Irish Americans - by William Watson & Eugene Halus (Hardcover)
About this item
Highlights
- Virtually every aspect of American culture has been influenced by Irish immigrants and their descendants.
- About the Author: William E. Watson, PhD, is professor of history at Immaculata University in Malvern, PA.
- 544 Pages
- History, United States
Description
About the Book
Virtually every aspect of American culture has been influenced by Irish immigrants and their descendants. This encyclopedia tells the full story of the Irish-American experience, covering immigration, assimilation, and achievement.
The Irish have had a significant impact on America across three centuries, helping to shape politics, law, labor, war, literature, journalism, entertainment, business, sports, and science. This encyclopedia explores why the Irish came to America, where they settled, and how their distinctive Irish-American identity was formed. Well-known Irish Americans are profiled, but the work also captures the essence of everyday life for Irish-Americans as they have assimilated, established communities, and interacted with other ethnic groups.
The approximately 200 entries in this comprehensive, one-stop reference are organized into four themes: the context of Irish-American emigration; political and economic life; cultural and religious life; and literature, the arts, and popular culture. Each section offers a historical overview of the subject matter, and the work is enriched by a selection of primary documents.
- Demonstrates the intricate--and far-reaching--nature of the Irish-American connection
- Covers the variety of the Irish-American political experience in the North and South rather than focusing only on northern populations
- Distinguishes between the experience of Irish Protestants and Irish Catholics
- Highlights the Irish propensity for inventiveness in America and Irish contributions to business and technology
- Discusses the prominence of the Irish in the Catholic Church in the United States
Book Synopsis
Virtually every aspect of American culture has been influenced by Irish immigrants and their descendants. This encyclopedia tells the full story of the Irish-American experience, covering immigration, assimilation, and achievement.
The Irish have had a significant impact on America across three centuries, helping to shape politics, law, labor, war, literature, journalism, entertainment, business, sports, and science. This encyclopedia explores why the Irish came to America, where they settled, and how their distinctive Irish-American identity was formed. Well-known Irish Americans are profiled, but the work also captures the essence of everyday life for Irish-Americans as they have assimilated, established communities, and interacted with other ethnic groups. The approximately 200 entries in this comprehensive, one-stop reference are organized into four themes: the context of Irish-American emigration; political and economic life; cultural and religious life; and literature, the arts, and popular culture. Each section offers a historical overview of the subject matter, and the work is enriched by a selection of primary documents.Review Quotes
"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." --Library Journal
"This worthy volume can be used for ready reference, or readers can have a jolly good browse learning more about favorite Irish American personalities. . . . Summing Up: Recommended. General readers; all academic audiences." --ChoiceAbout the Author
William E. Watson, PhD, is professor of history at Immaculata University in Malvern, PA.
Eugene J. Halus, Jr., PhD, is associate professor of politics and chairman of the Department of History and Politics at Immaculata University in Malvern, PA.
