by Jay P. Dolan
First published 2010
Jay Dolan chronicles the Irish journey to America across three centuries. He begins with early colonial settlers and follows waves of immigrants through the devastating potato famine that drove millions from their homeland. Dolan examines how the Irish faced brutal discrimination and "No Irish Need Apply" signs, yet gradually built political power through machine politics and ward bosses operating from neighborhood saloons. He traces their rise from despised outsiders to influential Americans, culminating in John F. Kennedy's election as president. Drawing on original research and recent scholarship, Dolan paints vivid scenes of overcrowded famine ships, bustling Catholic parishes in New York and Chicago, and the rough world of Tammany Hall politics. This comprehensive account fills a gap left vacant since the 1960s, offering the first major treatment of Irish American history in decades for the over 30 million Americans who claim Irish roots.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, american, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: historical, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: rise-to-power, underdog
Setting: America, New York, Chicago
Period: Colonial, Potato Famine, 20th Century
368 pages · Paperback · Bloomsbury Press