary: "Before The Dawn" is a compelling and very interesting read.
Review: "Before the Dawn" is the autobiography of Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. I feel that it is an essential book for anyone who is interested in the Irish conflict. Adams writes with great skill and his views and comments are intelligent and humoristic at times. I think any reader who enjoys biographys will find this one to be exciting and meaningful, even if they are not well informed about the situation in Ireland. My only regret is the fact that the book ends in the early eighties, thus, leaving the reader a bit frustrated and curious about the happenings of more recent times. All in all - an outstanding effort.
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Summary: Good History Lesson
Review: Gerry Adams has set out to write an autobiography. In the process, he has accomplished also writing a history book. This book demonstrates and details the life of a man who questions the systems justices and dares to speak out against those who would oppress his people. The life he has described (being on the run, being locked up in the Kesh, etc) could be used to describe the lives of the countless dissidents who take a stand for nationalism everyday. As an Irishman who does not support Sinn Fein (Adams' Political Party) or the so called Belfast Agreement, I still have respect for the accomplishments Adams made to the movement in the important 1969-1996 years. To those who would label the likes of Adams a terrorist, I remind them that he is no more a terrorist than George Washington or Thomas Jefferson would have been during the American Revolution for Independence. It has been said, "One man's terrorist, is another man's freedom fighter." Only history will show which he will be remembered for.
Rating:
Summary: An Irish hero
Review: Gerry Adams is a national hero to my people and this book is very accurate of the situation in my island. In response to the comments of fragmeister from Bournemouth, I think he is a typical ignorant English man, analysing the situation from a distance and making rash statements. I would love to see where he got his figures from because most of the people of Northern Ireland want to be freed from English oppression and nearly all the people from the South want the same. The British government forced the republican movement to be by being imperialist bullies in the past and holding on to land that simply isn't theirs. I could go on with this argument all day but I won't. Fragmeister, try living here and see what the British government have done to my people and you won't put down a man like Gerry Adams. This book is a good read, not great, but written by a hero and should be appreciated by all.
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Summary: Justifying terrorism and murder
Review: I find the argument set forth in this book extremely offensive. The author was himself intrinsically involved in organising and carrying out a campaign of murder during the early 1970s, and here he attempts its justification through an exaggerated description of past grievances.Firstly, that part of Ireland, which seeks freedom, has had independence for the past 80 years. 58% of those living in N.Ireland want to remain part of the UK. For all his talk of freedom Mr. Adams (a convicted terrorist himself) refuses to recognise the most fundamental principle of democracy: majority rule. Also, the human rights issues at the heart of the argument, have now been dealt with: all UK citizens now have equal rights and opportunities. History does not justify murder. Rather than having a keen sense of history, Adams has a keen sense of sectarian hatred, which he christens history, in order to make legitimate a terrorist organisation, of which he is now leader. If stories concerning falling out of helecopters arouse your sympathy, compare the authors injuries to those of his many victims. The sufferings of those involved in the 1980 hunger strikes, although tragic, was entirely self-inflicted. A man commits murder. So he is sentenced to life imprisonment. Fair? Of course. Adams makes use of their plight and this semi-achedemic text to arouse sympathy from oversees, to generate funds (from the US in particular), to further his cause. Suffice to say, many of Adam's heroes would have been executed had they been tried under US law.
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Summary: Biased? Of course. A good read? Definitely.
Review: It's hard to write a review of this book without taking sides. When I got back from a trip to Ireland this past August (I stayed in County Tyrone in the North with relatives of my mom's), I started to read a lot about the politics of the North. This was one of the books I read. "Before the Dawn" is a relatively quick read, but it will not provide one with the overall historical background behind the Troubles (the conflict goes back hundreds of years starting with the Potato Famine of 1845-49, and even earlier than that). However, Adams does describe in great detail the British Army raids during times of Internment, the torture that internees had to endure (how would you like it if someone blindfolded you, made you walk across glass and nails and such while beating you and then put you on a helicopter, and then pushed you off, not knowing if you were a mere 8 feet off the ground or several hundered?). For a more balanced view of the Troubles, try reading John Conroy's "Belfast Diary". Conroy is an American journalist who spent 1977-82 in West Belfast. It's also a very gritty, steet-level account. As for the IRA's kneecappings, it should be noted that most locals did approve of them, because Catholics felt they couln't go to the British RUC.
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Summary: Artist of Peace
Review: Much is known of Gerry Adams, statesman, man of peace, friend of the stars. Less well known perhaps is Adams the artist. Adams is perhaps best known for not being a member of the IRA, and yet so vivid are his descriptions of the IRA's struggle against violence, that it is almost as if he were there in the room as they deliberated. The book comes at a crucial juncture, and reminds us that all that peace does not just happen, but must be seized. No man is better placed to truly take that peace.
Rating:
Summary: Artist of Peace
Review: Much is known of Gerry Adams, statesman, man of peace, friend of the stars. Less well known perhaps is Adams the artist. Adams is perhaps best known for not being a member of the IRA, and yet so vivid are his descriptions of the IRA's struggle against violence, that it is almost as if he were there in the room as they deliberated. The book comes at a crucial juncture, and reminds us that all that peace does not just happen, but must be seized. No man is better placed to truly take that peace.
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Summary: An honest,brave writer.
Review: The beginning of this book is a magical tale of childhood,where his and his brothers biggest worry was how to get past mother with a scraped knee!
The book however then develops in to the true tragedy that befalls every Irish Catholic living in the facist unionists power that refuse to be labelled "dirty Irish" or second class.
Accounts of a struggle like this are almost always biased but this is a fair,real account of what HAPPENED.It's always been hard for English or unionists or anti-republicans to swallow the fact that their beloved beliefs caused the violation of almost every human right there is.England and it's people have always been classed or rather classed themselves as a civilised people even though history shows a story of a power grabbing,colonising, nation raping race.They have always stolen land so it's not just a plight of the Irish here making up stories.
(...) Well done Gerry.A truly fantastic read,whether a follower of any politics.
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Summary: Subjective look at republicanism maturing political presence
Review: The deeply rooted history of Ireland and its manifestation in the "troubles" makes it impossible for anyone to write a purely objective analysis of cause and effect. Instead, those with genuine interest must read a selection of accounts, each with a different bias. Before The Dawn is definitely one to include. It is both a political justification for active republicanism and the account of the growth of republicanism into main stream politics. Gerry Adams is articulate and very intelligent. He is very coy about the IRA activities (not so, about the "Crown" - the RUC, British Army, Loyalists) but there is no hiding of desire for resolution of the conflict. At times the book is confusing as there are so many names thrown at you. Adams covers the Hunger strike with a deep emotional perspective. Its obviously an event which has had a significant impact on shaping his direction. I enjoyed it and learnt from it, but its not the definitive book!
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