Footnotes to Ferriter review of Coogan

Sir, – Could we possibly be seeing the emergence of an academic version of Giles and Dunphy in the form of Tim Pat Coogan and Diarmaid Ferriter?

Given some readers' correspondence [about Ferriter's review of Coogan's book, Weekend Review, November 21st], it would seem this duo might have some potential for an RTÉ television programme, featuring Jimmy "Memory Man" Magee as host.

Alas though, I feel, it would attract few viewers.

Perhaps there’s a message there. – Yours, etc,

READ MORE

ULTAN Ó BROIN

South Circular Road,

Dublin 8.

Sir, – In response to Liam Heaney's letter in reference to the discussion on Diarmaid Ferriter's review of Tim Pat Coogan's new book The Mornings After – From the Courts Martial to the Tribunals (Letters, November 25th), he makes the point in defence of Coogan that Ferriter should not treat his book review as if he were correcting an academic paper.

It is far more important to be rigorous in fact-checking this book, or indeed any purported “non-fiction” book – the key difference being that the book is intended to be in the public domain, the academic paper not necessarily so.

There is also the option with any book of including an “errata” slip, but they seem to be a vanishing species.

– Yours, etc,

BRIAN ROBINSON

Daingean,

Co Offaly.