Fintan O'Toole's We Don't Know Ourselves is a memoir intertwined with Irish history, examining how Ireland transformed from theocratic poverty to Celtic Tiger prosperity during O'Toole's lifetime. Through personal narrative and sharp analysis, O'Toole explores the Catholic Church's power, the Troubles, economic boom and bust, and Ireland's ongoing identity crisis. The book becomes both intimate memoir and national reckoning, proving that personal history and national history are inseparable and that O'Toole is one of Ireland's most important public intellectuals.

WHY WE PICKED IT: Because O'Toole lived through Ireland's transformation and can explain it with clarity, wit, and personal stakes. This essential book reminds us that modern Ireland is barely recognizable from the country of O'Toole's childhood, that the Church's fall was necessary, and that understanding Ireland requires understanding how much changed how fast.

DETAILS: • Author: Fintan O'Toole • Publisher: Liveright Publishing Corporation • Format: Paperback • Publication Date: February 7, 2023 • ISBN: 9781324092872 • Ships direct from distributor in 3–7 business days