Joseph Chamberlain spent decades blocking Irish Home Rule. His own brother Arthur ran the Birmingham factory supplying the Army's cordite, and was twice rescued from ruin by the very Irish nationalist leader Joseph opposed. Family loyalty, war profiteering accusations, and a truth about Ireland Arthur admitted to Sinn Féin's own founder: real history writes better plot twists than I could invent. Here's what it taught me.

Settling into a story that spans generations brings a complexity of rewards. Watching the drama unfold over generations, how global events affect them or changes social history. Sara Fox explores the joy of the historical family saga.