From the arrival of Adam Loftus in Dublin in 1560, Simon Loftus traces the story of his family, piecing together fragments of history and legend spanning 350 years of Ireland's history. The background is the colonial conquest of Ireland and the harsh confrontations of religious and national identity but the focus is close at hand, familial. The passions and eccentricities, the daily concerns and relationships of individuals in this Ascendancy family, over eleven generations, combine to form an enthralling memoir of shifting moods and viewpoints. This beautifully written book is a meditation on the nature of memory, set against the ancient landscape of Ireland, and shaped by experience and time. 'A heartfelt, witty prescription for a life worth aspiring to and genuinely well-written.' Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on A Pike in the Basemen 'Not just one of the best books on wine, it's one of the best books on France.' Michael Palin on Puligny Montrachet...