12 DECEMBER 1981, page 21

Communards

Douglas Johnson The War Against Pads 1871 Robert Tombs (Cambridge University Press pp. 256, £22.50, £8.50) T he Paris Commune of 1871 lasted for 72 days. It began by accident,......

Suburban Inferno

Francis King Bliss Peter Carey (Faber pp. 296, £6.50) m ephistophilis's stonily despairing 'Why this is hell, nor am I out of it', in Marlowe's Dr Faustus, might stand as a......

Salt On The Tongue

P. J. Kavanagh The Black Soul Liam O'Flaherty (Wolfhound pp. 256, £6.90) A Minor Giant Peter de Polnay (Piatkus pp. 234, £6.50) T iam O'Flaherty was born in the Aran L./Islands......