[Reference]

摘要

As well as the American story of the Irish, Watson (history, Immaculata Univ.; The Ghosts of Duffy's Cut) and Halus (politics, Immaculata Univ.; formerly a staff member in Ireland's parliament) describe events and forces that pushed the group to this country. Front matter includes a guide to related topics and a chronology. The entries that follow cover people (Billy the Kid, Frank McCourt), groups (Sisters of Mercy, Fenians), events (famine, draft riots), and more, in four sections: "Context of Irish American Emigration," "Political Activity and Economic Life," "Cultural and Religious Life," and "Arts and Sciences, Sports, and Popular Culture." Summaries are often accompanied by black-and-white reproductions of period illustrations and photographs. A detailed index completes the presentation, and a glance at it shows that there's so much more here than the entry titles reveal. Martin Luther King Jr. is mentioned in several articles, for example, and the volume also addresses sexual abuse as well as places, events, and people in Ireland that are not the subjects of stand-alone articles. VERDICT Students doing reports on this immigrant group, Irish Americans who are interested in their ancestors' history, and browsers will enjoy this thorough look at a group that has a long history in the United States.