Blogs

Has Dublin Festival of History whet your appetite for history? Well look no further than your local library! We have lots of great history reads and resources for everyone, from the mildly curious to the practising historian.

Is the modern world doing our heads in? Here are some books that may throw some light on the subject and give us food for thought and some laughs along the way. How do we stay human in a technological world? and other questions are treated with wit, tenderness, and honesty. Marianne Power was stuck in a rut. Then one day she wondered: could self-help books help her find the elusive perfect life? She decided to test one book a month for a year, following their advice to the letter. What would happen if she followed the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People? Really felt The Power of Now? Could she unearth The Secret to making her dreams come true? What begins as a clever experiment becomes an achingly poignant story. Because self-help can change your life – but not necessarily for the better. Help Me! is an irresistibly funny and incredibly moving book about a wild and ultimately redemptive journey that will resonate with anyone who’s ever dreamed of finding happiness. Perfect for readers who enjoyed Everything I know About Love by Dolly Alderton, Mad Girl by Bryony Gordon and Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig.Rules for Being a Man: Don't cry. Love sport. Play rough. Drink beer. Don't talk about feelings. But Robert Webb has been wondering for some time now: are those rules actually any use? To anyone? Looking back over his life, from schoolboy crushes (on girls and boys) to discovering the power of making people laugh (in the Cambridge Footlights with David Mitchell), and from losing his beloved mother to becoming a husband and father, Robert Webb considers the absurd expectations boys and men have thrust upon them at every stage of life. Hilarious and heartbreaking, How Not to Be a Boy explores the relationships that made Robert who he is as a man, the lessons we learn as sons and daughters and the understanding that sometimes you aren't the Luke Skywalker of your life – you're actually Darth Vader.The world is messing with our minds. Rates of stress and anxiety are rising. A fast, nervous planet is creating fast and nervous lives. We are more connected, yet feel more alone. And we are encouraged to worry about everything from world politics to our body mass index. How can we stay sane on a planet that makes us mad? How do we stay human in a technological world? How do we feel happy when we are encouraged to be anxious? After experiencing years of anxiety and panic attacks, these questions became urgent matters of life and death for Matt Haig. And he began to look for the link between what he felt and the world around him. Notes on a Nervous Planet is a personal and vital look at how to feel happy, human and whole in the 21st century.Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN. Watch our how to video on Borrowbox. Members of other library authorities will need to log in using a different link. 

In this book Tim Costelloe examines the concept of faith on many levels, moving from his own personal experience to wider society and the various cultures and institutions that shape the world in which we live. Outlining the impact of historical religious events e.g. the Reformation as well as more recent tribal ones e.g. the war in Rwanda, he emphasises the significance of one’s values or lack of, on the life that’s lead.Citing different empirical research, other renowned authors and spiritual leaders he examines the popular secularism of to-day as well as the scientific arguments put forward in relation to this topic. His own vast life experience and career as CEO of the charity World Vision Australia leads him to state that faith “is deeper than happiness and speaks to identity and conviction”.Faith is an important message of hope and reconciliation – as well as an invitation to think about the many soul-searching events that challenge belief. In a world that is so often challenging, with events that cause us all to wonder what is going on, Tim Costello takes us on a journey through the notion of faith and how we all need to believe in something greater than ourselves, no matter what religious background we are from.Tim explores some of the world's most challenging issues, including refugees, corruption, war, intolerance, poverty, inequality and global warming. He meditates on what is going wrong and points out how we so often lose sight of our shared humanity. He points us to an inclusive faith, bringing people from across the spectrum of society together. Here, Costello gives us reason to pause and consider our world from the myriad perspectives of others as he meditates on the importance of true faith to humanity.Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link. Check out our how-to BorrowBox video.Submitted by Mairead from the Relief Staff Panel

So we’re all spending more time at home at the moment, much to the joy or indifference of our pets. I have learned quite a bit about my doggie and my moggy, my dog sleeps 20 hours per day only rousing himself to go to the other couch to catch the sun’s slow movement throughout the afternoon and my cat has made very good use of my extra time at home, he now thinks I am his personal slave!Doctor Dogs by Maria GoodavageThe dog has now learned how to ask me for a treat and bullies me off of the sunny side of the sofa. The old saying “It’s a dog’s life” now has a very different meaning for me. I’ve picked a few books to help us understand the dogs that share our lives and living spaces, how we didn’t actually domesticate dogs, they chose to befriend us. How they prefer their owners' company to that of other dogs, and how they are naturally cooperative and instinctively drawn to generous people.Rescue Dogs Pete Paxton America's leading undercover animal investigator, Pete Paxton, has, among other exploits, infiltrated more than seven hundred puppy mills, worked undercover to close one of the largest and most infamous puppy mills in the United States, and shuttered the most notorious trafficker of dogs for experimentation in history. In this book, he shares stories of the amazing dogs he has rescued and brought to loving families, and also offers invaluable guidance and wisdom for anyone living with rescue dogs.In The Grace of Dogs, Root draws on biology, history, theology, cognitive ethology (the study of animal minds), and paleontology to trace how in our mutual evolution, humans and dogs who have so often helped each other to become more fully ourselves. Root explores questions like: Do dogs have souls? Is it accurate to say that dogs "love" us? What do psychology and physiology say about why we react to dogs in the way that we do? The Grace of Dogs paints a vivid picture of how, beyond sentimentality, the dog-human connection can legitimately be described as "spiritual"–as existing not for the sake of gain, but for the unselfish desire to be with and for the other, and to remind us that we are persons worthy of love and able to share love. In this book for any parent whose kids have asked if they'll see Fido in Heaven, or who has looked their beloved dog in the face and wondered what's going on in there, Dr. Root delivers an illuminating and heartfelt read that will change how we understand man's best friend.Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link

For most of us, our world has temporarily shrunk to the four walls around us, and the streets and roads of our locality. As someone who loves to walk - on the beach, up a mountain, through the woods – I feel the loss of this freedom. I spoke to a good friend yesterday who lives in a cottage in rural Sligo.  She can no longer visit the sea to swim and has taken to submerging herself in a container of icy water instead. It’s a poor substitute but it’s keeping her sane.I find my 2km walk around my neighbourhood is doing the same job for me. Every day, I take my two boys, and we walk the same route. We look at the daffodils and tulips that are popping up on the green.  We notice the Dublin mountains in the distance and whether the clouds are covering their peaks. We admire the colourful paintings that children have stuck up in their windows. They bounce a football, rev their scooters and run on empty roads. I marvel at the signs of nature everywhere, even on these suburban streets. We pass their empty school which is eerily silent, and we fall silent too.  There is something about walking. Something healing about putting one foot in front of the other and noticing our world around us.  Here are some recommended memoirs and travel books on the (sometimes life-changing) power of walking.The Salt Path by Raynor WinnIn 2013, Raynor Winn and her husband became homeless.  Their home was repossessed by bailiffs after a bad financial investment.  At the same time, Raynor’s husband, Moth, was diagnosed with a terminal illness.  Armed with a handful of cash, a tent, and 2 cheap sleeping bags, the couple in their fifties, decided to walk the South West coast path in England.  They walked 630 miles from Somerset to Dorset; wild camping and surviving on pot noodles, cups of tea and the odd bag of chips.  This inspirational memoir is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of love.  Nominated for the Costa book awards in 2019.Wild by Cheryl StrayedIn 1995, following the death of her mother and the breakdown of her marriage, 26-year-old Cheryl Strayed decided to hike part of the Pacific Crest Trail on the West Coast of America. Strayed, starting in the Mojave Desert, hiked 1100 miles through California and Oregon to Washington State. A novice hiker and woefully unprepared, she struggled to make it through the difficult terrain.  Along the way, she was forced to face up to her inner ghosts and demons. This bestselling memoir was also adapted into a film of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon in 2014.A Walk in the Woods by Bill BrysonIf you feel like reading something funny in these dark days, Bill Bryson is your man. A Walk in the woods recounts the attempts of Bryson and his friend, Stephen Katz, to discover their wild side on the Appalachian Trail; a 2100 mile trail that runs from Georgia to Maine.  Katz dreams of a nice meal and a warm bed, while Bryson focuses on staying alive. Their story was also made into a 2015 film of the same name, starring Robert Redford.Walking one step at a time by Erling KaggeFrom the author of “Silence: In the age of noise”; comes this beautiful meditation on walking and what it can do for our bodies and minds. Kagge, a Norwegian explorer and adventurer, was the first person to achieve the Three Poles Challenge – the North Pole, the South Pole and the summit of Everest.Submitted by Lara in Phibsboro Library. Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link. Watch our how to video on Borrowbox.

Some more recommended reads on BorrowBox, this time from our colleague Brian.Common literary examples of nonfiction include expository, argumentative, functional, and opinion pieces; essays on art or literature; biographies; memoirs; journalism; and historical, scientific, technical, or economic writings (including electronic ones).The titles listed below are available on BorrowBox; see more on how to access BorrowBox at the bottom of this post.Limmy: Surprisingly Down To Earth and Very Funny. This autobiography from Scottish comedian Brian Limond (aka Limmy) is an extremely candid, hilarious look at his life, dealing with his adolescence in working class Glasgow, along with issues such as mental health, drug use, initial success and the peaks and troughs of life as a comedian. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. Part memoir, part training log, celebrated writer Haruki Murukami documents his training for the 2005 New York City Marathon, while reminiscing on his memories of writing and athletics.What I loved about this book is how Murukami successfully interconnects both the worlds of writing and athletics and vividly evokes the feelings and experiences that both these world can bring to us. David Bowie: The Last Interview and Other Conversations by Melville House/David Bowie. This collection of interviews with David Bowie (including his last) discusses everything from the creative process, and musical influences, to his spirituality, drug use and sexuality. The book gives frank and personal insights into how Bowie changed creatively and personally over a five-decade period. If you’re a huge Bowie fan, like me, or just have a passing interest, this is an essential read.Accessing BorrowBoxWatch our how-to video on Borrowbox. Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link. 

With the current restrictions many of us are spending more time at home with our pets for company. Some lucky dogs may be getting more walks than ever before but many, just like their human companions, are spending more time indoors.Whatever your situation, trying to keep your dog and yourself occupied during this time could be an opportunity to develop some basic training skills, training that you may never have had the time to get around to or that may need to be reinforced now that everybody is spending more time at home together and well-established routines have changed.Our library e-resources are full of options to get you started.The Great Courses Library CollectionEach course in this vast collection is taught by experts in their field. Dog Training 101 has 24 in-depth video lectures with guidance and insights from an award-winning trainer.Register for the Great Courses Library CollectionUniversal ClassIf you have time to dedicate to something a little more structured, Universal Class offers real instructors, video-based classes, exams and assignments with certificates of achievement at the end.Courses available include:•    Dog Psychology 101•    Dog Training 101: A guide for beginners•    Advanced Dog Training•    Or even Dog Grooming 101 if you have access to some basic tools.To access online, register with your library card number and email addressPressreaderThere’s also the option to dip into some of our e-magazines for simple ideas and suggestions. Modern Dog on Press Reader has plenty of tips (there’s also Modern Cat for the cat owners out there) Sign in with your Dublin City library membership card barcode number to access the service.RBdigitalPets Magazine on RB Digital is a magazine for kids and families who want to learn more about responsible pet ownership. Register for RB Digital magazines. BorrowboxBorrowbox also has plenty of books on the topic to help you look after your pets.  •    The Dog Owners Handbook•    The Happy Cat HandbookSometimes a good novel is enough of a commitment, especially at times like this, whether you’re a pet owner or not you might enjoy the entertaining dog-themed books listed below.•    The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein In this book we see the world through the eyes of a dog named Enzo who relates the story of his human family with tremendous insight into life and people.•    Johnathan Unleashed by Meg RosoffThis is a light-hearted novel following Jonathan Trefoil as he navigates life, romance and minding his brother’s two dogs in New York.•    Tomorrow by Damian Dibben Tomorrow is the story of a wise old dog on an epic journey through European history in search of his lost owner.And if we want some of the training to work the other way around two little books with some suggestions about what we can learn from our pets…•    My dog, My Guru -  a dog’s principles for a happier life by Giles Moutonet •    How to Live Like Your Cat by Stéphane Garnier Register with your library card to access Borrowbox.Access eBooks/eAudiobooks on your phone, tablet or reader. Once you have installed the app, search for Dublin in the ‘Library’ field provided and then sign in using your library membership card number and PIN.Members of other library authorities will need to access BorrowBox using a different link. 

It's Dublin Festival of History time and to celebrate we've put together a short list of history eAudiobooks that you may enjoy. Now you can satisfy your curiosity for the past and your interest in history while walking, running, in the car, cooking dinner or even at the gym.  All these titles are available to download or reserve now.  All you need is a WiFi connection and your library membership! So if you haven't signed up already, visit library.bolindadigital.com/dublin and sign in using your library membership card number and PIN. You can borrow up to 5 eAudiobooks at a time to listen on your phone, tablet, mp3 player.Don't forget we also have hundreds of history audiobooks that you can borrow as CD or Mp3 player from your local library.Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill BrysonRead by William RobertsA Short History of Nearly Everything is Bill Bryson's fascinating and humorous quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization. He takes subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry, and particle physics, and aims to render them comprehensible to people who have never thought they could be interested in science. In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel PhilbrickRead by Scott BrickThe number one bestselling, epic true-life story of one of the most notorious maritime disasters of the 19th century.The sinking of the whaleship Essex by an enraged sperm whale in the Pacific in November 1820 set in motion one of the most dramatic sea stories of all time: the twenty sailors who survived the wreck took to three small boats (one of which was again attacked by a whale) and only eight of them survived their subsequent 90-day ordeal, after resorting to cannibalising their mates.Nemesis: The Battle for Japan, 1944–45 by Max HastingsRead by Cameron StewartInternational bestselling authorMax Hastings’ account of the battle for Japan is a masterful military history.Featuring the most remarkable cast of commanders the world has ever seen, the dramatic battle for Japan of 1944–45 was acted out across the vast stage of Asia: Imphal and Kohima, Leyte Gulf and Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Soviet assault on Manchuria. One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill BrysonRead by Bill BrysonIn the summer of 1927, America had a booming stock market, a president who worked just four hours a day (and slept much of the rest of the time), a semi-crazed sculptor with a mad plan to carve four giant heads into an inaccessible mountain called Rushmore, a devastating flood of the Mississippi, a sensational murder trial, and a youthful aviator named Charles Lindbergh who started the summer wholly unknown and finished it as the most famous man on earth. (So famous that Minnesota considered renaming itself after him.)Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China by Jung ChangRead by Pik-sen LimEmpress Dowager Cixi (1835–1908) is the most important woman in Chinese history. She ruled China for decades and brought a medieval empire into the modern age.In this groundbreaking biography, Jung Chang vividly describes how Cixi fought against monumental obstacles to change China. Under her the ancient country attained virtually all the attributes of a modern state: industries, railways, electricity, the telegraph and an army and navy with up-to-date weaponry. It was she who abolished gruesome punishments like “death by a thousand cuts” and put an end to foot-binding. She inaugurated women’s liberation and embarked on the path to introduce parliamentary elections to China. Chang comprehensively overturns the conventional view of Cixi as a diehard conservative and cruel despot. Conquistadors by Michael WoodRead by John TelferConquistadors is Michael Wood at his best - thoughtful, provocative and gripping history. Wood brings these stories to vivid life, highlighting both the heroic accomplishments and the complex moral legacy of the European invasion.  The Spanish conquest of the Americas in the sixteenth century was one of the most important and cataclysmic events in history. Spanish expeditions endured incredible hardships in order to open up the lands of the 'New World', and few stories in history can match these for drama and endurance.Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town by Mary BeardRead by Phyllida NashPompeii explodes a number of myths - among them, the very date of the eruption, probably a few months later than usually thought…Other exploded myths include the hygiene of the baths, which must have been hotbeds of germs; the legendary number of brothels, most likely only one; and the death count, which was probably less than ten per cent of the population. Dublin Festival of HistoryDublin Festival of History takes place all over Dublin city from 23 September to 8 October. Once again the Festival programme offers lectures, film, walking tours and exhibitions. History will be brought to people’s doorsteps via the city’s branch library network with a series of talks and workshops.SEE ALSO:Festival of History Reads - A book list for anyone wishing to know more about the interesting areas discussed at this year's festival.Ten History eBooks you can borrow or reserve now 

Dublin Festival of History begins tomorrow and to celebrate we have picked out a selection of history eBooks which you can download and read. Now, we absolutely love history books but sometimes it can be tricky to squeeze that fabulous hard back tome into your bag to read on the bus or on holidays.  So this is where the eBook and your library step in! We have hundreds of history books ready for you to download right now. All you need is a WiFi connection and your library membership!If you haven't signed up already, visit library.bolindadigital.com/dublin and sign in using your library membership card number and PIN. You can borrow up to 5 eBooks and 5 eAudiobooks at a time to read on your phone, tablet or reader. Historically Inevitable? Turning Points of the Russian Revolution by Tony BrentonThe essential analysis of the events leading up to October 1917 and beyond, by the world's foremost experts of Russian historyMarx held that the progression of society from capitalism to communism was 'historically inevitable'. In Russia in 1917, it seemed that Marx's theory was being born out in reality. But was the Russian Revolution really inevitable? This collection of fourteen contributions from the world's leading Russian scholars attempts to answer the question by looking back at the key turning points of the revolution. From the Russo-Japanese conflict of 1904-5 through to the appropriation of church property in 1922, and focusing especially on the incredible chain of events in 1917 leading to the October Revolution itself, Historically Inevitable? is a forensic account of Russia's road to revolution.Battling with the Truth: The Contrast in the Media Reporting of World War II bY Ian GardenIn Battling with the Truth (a follow-up to The Third Reich's Celluloid War) Ian Garden offers fascinating insights into the ways by which both the Axis and Allies manipulated military and political facts for their own ends. The general assumption is that the Allies were the 'good guys' in WWII and always told the truth in their media coverage with the Nazis through their Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda deliberately misled their people. But to what extent is this borne out by the facts? Did the Allies always tell the truth? Did the Nazis always tell lies? How is it possible to tell the truth and still tell a lie? How did each side portray the bombing of the likes of Dresden and Coventry? By analysing Allied and German media reports this book unearths a number of surprising revelations as to which side actually told the truth. Daughters of Ireland: Exceptional Irish Women by Debbie BlakeDaughters of Ireland is a collection of fifteen mini-biographies of exceptional Irish women in history who were pioneers in their field.The chapters follow the lives of each women from their parentage, birth and early lives, teen and school years, through to their careers, achievements and legacies. Each woman followed a different path, achieving their goals in various professions including aviation, nursing, veterinary, education, architecture and the performing arts. Drawing from primary and secondary sources, including the women's own writings or that of a close connection, this work explores their fascinating and inspiring stories.Miami and the Siege of Chicago: An Informal History of the Republican and Democratic Conventions of 1968 BY Norman MailerIn this landmark work of journalism, Norman Mailer reports on the presidential conventions of 1968, the turbulent year from which today’s bitterly divided country arose. The Vietnam War was raging; Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy had just been assassinated. In August, the Republican Party met in Miami and picked Richard Nixon as their candidate, to little fanfare. But when the Democrats backed Lyndon Johnson’s ineffectual vice president, Hubert Humphrey, the city of Chicago erupted. Anti-war protesters filled the streets and the police ran amok, beating and arresting demonstrators and delegates alike, all broadcast on live television—and captured in these pages by one of America’s fiercest intellects.  A Royal Affair: George III and his troublesome siblings by Stella TillyardThe young George III was a poignant figure, humdrum on the surface yet turbulent beneath: hiding his own passions, he tried hard to be a father to his siblings and his nation. This intimate, fast-moving book tells their intertwined stories. His sisters were doomed to marry foreign princes and leave home forever; his brothers had no role and too much time on their hands - a recipe for disaster.  At the heart of Tillyard's story is Caroline Mathilde, who married the mad Christian of Denmark in her teens, but fell in love with the royal doctor Struensee: a terrible fate awaited them, despite George's agonized negotiations. At the same time he faced his tumultuous American colonies. And at every step a feverish press pounced on the gossip, fostering a new national passion - a heated mix of celebrity and sex.See also: A Royal Affair film starring Alicia Vikander which depicts the life of Caroline Mathilde [Danish with English subtitles]Battle Story: Somme 1916 by Andrew RobertshawThe Battle of the Somme raged from 1 July to 18 November 1916 and was one of the bloodiest fought in military history. From the Battle Story series.It has come to signify for many the waste and bloodshed of the First World War as hundreds of thousands of men on all sides lost their lives fighting over small gains in land. Yet, this battle was also to mark a turning point in the war and to witness new methods of warfare, such as all-arms integrated attacks, with infantry units and the new Tank Corps fighting alongside each other.Search for more eBooks on the subject of the Somme.  For more recommended reads on the Somme, see Reading the Somme.Face of Britain: The Nation through Its Portraits by Simon SchamaSimon Schama brings Britain to life through its portraits, as seen in the five-part BBC series The Face of Britain and the major National Portrait Gallery exhibition.In the age of the hasty glance and the selfie, Simon Schama has written a tour de force about the long exchange of looks from which British portraits have been made over the centuries: images of the modest and the mighty; of friends and lovers; heroes and working people. Each of them - the image-maker, the subject, and the rest of us who get to look at them - are brought unforgettably to life. Together they build into a collective picture of Britain, our past and our present, a look into the mirror of our identity at a moment when we are wondering just who we are.Van Diemen's Women: An Irish History of Transportation to Tasmania by Joan Kavanagh and Dianne SnowdenOn 2 September 1845 the convict ship Tasmania left Kingstown Harbour for Van Diemen's Land, with 138 female convicts and their 35 children. On 3 December, the ship arrived in Hobart. This book looks at the lives of all the women, and focuses on two women in particular; Eliza Davis, who was transported, from Wicklow Gaol, for life for infanticide, having had her sentence commuted from death and Margaret Butler sentenced to seven years transportation for stealing potatoes in Carlow. What emerges is a picture of the reality of transportation, together with the legacy left by these women in Tasmania, and the possibility that this Draconian punishment was, for some, a life-saving measure. Inside the GPO 1916: A First-hand Account by Joe GoodA first-hand account of the 1916 Rising and its aftermath brings alive the historic events that ushered in the beginnings of an independent Irish state.A Londoner and a member of the Irish Volunteers, Joe Good guarded the approach across O'Connell Bridge as the rebels took the centre of Dublin. He joined the garrison in the GPO, and describes at first hand the events of insurrection: the confusion, the heroism, and the tragedy of Easter Week. After the Rising, Joe Good worked as an organiser for the Volunteers. He was a close associate of Michael Collins and his portrait of Collins provides fresh insight into his character, his competitiveness, and how he related to his men. He wrote his journal in 1946 for his son Maurice, who has now edited it for publication. 50 Things you didn't know about the 1916 Easter Rising by Mick O'FarrellA collection of intriguing and unusual details from one of the biggest events in Irish history.The 1916 Rising was Ireland’s first step on the road to independence, but even those who know a great deal about it may not know that there were temporary ceasefires around St Stephen’s Green to allow the park-keeper to feed the Green’s ducks. Few know that the first shots of the Rising were actually fired near Portlaoise or indeed that both sides issued receipts: the rebels for food, the British for rebels! 50 Things You Didn’t Know About 1916 features excerpts from two previously unpublished diaries – one written by a civilian, and one written under fire by a member of the Jacob’s factory garrison. Dublin Festival of HistoryDublin Festival of History takes place all over Dublin city from 23 September to 8 October. Once again the Festival programme offers lectures, film, walking tours and exhibitions. History will be brought to people’s doorsteps via the city’s branch library network with a series of talks and workshops.SEE ALSO:Festival of History Reads - A book list for anyone wishing to know more about the interesting areas discussed at this year's festival.History eAudiobooks you can borrow or reserve now