Plentiful Country: The Great Potato Famine and the Making of Irish New York

by Tyler Anbinder

512 pages, Hardcover

Published May 9, 2024

About the author

Tyler Anbinder is an Associate Professor of History at George Washington University. His first book, Nativism and Slavery: The Northern Know Nothings and the Politics of the 1850's, was a New York Times Book Review Notable Book and the winner of the Avery Craven Prize of the Organization of American Historians. He lives in Arlington, Virginia.

Reviews

[Amanda Irving · Rating 4 out of 5]

I FINALLY finished reading this book after two long months. It always feels good diving into a good book from start to finish. I learned a great deal about the Irish potato famine era. Anbinder did a phenomenal job demystifying the narrative of the Irish immigration and settlement experience. He presented a balanced view of the Irish, highlighting their innate traits and their shortcomings to provide a comprehensive picture of the Irish experience in America. Irish people possess traits, such as resilience, business acumen, and hard work. This book is a 9.5/10 for its rich detail and engaging storytelling.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent study of the Famine immigrant experience from the lens of their individual jobs/vocations via their bank statements. The author does a very good job of weaving dense historical information into true narratives about these people from the documents and stories left behind. Also, viewing NYC from the lens of a Famine immigrant in 1850 is pretty exceptional.