Peacerunner: The True Story of How an Ex-Congressman Helped End the Centuries of War in Ireland

2016 | Biography

Peacerunner is the must-read account of how ex-congressman Bruce Morrison rose from crushing defeat to become a crucial figure in the historic Irish Peace Process that ended centuries of warfare. The world celebrated the end of the fighting in Ireland, but just a handful know the full story of former congressman Bruce Morrison and how critical he was in bringing peace--and none can bring it to life better than author Penn Rhodeen. In Peacerunner, Rhodeen takes us on the journey of Morrison, who worked with Irish Americans to help elect Bill Clinton as the best hope for a new American policy on the ancient conflict. He then devised the political strategy that helped Clinton make that policy a reality. Despite having no official position, Morrison traveled tirelessly to meet with anyone--including those seen as terrorists--who could help end the fighting. In Northern Ireland, he showed that the US could be the honest broker for both sides--and blazed the trail on which Clinton and George Mitchell helped political leaders forge the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and a new beginning for a suffering land.

This fast-paced and insightful narrative brimming with unforgettable characters--presidents and prime ministers, politicians of every stripe, activists and guerrilla fighters--reaches far beyond Ireland's bloody history to show that no conflict should be seen as too intractable to solve. Peacerunner isn't just for those curious about how peace came to Northern Ireland--it's a story for anyone eager to know how the world can actually get better.

Penn Rhodeen (Author)

President Bill Clinton (Author)