Plentiful Country
The Great Potato Famine and the Making of Irish New York
Published on 9. May 2024
496 pages
978-1-80418-700-5 (ISBN)
Description
Uncover the gripping narrative of Irish immigrants who transformed America in the aftermath of the Great Hunger. Tyler Anbinder's landmark work exposes the grit and resilience of the Famine Irish, defying hardship to redefine the American dream. From the bustling streets of New York to the heart of a nation in the middle of change, the compelling journey of these unrecognised heroes is unveiled, painting a vibrant scene of hope that echoes through the heart of America.
A captivating testament to courage and perseverance, this book is a must-read, illuminating a pivotal chapter in the making of modern America, a testament to the enduring spirit that forged a new home in the land of opportunity. Drawing on previously unavailable records and a ten-year research initiative, stories of the refugees who settled in New York City are reclaimed. Plentiful Country is a compelling tribute to the resilience of these individuals.
A captivating testament to courage and perseverance, this book is a must-read, illuminating a pivotal chapter in the making of modern America, a testament to the enduring spirit that forged a new home in the land of opportunity. Drawing on previously unavailable records and a ten-year research initiative, stories of the refugees who settled in New York City are reclaimed. Plentiful Country is a compelling tribute to the resilience of these individuals.
More details
Person
Tyler Anbinder is an emeritus professor of history at George Washington University, where he taught courses on the history of American immigration and the American Civil War era. He is the author of three award-winning books and of numerous articles, and his publications have been honoured with the Avery Craven Prize of the Organization of American Historians, the Mark Lynton History Prize of the Columbia School of Journalism, and the Hubbell Prize of the Society of Civil War Historians. Anbinder has also held the Fulbright Commission's Thomas Jefferson Distinguished Chair in American History at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, and has won three prestigious research grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Content
- Intro
- Half Title
- Books by Tyler Anbinder
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Map
- Introduction
- PART I
- CHAPTER ONE: "Enough to Sicken the Heart": Ireland, Famine, Flight
- CHAPTER TWO: "The Best Country in the World": Coming to New York
- PART II
- CHAPTER THREE: "All the Rude and Heavy Work": Day Laborers, Domestics, and Other Unskilled Workers
- CHAPTER FOUR: "Too Often Seen to Need Description": Peddlers, Hawkers, and Vendors
- CHAPTER FIVE: "I Was Never Out of Work for Twenty-Four Hours": Artisans
- CHAPTER SIX: "Never Was There a Brighter Brain": Clerks, Agents, and Civil Servants
- CHAPTER SEVEN: "Getting On Very Well": Business Owners
- CHAPTER EIGHT: "Few Men Better Known": Saloonkeepers
- PART III
- CHAPTER NINE: "Well-Cultivated Fields and a Good Bank Account": The New York Irish Beyond New York
- CHAPTER TEN: "A Respectable Life": The Children of the Famine Immigrants
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- Illustration Credits
- A Note on the Value of a Dollar
- A Note on Sources
- Endnotes
- Index
- About the Author
