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Heiress, Rebel, Vigilante, Bomber: The Extraordinary Life of Rose Dugdale by Sean O'Driscoll
mariab27's review
4.0
An introduction to the IRA’s role in the Troubles, this book is a page-turning look into the life of Dr. Rose Dugdale, an English woman born into extreme wealth who gave away much of her money and joined the IRA. This book features an art heist, bi representation, a hostage situation, and explorations of gender, patriarchy, police violence, and class within ridiculous, strange, sometimes heroic, and wild contexts.
The latter half of the book explores the history of the IRA and the potential costs of idealism, martyrdom, and political ideologies. It led me to both question and explore my own beliefs. My only complaint is that the final 4th of the novel felt repetitive, and I wish the author had included his own perspectives to make the book more readable.
The latter half of the book explores the history of the IRA and the potential costs of idealism, martyrdom, and political ideologies. It led me to both question and explore my own beliefs. My only complaint is that the final 4th of the novel felt repetitive, and I wish the author had included his own perspectives to make the book more readable.
siria's review
informative
3.75
Rose Dugdale, who died just a few months ago, led a tumultuous life. Born into a wealthy, upper middle class English family, she was a court-presented debutante and holder of a doctorate in economics. In the early 1970s, she abandoned life as she knew it to travel to Ireland and join the IRA. Sean O’Driscoll’s biography recounts what happened next, and how Dugdale became notorious thanks to her connections with the Russborough House robbery, bombing campaigns, a secret prison pregnancy and subsequent wedding, and the Herrema kidnapping.
Dugdale's actions in the 70s/early 80s are well known, at least to Irish people; the strength of O'Driscoll's work is in his research into her early life and the period after she left prison, when she continued to work on bomb logistics while also getting involved in anti-drug campaigns in inner-city Dublin.
O'Driscoll is I think fair-handed in his account of Dugdale and her career: acknowledging the genuine conviction of her views and her desire to help others, but also clear-eyed about the suffering her actions caused. He leaves the question of motivation up to the reader to decide. For me, I think it was a dangerous brew of idealism, oppositional defiant disorder, and narcissism—when asked what was the happiest day of her life, Dugdale responds "The bombing in Strabane. Yes, it really was the first time I felt like I was really at the centre of things." For someone who was so much about anticolonial rhetoric, she sure did seem to think she knew what was best for Irish people.
Dugdale's actions in the 70s/early 80s are well known, at least to Irish people; the strength of O'Driscoll's work is in his research into her early life and the period after she left prison, when she continued to work on bomb logistics while also getting involved in anti-drug campaigns in inner-city Dublin.
O'Driscoll is I think fair-handed in his account of Dugdale and her career: acknowledging the genuine conviction of her views and her desire to help others, but also clear-eyed about the suffering her actions caused. He leaves the question of motivation up to the reader to decide. For me, I think it was a dangerous brew of idealism, oppositional defiant disorder, and narcissism—when asked what was the happiest day of her life, Dugdale responds "The bombing in Strabane. Yes, it really was the first time I felt like I was really at the centre of things." For someone who was so much about anticolonial rhetoric, she sure did seem to think she knew what was best for Irish people.
iarlais's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
4.25
What a whirlwind of a life.
O'Driscoll took me on a journey of Rose Dugdale's life, and never once did I want to turn back. He expertly documents her string of attacks, be they on Oxford-based patriarchy, on poverty, on capitalism, on British army barracks, and on Dublin-based drug dealers. He proves that this was an excellent topic to research based off her life story alone, but he elevates it slightly by including his own interactions with Rose and her associates that help you feel you're in the room with them. A very interesting technique in a biography that I haven't seen.
Easily the best biography I've read so far, by the way.
O'Driscoll took me on a journey of Rose Dugdale's life, and never once did I want to turn back. He expertly documents her string of attacks, be they on Oxford-based patriarchy, on poverty, on capitalism, on British army barracks, and on Dublin-based drug dealers. He proves that this was an excellent topic to research based off her life story alone, but he elevates it slightly by including his own interactions with Rose and her associates that help you feel you're in the room with them. A very interesting technique in a biography that I haven't seen.
Easily the best biography I've read so far, by the way.
dawnthoma100's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
An intriguing life story of Rose Dugdale, the IRA bomber who made international headlines in the 1970s. Her life roles are summed up in the book's title, but it leaves out her relationships with her son, parents, siblings, friends, and lovers as well as her early years and college years, as well as her conviction that people who are oppressed or live in poverty should actively support one another.
The book is beautifully written, thoroughly researched, and put together. The study of an incredible woman is fascinating and not at all difficult to read. Reading it was incredibly enjoyable.
The book is beautifully written, thoroughly researched, and put together. The study of an incredible woman is fascinating and not at all difficult to read. Reading it was incredibly enjoyable.