The murals of Northern Ireland are a unique cultural expression of a country beset by centuries of conflict. Individually, they are colorful and creative reminders of incidents in recent and past history. Collectively, they paint a much bigger picture; that of the history of Ireland and its partition during the twentieth century. Stuart Borthwick has skillfully woven a historical narrative around the hundreds of murals that go aback to the mythology of Ireland and take in Martin Luther, Oliver Cromwell, the Apprentice Boys of Derry, William the Orange and the mass emigration of the 1849's before moving into the twentieth century and the fight for Home Rule and the subsequent partition of Ireland. The more recent events arising out the the civil-rights movement of the 1960's dominate the narrative. The bloody conflict between the factions on both sides of the republican and loyalist divide, the intervention of the British Army, the hunger strikes, sectarian killings and the gradual movement towards peace are all captured in striking murals that have become a major tourist attraction, bringing in visitors from around the world. The Writing on the Wall is the first book to place the murals in the context of Ireland's history. Stunningly photographed over many years, their artistic importance is undeniable. Looked at in total, they they present a fascinating way of looking at history.