Peacerunner
Subtitle: the true story of how an ex-Congressman helped end the centuries of war in Ireland
By: Penn Rhodeen ; foreword by President Bill Clinton
Published: 2016
Language: eng
Number of pages: 287
ISBN-13: 9781941631713
Subjects: Politics and government; Peace-building; Travel; Conflict management; Relations; Politicians; Ex-legislators; Biography; History
Other titles: Peace runner
Description: "This is the true story of an unknown American politician who played a critical role in ending centuries of conflict in Northern Ireland. Without the President's permission, and breaking every conventional rule about how to deal with terrorists, former congressman Bruce Morrison helped end a conflict that most observers thought would continue indefinitely. This is the inside story of how centuries of warfare finally ended, thanks to one inspired politician. Warfare, ranging from active hostilities to seething tension, was the norm between the Irish and the English since the 1100s. During the thirty years from the start of The Troubles to the 1998 Good Friday agreement, over 3,000 Irish and British nationals were killed. Many celebrated the famous Good Friday agreement that put an end to one of the longest-standing conflicts in the world, but just a handful knew the full story of one American and the crucial role he played in winning peace--and none knew it better than Penn Rhodeen. In a narrative that grips the reader from the first pages, Rhodeen recounts Bruce Morrison's heroic peacemaking efforts in lively prose and rigorous detail. A natural storyteller, Rhodeen offers readers the chance to step into modern political history for an up-close look at Morrison's remarkable journey. Follow Morrison as he persuades Clinton to create a positive political climate in America and makes the connections necessary in Ireland and Britain to help win the IRA ceasefire and enact a solid, lasting peace. With an introduction by President Bill Clinton and cameos from Tony Blair, George Mitchell, Gerry Adams, Jean Kennedy Smith, John Major, and other larger-than-life figures, Rhodeen dramatizes events that somehow receded into the past without getting their due. Peacerunner is the story of how one man changed world history and the modern political landscape. Bruce Morrison's story is one of unlikely optimism in the face of seemingly hopeless conflict. Peacerunner has the power to inspire readers from all walks of life and spark new dialogue about how best to lend aid in countries afflicted by unending war"--
Notes: Includes index.
Table of contents: title: First Journey to Ireland : The Congressman Held at Gunpoint; title: Catastrophe : One Averted, One Total; title: The Way Back Starts in Manhattan; title: Northern Ireland's Troubles : 800 Years in the Making; title: Getting the Candidate on Board; title: When Clinton Wins, the Real Work Begins; title: The Unofficial Americans in Northern Ireland; title: An American Nobody Meets the Elite in Cambridge; title: Helping the President Go First and Take the Big Risk for Peace; title: The Road to Ceasefire : It Took Forever and Happened in a Flash; title: The British Respond to the Ceasefire : Words, Words, Words; title: Stalemate : The Americans Try to Find a Way; title: Bill Clinton Visits the North; title: George Mitchell Threads the Needle; John Major Answers No and Pivots; title: A Year and a Half and No Talks : The IRA Loses Patience; title: A New British Prime Minister and a New Cease Fire : All-Party Talks at Last, Good Friday Ahead; title: Finishing Up, Holding it Together, and Starting Out; title: Epilogue.