Erskine Childers’ spy classic in a beautiful collector's edition. Ken Follett called it "the first modern thriller." The Observer, in a list published to coincide with the Big Read campaign in 2003, listed the book at number thirty-seven in "The 100 Greatest Novels" from the past 300 years. "Unputdownable . . . a classic British adventure story, influencing both John Buchan and Ken Follett."  — The Observer. Erskine Childers played an important part in the struggle for Irish independence. In 1914, he used his yacht the Asgard to land guns and ammunition from Germany at Howth Harbour for the Irish Volunteers. He was chief secretary to the Irish delegation that negotiated the Treaty of 1921. Later, he joined the Republicans who opposed the treaty. In 1922 he was captured by Irish Free State forces, tried, and shot.