Emigrants and Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America

by Kerby A. Miller

Rich in human detail, penetrating in analysis, this book is social history on an epic scale. The first "transatlantic" history of the Irish, Emigrants and Exiles offers the fullest account yet of the diverse waves of Irish emigration to North America.

Drawing on enormous original research, Miller focuses on the thought and behavior of the "ordinary" Irish emigrants, as revealed in their personal letters, diaries, journals, and memoirs as well as in their songs, poems and folklore. Miller shows that the exile mentality was deeply rooted in Irish history, culture and personality, and it profoundly affected both the traumatic course of modern Irish history and the Irish experience in America.

Genres: History, Ireland, Nonfiction, Irish Literature, American History, Historical, 19th Century

684 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Padraic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes it's academic. Yes it's long. Yes it's got a lot of footnotes (see "Yes it's academic" above). But a huge jog to the collective amnesia of the American Irish diaspora. It's never good to forget where one came from.

[John J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

For those interested in Ireland and the Irish, this book provides extreme detail on how the English destroyed Irish culture from the very earliest time that they came over to the Emerald Isle from England. Unfortunately, the author got so wrapped up in his story that he went overboard on detail and his repetition is beyond belief. Matters which I thought had been explained are explained again and again, and again. In most cases this is not, strictly speaking, repetitive, because he uses different persons in most of the instances from the explanation which he used 50 or 100 pages previously. I am of Irish lineage so I was quite ready to enjoy this book, and there really is much of merit in it, but way too much repetition!

[Paul Nolting · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a challenging book to read. It is long and densely packed with facts and details to support it's main thesis "that Irish-American homesickness, alienation and nationalism were rooted in a traditional Irish Catholic worldview which predisposed Irish emigrants to perceive or at least to justify themselves not as voluntary ambitious emigrants but as involuntary, nonresponsible 'exiles,' compelled to leave home by forces beyond individual control, particularly by British and landlord oppression." But it is well worth the time and effort. It tells the story of Irish emigration compellingly, with great skill and passion.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great reference book. Miller researched the material to an exhaustive degree and provides an objective history of an extremely complicated people. He cites an astounding number of statistics to provide balance, which at times slows readability. The big take away is that Irish history since the Tudor invasion is as complicated as a Celtic knot.

[Shira Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a master class in Irish American history, so well researched and detailed. I am using this as a resource for my historical fiction novel set in 1853 Chicago and can not thank Kerby Miller enough. This is valuable information and fascinating history.

[Libri da Scoprire · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent study about the Irish Immigration to United States of America between 1840 and 1890.
The book is highly recommended.

[M.R. Rutter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this for research. Excellent text.

[Jennifer Deegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a long but never tedious historical account of the Irish and Irish diaspora. Required reading for a class I took in college that still sits in my bookshelf at home and in my memory.

[Ellie McGowan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I needed to focus more on immigration to Britain, not quite sure why this was actually on the reading list, but I guess it gave a good general idea of the patterns of Irish immigration at the time.