"Ireland Since 1939: The Persistence of Conflict" by Henry Patterson does a solid job of highlighting the events which laid the foundation for the far-reaching changes which took place in the 1990s and 2000s. As Patterson's title makes clear, change is far from recent in Ireland. Currently a professor of politics at the University of Ulster, Patterson gives the infamous Troubles their due, but also sets a keen yet sober eye on other forces - both positive and negative - which have shaped the island of Ireland. Patterson's previous books include "The Politics of Illusion: A Political History of the IRA." ($16 / 429 pages / Penguin )