This brilliant history of one of the most famous families in the world is told with all the suspense of a family saga. Of particular interest is the detailed account of the lavish lifestyles of the Guinness family. Cameo portraits of some of the women are fascinating: Betsy Guinness, who with prophetic insight saw the dangers of worshipping mammon; Gwendolyn, Lady Iveagh, one of the first women MP's; Henrietta Guinness who committed suicide in Spoleto after marriage to a poor Italian. The religious interest is also fascinating: this is the epic saga of one missionary family. The book is also an account of one of the most important British revivals which flickered on from the 1850's for decades and changed the face of British society. This is a tour de force which lovingly does justice to this influential family, and throws light on a whole era of Irish history.