"Soldier of the Queen" by Bernard O’Mahoney with Mick McGovern

Soldier of the Queen stands out as an important book on the Troubles. It covers an aspect of controlling the conflict which has been largely ignored by security force writers: both in terms of the experience of ordinary soldiers and in terms of how common unpleasant and counter-productive practices are. On these counts alone, this book should be essential reading for every student of political violence in Northern Ireland. O’Mahoney and McGovern have written a sobering work which contains many lessons for those willing to learn.