Ireland's preeminent contemporary historian Tim Pat Coogan is back with another fat, packed and highly informative book. "Ireland in the 20th Century" is a typically thorough effort from Coogan, the author most recently of "Wherever Green is Worn: The Story of The Irish Diaspora." Coogan begins with a look at Ireland before the 1916 Easter Rising and takes us right up to the current peace process. Particularly outstanding are his portraits of Sean LeMass and Ian Paisley. Coogan, again, has set a standard which future historians are sure to follow. ($35 / 877 pages / Palgrave)