author
Ruth Russell
A sharp-eyed journalist and author, this early twentieth-century writer is best remembered for reporting from Ireland during a turbulent moment in its history. Her work brings together on-the-ground observation, politics, and a strong interest in ordinary people's lives.
1 Audiobook
What's the Matter with Ireland?
by Ruth Russell
About the author
Born in Chicago in 1889, Ruth Marie Russell worked as a journalist at a time when relatively few women were sent abroad on major political assignments. She is especially remembered for traveling to Ireland in 1919 as a special correspondent for the Chicago Daily News, where she reported on the conflict and social upheaval of the period.
Russell later turned that reporting into What's the Matter with Ireland? (1920), a book that explored Irish politics, poverty, labor, and the drive for independence. The book stands out for its attempt to explain a complicated historical moment to American readers in clear, direct prose.
Although she is not widely known today, Russell's writing remains valuable as a contemporary account of revolutionary Ireland and as an example of early women journalists doing ambitious international reporting. Her work still appeals to readers interested in history, politics, and first-hand observation.