The Great Irish Potato Famine

by James S. Donnelly Jr.

This is an account of the Great Irish Potato Famine of the late 1840s, a famine which resulted in the death of about one million people and was also largely responsible, in conjunction with British government policies, for one of the great international human migrations of British history—the mass exodus of some two million people from Ireland, mostly to North America, in the years 1845�1855. This book combines narrative, analysis, historiography, and scores of contemporary illustrations. This work aims to provide an insight into the misery of the famine and the nightmare of mass evictions that followed.

Genres: History, Ireland, Nonfiction, Irish Literature, Historical

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2001

Reviews

[Abigail Wollam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many stats- too many numbers for a good history book

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more a book written for researchers than it is for popular readers; the author spends way too much time on historiographic, "This is what X thought happened given his blah blah blah but this body of research suggests Y happened". Well-rounded and research but, in this case, it came at a cost of being able to write an interesting book. The Graves are Walking is IMO much superior for this purpose.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because reading an entire history of the Famine front cover to back isn't how everyone spends their time?

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most exhaustive treatment of this historical 'hot potato' I have read.It covers new ground rather than the old, shedding light on some economic statistics that dismayed me...how Irish nationalists chose to arm the debates about how & why a potato blight had such a devastating effect on the 'sister island'...& the frankly inadequate response to the famine in liberal, progressive & Protestant England.
I should add that my name carries no cultural baggage on this defining moment in British history. As a history graduate of a renowned institution, I have always endeavoured to deal in facts: this thorough work of James S. Donnelly does just that. But still, it hurts to read of the suffering of so many thousands, caught between man's firm beliefs & common humanity. This potato will sustain a luvely debate for decades to come.

[Kaylee Schmelzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid review of the events of the famine (its beginning, relief efforts, the role of landlords, and policies, emigration) and the politics and memory stemming from those events. Perhaps not the most moving account - it required some sustained focus - but an accessible overview for someone with no prior knowledge.

[Mairead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sorrowful time in history that strengthens people around the world in their own trials testing their endurance and faith. The Irish Potato Famine is about much more than potatoes being scarce as the reader will discover.

[Brady Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't like books that are written for people that already know everything about the event. This book is the author explaining why the British government did the things they did. Not the story of the famine, which is what I wanted.

[Jodie Portugal · Rating 5 out of 5]

my honest review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF_HK...

[Alexandria Fanjoy Silver · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more about British policy than the famine itself

[Andrea]

It was really interesting but too much detail for my purposes. I appreciate all the research and work that went into this book.

[Kyra Joyner · Rating 1 out of 5]

This had hardly anything to do with the famine. The whole book felt like “it’s the Irish fault that they all starved.” It’s was mostly British polices and their POV of what happened

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well researched, balanced and considered history and historiography. Donnelly explains, shapes and reshapes the revisionist and nationalist interpretations of the Famine, offering provocative and fascinating interpretations of this event. This book is useful for Irish historians and food scholars, but it is also a useful guide to how and why historical revisions and reinterpretations emerge, and their popular cultural consequence.

[P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this is more of an academic than a popular history (popular histories tend not to spend so much time on historiography?), but it has an approachability to it that made it an enjoyable read. I feel as if an historical event that was something of a labelled black box for me to this point has been opened a bit.