Great Irish Famine revisited

University College Cork and Cork University Press have come up trumps with their recent publication, an Atlas of the Great Irish Famine, edited by John Crowley, William J. Smyth, and Mike Murphy. Running to 700 pages, this really is an extraordinary book produced with excellent maps, color plates, photos and illustrations. As one of the dust jacket blurps highlights, this is probably the most definitive summary of the Great Irish Famine to date and includes contributions from most of the main scholars in the field which includes a useful section on the drivers of potato diversity in pre-famine Ireland. Interestingly, the atlas also seeks to place the Great Irish Famine in the context of a number of world famines in a final section on hunger and famine today. Given the fact that I was able to get my copy of this lavishly produced book on Amazon for 50 pounds it is not only a real gem, but an absolute steal. Hats off to Cork University Press.