Reviews
"This book's stunning richness in original letters and memoirs is bothbroad and intimate, covering all of the 18th century migrations as well asoffering unprecedented closeness to the words and experiences of the emigrants.Creatively edited and annotated by some of the finest scholars in the field, itis a masterwork and is bound to become an indispensable companion to allresearch and teaching of the subject."-Robert Scally, New York University, "Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan is sure to become a majorlandmark, setting an exemplary standard for study of both Irish-American historyand American immigration and ethnic history more generally. The documents areelegantly presented, extensively annotated, and framed by contextual andbiographical essays that wonderfully illuminate the rich humanity of the migrantexperience."--Kevin Kenny, Boston College, "This is the most vivid and moving collection of letters and memoirs concerning any immigrant group to mainland North America during the Colonial and Early National periods. The documents are intelligently organized and brilliantly contextualized. Altogether it is a gloriousachievement."--Nicholas Canny, National University of Ireland, Galway, "At first glance, Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan appears to be a rather standard, albeit lengthy, primary source collection of mostly personal letters, along with journal excerpts and a handful of public documents, that have been gathered together to reveal the tremendous variation inthe life experiences of sixty-eight Irish immigrants to early America. As one reads more deeply in this collection, it is evident that the authors intend this book to be much more than a standard documentary reader. Rather, this work sets out to coney a more comprehensive history of early Irishimmigrants' social, economic, religious, and political experiences in Ireland and America before 1815. An immensely important and intellectually rich work in Irish, American, and Atlantic history." --The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, "For scholars in American and Irish Cultural Studies, this impressive and brilliantly interpreted compilation of letters and memoirs is surely of paramount importance, as it presents both a minute and comprehensive account of the reasons of Irish emigration to the 'promised land' across the Atlantic and of the settlers' experience there; but it is lf interest also to historians and linguists who wish to examine a corpus of authentic letters and memoirs of Irish immigrants of various social classes and age groups from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Finally, for the common (American) reader, the texts can help to do away with the widespread mistaken belief that the immigrants were almost exclusively Catholic papers of Celtic origin, who were forced by bloodsucking Protestant landlords of English descent to leave the Emerald Isle."--Amerikastudien, "A thoughtful, often-penetrating analysis....The extraordinary scale, extensive annotation, breadth of understanding, and intimacy in accounting make this book a must-read."--Journal of American History"For scholars in American and Irish Cultural Studies, this impressive and brilliantly interpreted compilation of letters and memoirs is surely of paramount importance, as it presents both a minute and comprehensive account of the reasons of Irish emigration to the 'promised land' across the Atlantic and of the settlers' experience there; but it is lf interest also to historians and linguists who wish to examine a corpus of authentic letters and memoirs of Irishimmigrants of various social classes and age groups from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Finally, for the common (American) reader, the texts can help to do away with thewidespread mistaken belief that the immigrants were almost exclusively Catholic papers of Celtic origin, who were forced by bloodsucking Protestant landlords of English descent to leave the Emerald Isle."--Amerikastudien"A stunning scholarly accomplishment and a major contribution to historical scholarship in a variety of fields."--Journal of Social History"A stunning accomplishment and will long be an influential work in multiple fields. It is also a testament to the quality of work produced when top scholars collaborate."--Documentary Editing, "Exquisitely produced by Oxford University Press and elaborately edited by four senior scholars, this long anticipated volume...is a monument to years of exacting detective and analytical work and to the craft of editing historical documents...."--Reviews in American History, "A thoughtful, often-penetrating analysis .The extraordinary scale, extensive annotation, breadth of understanding, and intimacy in accounting make this book a must-read." --Journal of American History "For scholars in American and Irish Cultural Studies, this impressive and brilliantly interpreted compilation of letters and memoirs is surely of paramount importance, as it presents both a minute and comprehensive account of the reasons of Irish emigration to the 'promised land' across the Atlantic and of the settlers' experience there; but it is lf interest also to historians and linguists who wish to examine a corpus of authentic letters and memoirs of Irish immigrants of various social classes and age groups from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Finally, for the common (American) reader, the texts can help to do away with the widespread mistaken belief that the immigrants were almost exclusively Catholic papers of Celtic origin, who were forced by bloodsucking Protestant landlords of English descent to leave the Emerald Isle."--Amerikastudien "A stunning scholarly accomplishment and a major contribution to historical scholarship in a variety of fields."--Journal of Social History "A stunning accomplishment and will long be an influential work in multiple fields. It is also a testament to the quality of work produced when top scholars collaborate." --Documentary Editing, Uppermost in the presentation of Doyle and Miller's findings has been the extensive and sensitive use of sources, many of them uncovered and made available for the first time, and this is one of the most remarkable features of this remarkable book., "A thoughtful, often-penetrating analysis....The extraordinary scale, extensive annotation, breadth of understanding, and intimacy in accounting make this book a must-read."--Journal of American History "For scholars in American and Irish Cultural Studies, this impressive and brilliantly interpreted compilation of letters and memoirs is surely of paramount importance, as it presents both a minute and comprehensive account of the reasons of Irish emigration to the 'promised land' across the Atlantic and of the settlers' experience there; but it is lf interest also to historians and linguists who wish to examine a corpus of authentic letters and memoirs of Irish immigrants of various social classes and age groups from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Finally, for the common (American) reader, the texts can help to do away with the widespread mistaken belief that the immigrants were almost exclusively Catholic papers of Celtic origin, who were forced by bloodsucking Protestant landlords of English descent to leave the Emerald Isle."--Amerikastudien "A stunning scholarly accomplishment and a major contribution to historical scholarship in a variety of fields."--Journal of Social History "A stunning accomplishment and will long be an influential work in multiple fields. It is also a testament to the quality of work produced when top scholars collaborate."--Documentary Editing, "A thoughtful, often-penetrating analysis....The extraordinary scale, extensive annotation, breadth of understanding, and intimacy in accounting make this book a must-read."--Journal of American History"For scholars in American and Irish Cultural Studies, this impressive and brilliantly interpreted compilation of letters and memoirs is surely of paramount importance, as it presents both a minute and comprehensive account of the reasons of Irish emigration to the 'promised land' across the Atlantic and of the settlers' experience there; but it is lf interest also to historians and linguists who wish to examine a corpus of authentic letters and memoirs of Irish immigrants of various social classes and age groups from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Finally, for the common (American) reader, the texts can help to do away with the widespread mistaken belief that the immigrants were almost exclusively Catholic papers of Celtic origin, who were forced by bloodsucking Protestant landlords of English descent to leave the Emerald Isle."--Amerikastudien"A stunning scholarly accomplishment and a major contribution to historical scholarship in a variety of fields."--Journal of Social History"A stunning accomplishment and will long be an influential work in multiple fields. It is also a testament to the quality of work produced when top scholars collaborate."--Documentary Editing, "one of the most significant volumes to appear on the theme of Irishemigration, Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan - may well be seen infuture to be as much of a landmark publication in our understanding oftransatlantic migration as was Miller's Emigrants and Exiles "-- Familia, "History at its most intimate....a groundbreaking study of early Irish (Protestant and Catholic) immigration to America." --Irish Voice, "Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan is a monumental achievement. Historians of early modern Ireland, colonial America, and the British Atlantic world now have at their disposal a rich resourcethat they can dip into time and time again to gain a more intimate understanding of what it meantto navigate the difficult shoals between the Old and New worlds."-- H-Net, "Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan is a monumental acheivement.Historians of early modern Ireland, colonial America, and the British Atlanticworld now have at their disposal a rich resourcethat they can dip into time andtime again to gain a more intimate understanding of what it meant to navigatethe difficult shoals between the Old and New worlds."-- H-Net, "Destined to become a classic in the field of American immigration history.... It has set a new standard for the study of Atlantic migration, and is already an invaluable resource for historians."--Kevin Kenny, Irish Historical Studies "For scholars in American and Irish Cultural Studies, this impressive and brilliantly interpreted compilation of letters and memoirs is surely of paramount importance, as it presents both a minute and comprehensive account of the reasons of Irish emigration to the 'promised land' across the Atlantic and of the settlers' experience there; but it is lf interest also to historians and linguists who wish to examine a corpus of authentic letters and memoirs of Irish immigrants of various social classes and age groups from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Finally, for the common (American) reader, the texts can help to do away with the widespread mistaken belief that the immigrants were almost exclusively Catholic papers of Celtic origin, who were forced by bloodsucking Protestant landlords of English descent to leave the Emerald Isle."-- Amerikastudien "At first glance, Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan appears to be a rather standard, albeit lengthy, primary source collection of mostly personal letters, along with journal excerpts and a handful of public documents, that have been gathered together to reveal the tremendous variation in the life experiences of sixty-eight Irish immigrants to early America. As one reads more deeply in this collection, it is evident that the authors intend this book to be much more than a standard documentary reader. Rather, this work sets out to coney a more comprehensive history of early Irish immigrants' social, economic, religious, and political experiences in Ireland and America before 1815. An immensely important and intellectually rich work in Irish, American, and Atlantic history." -- The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography "Exquisitely produced by Oxford University Press and elaborately edited by four senior scholars, this long anticipated volume...is a monument to years of exacting detective and analytical work and to the craft of editing historical documents...."-- Reviews in American History " Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan is a monumental achievement. Historians of early modern Ireland, colonial America, and the British Atlantic world now have at their disposal a rich resourcethat they can dip into time and time again to gain a more intimate understanding of what it meant to navigate the difficult shoals between the Old and New worlds."-- H-Net "one of the most significant volumes to appear on the theme of Irish emigration, Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan - may well be seen in future to be as much of a landmark publication in our understanding of transatlantic migration as was Miller's Emigrants and Exiles "-- Familia "There is so much more to be grateful for in this splendid book, which brings the human story of migration across the Atlantic so powerfully alive...an invaluable account of one of the most complex periods of migration in the Irish diaspora."-- The Australian Journal of Irish Studies "Deftly arranged and skillfully annotated..."-- CHOICE "History at its most intimate....a groundbreaking study of early Irish (Protestant and Catholic) immigration to America." -- Irish Voice "This is the most vivid and moving collection of letters and memoirs concerning any immigrant group to mainland North America during the Colonial and Early National periods. The documents are intelligently organized and brilliantly contextualized. Altogether it is a glorious achievement."--Nicholas Canny, National University of Ireland, Galway " Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan is sure to become a major landmark, setting an exemplary standard for study of both Irish-American history and Ameri, "A stunning scholarly accomplishment and a major contribution to historical scholarship in a variety of fields."--Journal of Social History, "For scholars in American and Irish Cultural Studies, this impressive and brilliantly interpreted compilation of letters and memoirs is surely of paramount importance, as it presents both a minute and comprehensive account of the reasons of Irish emigration to the 'promised land' across theAtlantic and of the settlers' experience there; but it is lf interest also to historians and linguists who wish to examine a corpus of authentic letters and memoirs of Irish immigrants of various social classes and age groups from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Finally, forthe common (American) reader, the texts can help to do away with the widespread mistaken belief that the immigrants were almost exclusively Catholic papers of Celtic origin, who were forced by bloodsucking Protestant landlords of English descent to leave the Emerald Isle."--Amerikastudien, "History at its most intimate....a groundbreaking study of early Irish(Protestant and Catholic) immigration to America." --Irish Voice, "At first glance, Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan appears to be a rather standard, albeit lengthy, primary source collection of mostly personal letters, along with journal excerpts and a handful of public documents, that have been gathered together to reveal the tremendous variation in the life experiences of sixty-eight Irish immigrants to early America. As one reads more deeply in this collection, it is evident that the authors intend this book to be much more than a standard documentary reader. Rather, this work sets out to coney a more comprehensive history of early Irish immigrants' social, economic, religious, and political experiences in Ireland and America before 1815. An immensely important and intellectually rich work in Irish, American, and Atlantic history." --The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography "Exquisitely produced by Oxford University Press and elaborately edited by four senior scholars, this long anticipated volume...is a monument to years of exacting detective and analytical work and to the craft of editing historical documents...."--Reviews in American History "Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan is a monumental achievement. Historians of early modern Ireland, colonial America, and the British Atlantic world now have at their disposal a rich resourcethat they can dip into time and time again to gain a more intimate understanding of what it meant to navigate the difficult shoals between the Old and New worlds."--H-Net "one of the most significant volumes to appear on the theme of Irish emigration, Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan - may well be seen in future to be as much of a landmark publication in our understanding of transatlantic migration as was Miller's Emigrants and Exiles "-- Familia "There is so much more to be grateful for in this splendid book, which brings the human story of migration across the Atlantic so powerfully alive...an invaluable account of one of the most complex periods of migration in the Irish diaspora."--The Australian Journal of Irish Studies "Deftly arranged and skillfully annotated..."--CHOICE "History at its most intimate....a groundbreaking study of early Irish (Protestant and Catholic) immigration to America." --Irish Voice "This is the most vivid and moving collection of letters and memoirs concerning any immigrant group to mainland North America during the Colonial and Early National periods. The documents are intelligently organized and brilliantly contextualized. Altogether it is a glorious achievement."--Nicholas Canny, National University of Ireland, Galway "Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan is sure to become a major landmark, setting an exemplary standard for study of both Irish-American history and American immigration and ethnic history more generally. The documents are elegantly presented, extensively annotated, and framed by contextual and biographical essays that wonderfully illuminate the rich humanity of the migrant experience."--Kevin Kenny, Boston College "An indispensable and inexhaustible treasure-trove for the student of not only emigration from Ireland to America, but of emigration in general, and of culture contact in the Atlantic world in particular."-Joe Lee, Glucksman Ireland House, New York University "This book's stunning richness in original letters and memoirs is both broad and intimate, covering all of the 18th century migrations as well as offering unprecedented closeness to the words and experiences of the emigrants. Creatively edited and annotated by some of the finest scholars in the field, it is a masterwork and is bound to become an indispensable companion to all research and teaching of the subject."-Robert Scally, New York University "A monumental work of meticulous scholarship."--Kevin Whelan, Keough-Notre Dame Centre, Dublin, "compulsory reading for anyone interested in early Irish immigration tothe Americas, or indeed migration history in general.Undergraduates andgraduates alike will find much to mull over-some "hot topics" coveredby the bookare identity formation, the religious upheavals of the mid eighteenth century,and the creation of a dynamic Atlantic culture. A truly innovative collection ofvibrant and compelling accounts of migration which not only illuminates themigrant experience, but sets the standard for future works in this field."-- NewYork Irish History, "This is the most vivid and moving collection of letters and memoirsconcerning any immigrant group to mainland North America during the Colonial andEarly National periods. The documents are intelligently organized andbrilliantly contextualized. Altogether it is a glorious achievement."--NicholasCanny, National University of Ireland, Galway, "There is so much more to be grateful for in this splendid book, which brings the human story of migration across the Atlantic so powerfully alive...an invaluable account of one of the most complex periods of migration in the Irish diaspora."--The Australian Journal of Irish Studies, "compulsory reading for anyone interested in early Irish immigration to the Americas, or indeed migration history in general.Undergraduates and graduates alike will find much to mull over-some "hot topics" coveredby the book are identity formation, the religious upheavals of the mid eighteenthcentury, and the creation of a dynamic Atlantic culture. A truly innovative collection of vibrant and compelling accounts of migration which not only illuminates the migrant experience, but sets the standard for future works in this field."-- New York Irish History, "An indispensable and inexhaustible treasure-trove for the student of notonly emigration from Ireland to America, but of emigration in general, and ofculture contact in the Atlantic world in particular."-Joe Lee, Glucksman IrelandHouse, New York University
