Immigrant Voices: New Lives in America, 1773-2000

by Thomas Dublin (Editor)

A classroom staple, Immigrant Voices: New Lives in America, 1773-2000 has been updated with writings that reflect trends in immigration to the United States through the turn of the twenty-first century. New chapters include a selection of letters from Irish immigrants fleeing the famine of the 1840s, writings from an immigrant who escaped the civil war in Liberia during the 1980s, and letters that crossed the U.S.-Mexico border during the late 1980s and early '90s. With each addition editor Thomas Dublin has kept to his original goals, which was to show the commonalities of the U.S. immigrant experience across lines of gender, nation of origin, race, and even time.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1993

Reviews

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read primarily for the first-hand/primary source accounts (which are excellent).

[Janet Holt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.25
Read for WSGS 201

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of excerpts from writings by/about immigrants to the U.S. between 1773-1986...i personally found the first few chapters extremely boring & hard to get through, but the book got progressively better with each chapter (I guess as an immigrant I found it easier to identify with more recent immigrants and enjoyed their stories more). Very interesting stories, each representing the struggles and immigrant experience of people from Italy, Germany, Russia, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, Korea, and Mexico.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great account of immigrants in their own words! This book contains diaries, letters, interviews and notes from immigrants to America from the 1700's to the 1980's. I especially liked the story of the young Italian Rosa Cassettari. Did you know our grandmother's delivered their own babies?

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading these first-person accounts of immigrants coming to America. We're using this book in a class I'm taking, but it is something I would pick up and read regardless of being assigned.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting collection of first-hand accounts from American immigrants. This book touches three different centuries and at least 4 ethnic groups perspectives and experiences in coming to and adjusting to America.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great compilation of immigrant stories (note the range of dates the book covers) that range from recorded histories of regular people you'd meet on the street to excerpts from published works.