Articles and book reviews previously published but not out of date, on a variety of subjects and countries (Ireland, South Africa, Nicaragua, Israel) of special interest to the author. The book's title is taken from the lead piece, an essay on the politics of W. B. Yeats. O'Brien is a man of strong views, and he writes with verve and wit.

Includes index.

Passion and cunning: an essay on the politics of W.B. Yeats -- Virtue and terror: Rousseau and Robespierre -- The liberal Pole: Pope John Paul II -- God and man in Nicaragua -- What can become of South Africa? -- South Africa and the academic boycott -- "The Irish mind": a bad case of cultural nationalism -- Bobby Sands: mutations of nationalism -- Ireland: the shirt of Nessus -- Thinking about terrorism: I -- Thinking about terrorism: II -- Press freedom and the need to please -- A neo-conservative ideologue: Norman Podhoretz -- Three Zionists: Weizmann, Ben-Gurion, Katznelson -- The fall of Africa -- States of the Union