Gerry Adams was president of Sinn Féin for more than three decades. He stepped down from that position on February 10, 2018. He remains a Teachta Dála (TD) for Louth East Meath until the next general election. He is the author of 16 books, including An Irish Eye and The New Ireland: A Vision for the Future. His books have won critical acclaim in many quarters and have been widely translated.

"Gerry Adams is a gifted writer who, if he were not at the center of the war-and-peace business, could easily make a living as an author, of fiction or fact." —The New York TimesBefore the Dawn can be read as the history of the last quarter-century in Northern Ireland, from the perspective of someone who educated himself and came to power within one of the traditions—a crucial one at the moment—of the province. . . . Adams has written this autobiography to define his own position, rather than that of others. He writes not as a historian but as an embattled participant, choosing his words with wariness."—The Washington Post "A definitive history of the Irish struggles of the 1970s, from the nationalist point of view. Adams, a fine writer, presents a straightforward, unapologetic memoir." —Publishers Weekly"Impressively informative, exceptionally candid, extraordinarily detailed, and an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, Before the Dawn: An Autobiography will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library Contemporary Biography collections in general, and Irish Political History supplemental studies reading lists in particular." —Midwest Book Review Bookwatch

• Foreword1. One2. Two3. Three4. Four5. Five6. Six7. Seven8. Eight9. Nine10. Ten11. ElevenEpilogueIndexAbout the Author

Gerry Adams was president of Sinn Féin for more than three decades. He stepped down from that position on February 10, 2018. He remains a Teachta Dála (TD) for Louth East Meath until the next general election. He is the author of 16 books, including An Irish Eye and The New Ireland: A Vision for the Future. His books have won critical acclaim in many quarters and have been widely translated.

"Gerry Adams is a gifted writer who, if he were not at the center of the war-and-peace business, could easily make a living as an author, of fiction or fact." —The New York TimesBefore the Dawn can be read as the history of the last quarter-century in Northern Ireland, from the perspective of someone who educated himself and came to power within one of the traditions—a crucial one at the moment—of the province. . . . Adams has written this autobiography to define his own position, rather than that of others. He writes not as a historian but as an embattled participant, choosing his words with wariness."—The Washington Post "A definitive history of the Irish struggles of the 1970s, from the nationalist point of view. Adams, a fine writer, presents a straightforward, unapologetic memoir." —Publishers Weekly"Impressively informative, exceptionally candid, extraordinarily detailed, and an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, Before the Dawn: An Autobiography will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library Contemporary Biography collections in general, and Irish Political History supplemental studies reading lists in particular." —Midwest Book Review Bookwatch

• Foreword1. One2. Two3. Three4. Four5. Five6. Six7. Seven8. Eight9. Nine10. Ten11. ElevenEpilogueIndexAbout the Author