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Najnowsza książka cesarzowej polskiego reportażu. Małgorzata Szejnert, autorka książki Czarny ogród, zabiera nas tym razem w daleką podróż na Ellis Island, małą wyspę u wybrzeży Nowego Jorku, która przez lata była nazywana "bramą do Ameryki". Od końca XIX wieku do lat 50. wieku XX mieściło się na niej centrum przyjmowania imigrantów przybywających do Stanów Zjednoczonych. W tym czasie przez wyspę przewinęło się blisko 12 milionów osób. Większość przebywała na niej zaledwie kilka godzin. Ci, którzy mieli mniej szczęścia, spędzali tam nawet do kilkunastu miesięcy, przechodząc długotrwałą kwarantannę i najróżniejsze badania. Inni zaś byli po prostu odsyłani z powrotem, ponieważ zgodnie z ustawami imigracyjnymi zakaz wstępu obejmował: "idiotów, chorych umysłowo, nędzarzy, poligamistów, osoby, które mogą się stać ciężarem publicznym, cierpią na odrażające lub niebezpieczne choroby zakaźne, były skazane za zbrodnie lub inne haniebne przestępstwa, dopuściły się wykroczeń przeciw moralności" oraz tych, którzy nie mieli pieniędzy na podróż w głąb kraju. Autorka nie tylko śledzi dramatyczne losy emigrantów polskich, żydowskich, niemieckich czy włoskich, ale dzięki ogromnej reporterskiej pasji i dociekliwości ożywia postaci pracowników stacji na Ellis Island - lekarzy, pielęgniarek, komisarzy, tłumaczy oraz opiekunek społecznych, a nawet przyzwoitek. To fascynujący reportaż, bogato ilustrowany unikatowymi zdjęciami archiwalnymi.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2009
40 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
November 18, 2020
As a second generation Polish American, I appreciated this book immensely. It explained so much more than I learned from my grandparents. I think it is a tribute to immigrants everywhere for their fortitude and courage. It is lso the story of the people who worked at Ellis Island and, for the most part, their humanity. I did find minor faults or annoyances with the book but they did not take away from the story. The cons were that I thought the language very stilted and the the story did not flow. It read more like a textbook and maybe that was the intention. It was also written in the present tense which didn't suit me. Had it not been for the cons, I would have given it 5 stars.
January 14, 2021
After my trip, last February, to Ellis Island I was taken by curiosity to know more about the site and the story behind it. I wanted to read what was like for immigrants to pass through it, who the keepers where and how they felt when they were inundated by thousand of people; I was lucky enough to come across this book on NetGalley and I’m so grateful to Scribe UK for accepting my request.
Ellis Island: a people’s history is an informative and extensive book on how the island became the house of people travelling to the land of opportunities, during the 20th century , but it’s mainly a recollection of the stories of the keepers and people passing through. It was heartbreaking at times to read about how families were shattered and divided on the island, and with them the dream of a new life lost.
An absolute must read if you love history and American history.
Ellis Island: a people’s history is an informative and extensive book on how the island became the house of people travelling to the land of opportunities, during the 20th century , but it’s mainly a recollection of the stories of the keepers and people passing through. It was heartbreaking at times to read about how families were shattered and divided on the island, and with them the dream of a new life lost.
An absolute must read if you love history and American history.
February 28, 2020
Despite my love of history, I never got around to doing any serious reading about Ellis Island. My knowledge consisted mainly of what I was taught in school (most of which I've long since forgotten) and random information gleaned from things I read over the years that briefly mentioned its history and purpose, but only in relation to the topic I was reading about at the time. When I discovered this book on Edelweiss, I felt excited to (finally) read a book focusing on Ellis Island, its employees, and the emigrants who arrived there full of hopes and dreams of a new life in the United States.
The book is broken up into seven parts, rather than individual chapters. Each part is further divided with sub-headings dealing with particular topics or people. This makes for easy reading, without the risk of losing focus on the overall topic of each part. The text within these sections are concise, but greatly informative. People introduced early on are revisited (some many times), when their experiences and/or contributions on the island are relevant to later parts of the book. For those whose connection to the island spanned decades, it provided a more complete look into their lives that was gratifying to read.
The book begins with the early history of the island: from its indigenous inhabitants and the eventual ownership (a century later) of its namesake, to the construction of the Statue of Liberty and the original immigration station that existed in the years before Ellis Island was put into service. Although it's brief, I learned many things, and it made for fascinating reading.
Ellis Island officially opened on January 1, 1892. 700 immigrants would pass through the station that day, including Annie Moore from Ireland—the very first person to be processed. By the end of the year, nearly 450,000 would pass through the station. On June 5, 1897, the wooden buildings of the immigration station were destroyed by fire. During the five years it was in operation, approximately 1.5 million immigrants were processed. A second, fireproof station—designed to process up to 5,000 immigrants a day—opened December 17, 1900.
I have to admit that I didn't expect to be as interested by the stories of the people who worked at the station. I assumed the stories of the immigrants would be far more compelling to read about, and worried that stories about those employed there would be boring. I'm happy to report that I was completely wrong, because both sides were equally engrossing. Many people worked at the station (in one capacity of another) for decades—including some who were immigrants themselves at one time.
About 12 million emigrants passed through the immigration station at Ellis Island during its years of operation. Of that number, about two percent of them would be denied entry into the United States for various reasons. Those with contagious diseases, physical disabilities, or signs of insanity would be barred on the grounds that they would likely become wards of the state. Anarchists, people with criminal backgrounds, and people who showed signs of "low moral character" were equally unwelcome. The Immigration Acts of 1917 and 1924 made further restrictions, banning emigrants from certain countries as well as introducing immigration quotas. Being allowed entry didn't protect an emigrant from later deportation, either. During World War II, Ellis Island was used as a detention center for 'alien enemies', served as a hospital for wounded soldiers, and was even used by the Coast Guard to train approximately 60,000 servicemen.
The information I've shared in this review barely scratches the surface of everything that can be learned by reading this book. Writings from people who were there provide both information and personal insights, allowing the reader to better understand what life what like back then—for the emigrants, as well as the people who decided their fates.
It goes without saying that—like most things concerning history—the story of Ellis Island isn't always a pretty one. Its history includes the disgrace of racism and anti-Semitism. Abuse of power and extortion from those who had so little, committed by those entrusted with performing important duties. Women who came here believing they were to be married, only to be trapped in sexual slavery. For all the hope it represented to people arriving there, it's important that the uglier aspects of Ellis Island were acknowledged in this book.
I honestly can't say which parts of the book I enjoyed the most, because it was all interesting to me. Much of what I read was completely unknown to me, whether it focused on the island's heyday as an immigration hub, what became of it in the years after its closure, and finally, its restoration and eventual rebirth as a national monument and tourist destination. I learned a great deal from this book, and will likely reference it in the future when I need to refresh my memory on the topics and/or people it covers.
Highly recommended for readers who love history, particularly those who want to learn more about immigration to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The wealth of information contained in this book makes it well worth the time spent reading it.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Scribe US via Edelweiss.
The book is broken up into seven parts, rather than individual chapters. Each part is further divided with sub-headings dealing with particular topics or people. This makes for easy reading, without the risk of losing focus on the overall topic of each part. The text within these sections are concise, but greatly informative. People introduced early on are revisited (some many times), when their experiences and/or contributions on the island are relevant to later parts of the book. For those whose connection to the island spanned decades, it provided a more complete look into their lives that was gratifying to read.
The book begins with the early history of the island: from its indigenous inhabitants and the eventual ownership (a century later) of its namesake, to the construction of the Statue of Liberty and the original immigration station that existed in the years before Ellis Island was put into service. Although it's brief, I learned many things, and it made for fascinating reading.
Ellis Island officially opened on January 1, 1892. 700 immigrants would pass through the station that day, including Annie Moore from Ireland—the very first person to be processed. By the end of the year, nearly 450,000 would pass through the station. On June 5, 1897, the wooden buildings of the immigration station were destroyed by fire. During the five years it was in operation, approximately 1.5 million immigrants were processed. A second, fireproof station—designed to process up to 5,000 immigrants a day—opened December 17, 1900.
I have to admit that I didn't expect to be as interested by the stories of the people who worked at the station. I assumed the stories of the immigrants would be far more compelling to read about, and worried that stories about those employed there would be boring. I'm happy to report that I was completely wrong, because both sides were equally engrossing. Many people worked at the station (in one capacity of another) for decades—including some who were immigrants themselves at one time.
About 12 million emigrants passed through the immigration station at Ellis Island during its years of operation. Of that number, about two percent of them would be denied entry into the United States for various reasons. Those with contagious diseases, physical disabilities, or signs of insanity would be barred on the grounds that they would likely become wards of the state. Anarchists, people with criminal backgrounds, and people who showed signs of "low moral character" were equally unwelcome. The Immigration Acts of 1917 and 1924 made further restrictions, banning emigrants from certain countries as well as introducing immigration quotas. Being allowed entry didn't protect an emigrant from later deportation, either. During World War II, Ellis Island was used as a detention center for 'alien enemies', served as a hospital for wounded soldiers, and was even used by the Coast Guard to train approximately 60,000 servicemen.
The information I've shared in this review barely scratches the surface of everything that can be learned by reading this book. Writings from people who were there provide both information and personal insights, allowing the reader to better understand what life what like back then—for the emigrants, as well as the people who decided their fates.
It goes without saying that—like most things concerning history—the story of Ellis Island isn't always a pretty one. Its history includes the disgrace of racism and anti-Semitism. Abuse of power and extortion from those who had so little, committed by those entrusted with performing important duties. Women who came here believing they were to be married, only to be trapped in sexual slavery. For all the hope it represented to people arriving there, it's important that the uglier aspects of Ellis Island were acknowledged in this book.
I honestly can't say which parts of the book I enjoyed the most, because it was all interesting to me. Much of what I read was completely unknown to me, whether it focused on the island's heyday as an immigration hub, what became of it in the years after its closure, and finally, its restoration and eventual rebirth as a national monument and tourist destination. I learned a great deal from this book, and will likely reference it in the future when I need to refresh my memory on the topics and/or people it covers.
Highly recommended for readers who love history, particularly those who want to learn more about immigration to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The wealth of information contained in this book makes it well worth the time spent reading it.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Scribe US via Edelweiss.
November 7, 2021
Sam bym pewnie po tę książkę nigdy nie sięgnął. Nazwisko autorki, poniekąd wstyd przyznać, niczego mi dotąd nie mówiło. Do tego ten tytuł, Wyspa klucz, teraz o całkiem innej wymowie, ale wcześniej kojarzący mi się raczej z literaturą dla gospodyń wiejskich, niż z czymś wartym zainteresowania. Na szczęście lekturą maja 2014 mojego, czyli rawskiego, oddziału DKK* była właśnie ta publikacja. Na szczęście, ale dlaczego, o tym dalej.
Chrześcijański raj w niebiesiech ma swoją bramę i swojego świętego Piotra, jak wszystko w zasięgu mentalności zachodniej cywilizacji opartej na murach, bramach i ich strażnikach. Nie jest więc dziwne, że i Stany Zjednoczone, ów raj wyśniony i wymarzony dla większości populacji Europy z przełomu XIX i XX wieku, cierpiącej niewyobrażalną dziś biedę, musiał mieć swoją bramę i swoich strażników. Co najdziwniejsze, temat ten w Polsce, pomimo jej znaczącego wkładu w europejską emigrację do USA, był dotąd kompletnie nieznany, w przeciwieństwie do innych krajów, których ludność zasiliła tę wielką falę zmierzającą do Ameryki. Tą, przypominającą biblijną, bramą jest wysepka u wejścia do Nowego Jorku, zwana obecnie Ellis Island (nazywana też Wyspą Klucz), sąsiadująca z Liberty Island, której jedyna stała mieszkanka, nomen omen Wolność, jest zwrócona do Ellis Island, i wszystkich, którzy na nią przybywali, w poszukiwaniu wolności właśnie, swymi czterema literami. Tam, na Ellis Island, znajdowała się stacja, na której odbywał się sąd nad przybyszami, gdzie decydowano, kto może wejść (do USA), a kto będzie odrzucony. I nierzadko, jak w Biblii, mąż wchodził, a żona nie, dzieci wchodziły, a rodzice odchodzili z płaczem i zgrzytaniem zębów. Każdy mógł był przyjęty, każdy odrzucony i nie było odwołania od tego prawdziwie ostatecznego sądu. Wystarczy wyobrazić sobie, że w szczytowym okresie przez malutką wysepkę i położoną na niej stację przewijało się rocznie ponad milion osób, z których każda musiała być osądzona, a brano pod uwagę tak różne i trudne do oceny aspekty jak choćby zdrowie fizyczne i psychiczne czy moralność, by zrozumieć doniosłość implikacji wynikających z samego faktu istnienia i funkcjonowania takiego miejsca. I właśnie historię tej jedynej w swym rodzaju wyspy, historie ludzi, którzy tam pracowali i tych, którzy przez nią chcieli wejść do swego raju, Małgorzata Szejnert nam przybliża.
Wróćmy do słowa publikacja. Użyłem go we wstępie świadomie, gdyż tak naprawdę trudno Wyspę klucz zaszufladkować. Jest to niewątpliwie książka historyczna, a więc popularnonaukowa. Jest to niewątpliwie literatura faktu, gdyż zawiera, poza tradycyjną wiedzą pochodzącą z materiałów źródłowych, również osobiste wrażenia, obserwacje i doświadczenia autorki. Styl godny literatury prawdziwie pięknej sprawia z kolei, iż pod tym względem doświadczamy wrażeń, których można się spodziewać tylko po największych piórach beletrystyki. Nie wiem, który wyznacznik jest najważniejszy i do jakiego gatunku literatury ostatecznie Wyspę klucz przyporządkować. Pewnie nie ma to żadnego znaczenia. Ważne, iż jest to lektura fascynująca. Od pierwszych stron wciąga niczym najlepsza powieść. Zmusza do myślenia. Niesie ogromny ładunek wiedzy z różnych dziedzin, choć zamaskowany formą wciągającej opowieści, a zarazem przywołuje pytania, na które nie ma prostych odpowiedzi. Mnogość aspektów rzeczywistości, których dotyka, jest tak wielka, że nawet nie sposób wymienić znaczącej ich części.
Należy też tutaj wspomnieć o szacie graficznej. Tworzą ją dokumentalne fotografie miejsca i ludzi. Można się w nie wpatrywać godzinami. Perfekcyjnie oddają ducha epoki, ducha tej bramy do Ameryki. Poniższa fotka z książki nie pochodzi.
Pomijając już oczywiste powiązanie Wyspy Klucz z Polską poprzez Polaków, którzy się przez stację imigracyjna przewinęli, lektura wielokrotnie wywołuje w uważnym czytelniku przemyślenia również na temat dzisiejszej Polski i jej historii, nawet wtedy, gdy nie ma o naszym kraju ani słowa. Jak choćby wówczas, gdy czytamy, że dla Amerykanów symbolem zamordyzmu w dawnej Rosji było to, iż na zgromadzenia trzeba było uzyskać zezwolenie władz.
A czytać trzeba w wielkim skupieniu. Książka jest prawdziwą ucztą nie tylko dla miłośników historii, psychologii, psychologii społecznej i socjologii, ale dla każdego czytelnika ciekawego świata, ludzi i mechanizmów nimi rządzących.
Niezliczone są nieuchronne dla polskiego czytelnika skojarzenia z naszym krajem w dzisiejszym jego kształcie. Polacy żerujący na rodakach, regulamin sprzątania, o którym możemy tylko marzyć nawet na dzisiejszej polskiej kolei, w urzędach czy hotelach w tym naszym XXI-o wiecznym kraju, świadomość zagrożenia handlem żywym towarem, głównie kobietami, naganna rola duchownych, dziesiątki innych tematów, które bezpośrednio kojarzą się nam z naszą rzeczywistością. Są obok nich i przeplatają się z nimi wątki ogólnoludzkie, wręcz globalne, jak wpływ dowolnego wydarzenia na Ziemi na Wyspę, przemyślenia na tematy moralne i prawne oraz wzajemne stosunki miedzy nimi , waga pracy, która na całym świecie ustawia w życiu, a u nas nie, i dziesiątki innych.
Są i prawdziwe perełki, jak choćby dar bystrej obserwacji Amerykanów z przełomu XIX i XX wieku, którzy dla potrzeby stacji imigracyjnej stworzyli własny spis ras, który nie do końca korespondował z powszechnie uznanymi nacjami, jak choćby podział Włochów na dwa narody – północny i południowy. Czysty Zimbardo.
O dociekliwości autorki i poziomie książki może świadczyć choćby to, że nie koncentruje się ani na tym, jaki wpływ Wyspa Klucz wywierała na trafiających na nią imigrantów, ani na tym, jaki praca na niej wywierała na Amerykanów, ale pokazuje jednocześnie obie te sprawy i zależności między nimi. To standard u Małgorzaty Szejnert – ukazać nie tylko dwie strony medalu, ale i sam medal; sposób, w jaki je łączy i jednocześnie dzieli.
Wagę Wyspy klucz trudno przecenić. Przeciwstawia się kłamliwemu mitowi pięknych lat dwudziestych i trzydziestych ukazując, poprzez samą skalę imigracji chociażby, poprzez warunki transportu przez ocean, na jakie ludzie się godzili, jak złe to były dla zdecydowanej większości Europejczyków czasy. Czasy biedy tak wielkiej, że trudnej dzisiaj do wyobrażenia. Do tego cała warstwa historyczna, socjologiczna i moralna tego niezwykłego miejsca i niezwykłych czasów, również unikalna na naszym rynku wydawniczym.
Nie mniej ważne jest też, iż autorka nie ogranicza tematu do momentu zakończenia działalności stacji imigracyjnej, ale kontynuuje swą niesamowitą opowieść aż do czasów współczesnych. Na Ellis Island jest bowiem obecnie muzeum poświęcone imigrantom i dziejom samej stacji, które co roku jest odwiedzane przez dwa miliony ludzi. Więcej niż widziało Muzeum Oświęcimskie w swym rekordowym roku. I śmiem twierdzić, że emocje zwiedzających nie są mniejsze na Wyspie Klucz, choć oczywiście są całkiem innego rodzaju. Dlaczego tak jest, to temat do kolejnych przemyśleń, do których niezbędne przesłanki znajdziemy w lekturze.
Pewne rzeczy są oczywiste, ale paradoksalnie przez to właśnie, zbyt często w ogóle o nich zapominamy. Choćby to, jak młode są Stany – gdyby ludzie żyli tylko kilka razy dłużej, byliby od nich starsi! Skala zjawisk i ich konsekwencje z samej skali wynikające. Wpływ moralności i postawy szefów na podległe im organizacje i znajdujących się w nich ludzi. Znów można wymieniać długo, gdyż Małgorzata Szejnert i na te sprawy otwiera oczy czytelnika sklejone dotąd ropą naszej chorej rzeczywistości. I robi to nie odnosząc się w żaden sposób do dzisiejszej Polski i świata. Fakty i wspomnienia ludzi mówią same za siebie.
Są rzeczy, o których po przeczytaniu Wyspy klucz nigdy nie zapomnicie, jak choćby o sześciosekundowych schodach czy opukiwaniu płytek na suficie. Ale nie będę ich dłużej wymieniał ani omawiał, gdyż nie miejsce tu i czas na to.
Nieodparcie nasuwa się porównanie do mojej poprzedniej lektury klubowej – Afer i skandali Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej. To dwa światy. Jeśli Wyspa klucz dostałaby w starej skali ocen piątkę, nie wiem, czy książka Kopra nie dostałaby gola. Ponieważ zaś tamtą książkę nadal uważam za bardzo wartościową, więc niech to porównanie da Wam pojęcie o skali pozytywnych doznań, jakie zafundowała mi Wyspa klucz.
Świętej pamięci Ryszard Kapuściński nazywany jest Cesarzem. Cesarzem polskiego reportażu. Jakiś czas temu miałem zresztą przyjemność opisać wrażenia z lektury jego książki właśnie pod tytułem Cesarz, również pochodzącej z programu naszego DKK. W tym zestawieniu Małgorzata Szejnert jest czymś dużo więcej niż cesarzową. Sięga dużo dalej niż nawet taki mistrz jak Kapuściński, gdyż do warstwy reportażowej, obserwacyjnej, dołącza potężną warstwę historyczną, źródłową. Aspekt literacki i materiał graficzny też działają na jej korzyść. Wyspa klucz to książka naprawdę wybitna, arcydzieło w swej klasie i zarazem klasa sama w sobie. Zdecydowanie polecam każdemu, niezależnie od przekonań, wyznania i wieku
źródło:
http://klub-aa.blogspot.com/2014/05/b...
Chrześcijański raj w niebiesiech ma swoją bramę i swojego świętego Piotra, jak wszystko w zasięgu mentalności zachodniej cywilizacji opartej na murach, bramach i ich strażnikach. Nie jest więc dziwne, że i Stany Zjednoczone, ów raj wyśniony i wymarzony dla większości populacji Europy z przełomu XIX i XX wieku, cierpiącej niewyobrażalną dziś biedę, musiał mieć swoją bramę i swoich strażników. Co najdziwniejsze, temat ten w Polsce, pomimo jej znaczącego wkładu w europejską emigrację do USA, był dotąd kompletnie nieznany, w przeciwieństwie do innych krajów, których ludność zasiliła tę wielką falę zmierzającą do Ameryki. Tą, przypominającą biblijną, bramą jest wysepka u wejścia do Nowego Jorku, zwana obecnie Ellis Island (nazywana też Wyspą Klucz), sąsiadująca z Liberty Island, której jedyna stała mieszkanka, nomen omen Wolność, jest zwrócona do Ellis Island, i wszystkich, którzy na nią przybywali, w poszukiwaniu wolności właśnie, swymi czterema literami. Tam, na Ellis Island, znajdowała się stacja, na której odbywał się sąd nad przybyszami, gdzie decydowano, kto może wejść (do USA), a kto będzie odrzucony. I nierzadko, jak w Biblii, mąż wchodził, a żona nie, dzieci wchodziły, a rodzice odchodzili z płaczem i zgrzytaniem zębów. Każdy mógł był przyjęty, każdy odrzucony i nie było odwołania od tego prawdziwie ostatecznego sądu. Wystarczy wyobrazić sobie, że w szczytowym okresie przez malutką wysepkę i położoną na niej stację przewijało się rocznie ponad milion osób, z których każda musiała być osądzona, a brano pod uwagę tak różne i trudne do oceny aspekty jak choćby zdrowie fizyczne i psychiczne czy moralność, by zrozumieć doniosłość implikacji wynikających z samego faktu istnienia i funkcjonowania takiego miejsca. I właśnie historię tej jedynej w swym rodzaju wyspy, historie ludzi, którzy tam pracowali i tych, którzy przez nią chcieli wejść do swego raju, Małgorzata Szejnert nam przybliża.
Wróćmy do słowa publikacja. Użyłem go we wstępie świadomie, gdyż tak naprawdę trudno Wyspę klucz zaszufladkować. Jest to niewątpliwie książka historyczna, a więc popularnonaukowa. Jest to niewątpliwie literatura faktu, gdyż zawiera, poza tradycyjną wiedzą pochodzącą z materiałów źródłowych, również osobiste wrażenia, obserwacje i doświadczenia autorki. Styl godny literatury prawdziwie pięknej sprawia z kolei, iż pod tym względem doświadczamy wrażeń, których można się spodziewać tylko po największych piórach beletrystyki. Nie wiem, który wyznacznik jest najważniejszy i do jakiego gatunku literatury ostatecznie Wyspę klucz przyporządkować. Pewnie nie ma to żadnego znaczenia. Ważne, iż jest to lektura fascynująca. Od pierwszych stron wciąga niczym najlepsza powieść. Zmusza do myślenia. Niesie ogromny ładunek wiedzy z różnych dziedzin, choć zamaskowany formą wciągającej opowieści, a zarazem przywołuje pytania, na które nie ma prostych odpowiedzi. Mnogość aspektów rzeczywistości, których dotyka, jest tak wielka, że nawet nie sposób wymienić znaczącej ich części.
Należy też tutaj wspomnieć o szacie graficznej. Tworzą ją dokumentalne fotografie miejsca i ludzi. Można się w nie wpatrywać godzinami. Perfekcyjnie oddają ducha epoki, ducha tej bramy do Ameryki. Poniższa fotka z książki nie pochodzi.
Pomijając już oczywiste powiązanie Wyspy Klucz z Polską poprzez Polaków, którzy się przez stację imigracyjna przewinęli, lektura wielokrotnie wywołuje w uważnym czytelniku przemyślenia również na temat dzisiejszej Polski i jej historii, nawet wtedy, gdy nie ma o naszym kraju ani słowa. Jak choćby wówczas, gdy czytamy, że dla Amerykanów symbolem zamordyzmu w dawnej Rosji było to, iż na zgromadzenia trzeba było uzyskać zezwolenie władz.
A czytać trzeba w wielkim skupieniu. Książka jest prawdziwą ucztą nie tylko dla miłośników historii, psychologii, psychologii społecznej i socjologii, ale dla każdego czytelnika ciekawego świata, ludzi i mechanizmów nimi rządzących.
Niezliczone są nieuchronne dla polskiego czytelnika skojarzenia z naszym krajem w dzisiejszym jego kształcie. Polacy żerujący na rodakach, regulamin sprzątania, o którym możemy tylko marzyć nawet na dzisiejszej polskiej kolei, w urzędach czy hotelach w tym naszym XXI-o wiecznym kraju, świadomość zagrożenia handlem żywym towarem, głównie kobietami, naganna rola duchownych, dziesiątki innych tematów, które bezpośrednio kojarzą się nam z naszą rzeczywistością. Są obok nich i przeplatają się z nimi wątki ogólnoludzkie, wręcz globalne, jak wpływ dowolnego wydarzenia na Ziemi na Wyspę, przemyślenia na tematy moralne i prawne oraz wzajemne stosunki miedzy nimi , waga pracy, która na całym świecie ustawia w życiu, a u nas nie, i dziesiątki innych.
Są i prawdziwe perełki, jak choćby dar bystrej obserwacji Amerykanów z przełomu XIX i XX wieku, którzy dla potrzeby stacji imigracyjnej stworzyli własny spis ras, który nie do końca korespondował z powszechnie uznanymi nacjami, jak choćby podział Włochów na dwa narody – północny i południowy. Czysty Zimbardo.
O dociekliwości autorki i poziomie książki może świadczyć choćby to, że nie koncentruje się ani na tym, jaki wpływ Wyspa Klucz wywierała na trafiających na nią imigrantów, ani na tym, jaki praca na niej wywierała na Amerykanów, ale pokazuje jednocześnie obie te sprawy i zależności między nimi. To standard u Małgorzaty Szejnert – ukazać nie tylko dwie strony medalu, ale i sam medal; sposób, w jaki je łączy i jednocześnie dzieli.
Wagę Wyspy klucz trudno przecenić. Przeciwstawia się kłamliwemu mitowi pięknych lat dwudziestych i trzydziestych ukazując, poprzez samą skalę imigracji chociażby, poprzez warunki transportu przez ocean, na jakie ludzie się godzili, jak złe to były dla zdecydowanej większości Europejczyków czasy. Czasy biedy tak wielkiej, że trudnej dzisiaj do wyobrażenia. Do tego cała warstwa historyczna, socjologiczna i moralna tego niezwykłego miejsca i niezwykłych czasów, również unikalna na naszym rynku wydawniczym.
Nie mniej ważne jest też, iż autorka nie ogranicza tematu do momentu zakończenia działalności stacji imigracyjnej, ale kontynuuje swą niesamowitą opowieść aż do czasów współczesnych. Na Ellis Island jest bowiem obecnie muzeum poświęcone imigrantom i dziejom samej stacji, które co roku jest odwiedzane przez dwa miliony ludzi. Więcej niż widziało Muzeum Oświęcimskie w swym rekordowym roku. I śmiem twierdzić, że emocje zwiedzających nie są mniejsze na Wyspie Klucz, choć oczywiście są całkiem innego rodzaju. Dlaczego tak jest, to temat do kolejnych przemyśleń, do których niezbędne przesłanki znajdziemy w lekturze.
Pewne rzeczy są oczywiste, ale paradoksalnie przez to właśnie, zbyt często w ogóle o nich zapominamy. Choćby to, jak młode są Stany – gdyby ludzie żyli tylko kilka razy dłużej, byliby od nich starsi! Skala zjawisk i ich konsekwencje z samej skali wynikające. Wpływ moralności i postawy szefów na podległe im organizacje i znajdujących się w nich ludzi. Znów można wymieniać długo, gdyż Małgorzata Szejnert i na te sprawy otwiera oczy czytelnika sklejone dotąd ropą naszej chorej rzeczywistości. I robi to nie odnosząc się w żaden sposób do dzisiejszej Polski i świata. Fakty i wspomnienia ludzi mówią same za siebie.
Są rzeczy, o których po przeczytaniu Wyspy klucz nigdy nie zapomnicie, jak choćby o sześciosekundowych schodach czy opukiwaniu płytek na suficie. Ale nie będę ich dłużej wymieniał ani omawiał, gdyż nie miejsce tu i czas na to.
Nieodparcie nasuwa się porównanie do mojej poprzedniej lektury klubowej – Afer i skandali Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej. To dwa światy. Jeśli Wyspa klucz dostałaby w starej skali ocen piątkę, nie wiem, czy książka Kopra nie dostałaby gola. Ponieważ zaś tamtą książkę nadal uważam za bardzo wartościową, więc niech to porównanie da Wam pojęcie o skali pozytywnych doznań, jakie zafundowała mi Wyspa klucz.
Świętej pamięci Ryszard Kapuściński nazywany jest Cesarzem. Cesarzem polskiego reportażu. Jakiś czas temu miałem zresztą przyjemność opisać wrażenia z lektury jego książki właśnie pod tytułem Cesarz, również pochodzącej z programu naszego DKK. W tym zestawieniu Małgorzata Szejnert jest czymś dużo więcej niż cesarzową. Sięga dużo dalej niż nawet taki mistrz jak Kapuściński, gdyż do warstwy reportażowej, obserwacyjnej, dołącza potężną warstwę historyczną, źródłową. Aspekt literacki i materiał graficzny też działają na jej korzyść. Wyspa klucz to książka naprawdę wybitna, arcydzieło w swej klasie i zarazem klasa sama w sobie. Zdecydowanie polecam każdemu, niezależnie od przekonań, wyznania i wieku
źródło:
http://klub-aa.blogspot.com/2014/05/b...
Read
February 9, 2021To me Malgorzata Szejnert embodies the image of Poland … She has grace, a gentle tone, and a serene gaze.
Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and author of Secondhand Time
In addition to filling a gap in American history, [Ellis Island] gives attention to a female journalist in the male-dominated genre of Polish reportage. Anyone looking to learn more about the history of immigration in the United States will enjoy this intimate portrayal of American history.
Asymptote Journal
A feat of historical documentation, Ellis Island tells the story of this fabled strip of land through the experiences of the people who sought a new life in America. A prescient and thought-provoking book about hope, despair and what it means to find yourself in a new world.
Dan Shaw, Happy Magazine
This ‘people’s history’ comprises intimate views of Ellis Island both from immigrants and from staff, including doctors, social workers, commissioners, and interpreters (among them the future mayor Fiorello LaGuardia). Policies were shaped by anti-Semitism, fear of Communism, and xenophobia, and monthly immigration quotas in the twenties led to ‘a peculiar type of boat race’ in New York Harbor, as ships rushed to deliver their passengers. Szejnert also records the idealism and the compassion of those employed there — such as the social worker who gave new arrivals stylish American clothing — many of whom were immigrants themselves.
New Yorker
As Szejnert shows, it would be difficult to find a scrap of land that better revealed the moral state of the Northern hemisphere during the first half of the 20th century than Ellis Island … a pleasurable read for anyone wanting to know more about those who immigrated to the United States and those who, because of prejudice or sheer bad luck, never made it.
LA Review of Books
[A] giant account of testimonies, memoirs, photographs, and letters that bring to life all of the varied experiences of arguably the most famous landmark of immigration in the world.
Three Percent
Excellent … Ellis Island’s real achievement lies in recreating not just what it was like but what it felt like to be there. It is, in its understated way, quite remarkable.
The Telegraph
[Ellis Island] is a fascinating catalogue of the wonderful array of characters and broad spectrum of humanity which passed through the island’s buildings. FOUR STARS
Miles Kemp, The Advertiser
Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and author of Secondhand Time
In addition to filling a gap in American history, [Ellis Island] gives attention to a female journalist in the male-dominated genre of Polish reportage. Anyone looking to learn more about the history of immigration in the United States will enjoy this intimate portrayal of American history.
Asymptote Journal
A feat of historical documentation, Ellis Island tells the story of this fabled strip of land through the experiences of the people who sought a new life in America. A prescient and thought-provoking book about hope, despair and what it means to find yourself in a new world.
Dan Shaw, Happy Magazine
This ‘people’s history’ comprises intimate views of Ellis Island both from immigrants and from staff, including doctors, social workers, commissioners, and interpreters (among them the future mayor Fiorello LaGuardia). Policies were shaped by anti-Semitism, fear of Communism, and xenophobia, and monthly immigration quotas in the twenties led to ‘a peculiar type of boat race’ in New York Harbor, as ships rushed to deliver their passengers. Szejnert also records the idealism and the compassion of those employed there — such as the social worker who gave new arrivals stylish American clothing — many of whom were immigrants themselves.
New Yorker
As Szejnert shows, it would be difficult to find a scrap of land that better revealed the moral state of the Northern hemisphere during the first half of the 20th century than Ellis Island … a pleasurable read for anyone wanting to know more about those who immigrated to the United States and those who, because of prejudice or sheer bad luck, never made it.
LA Review of Books
[A] giant account of testimonies, memoirs, photographs, and letters that bring to life all of the varied experiences of arguably the most famous landmark of immigration in the world.
Three Percent
Excellent … Ellis Island’s real achievement lies in recreating not just what it was like but what it felt like to be there. It is, in its understated way, quite remarkable.
The Telegraph
[Ellis Island] is a fascinating catalogue of the wonderful array of characters and broad spectrum of humanity which passed through the island’s buildings. FOUR STARS
Miles Kemp, The Advertiser
December 24, 2020
I didn't know what to expect when I requested this book, but I was blown away by the depth of the research that Szejnert had conducted and her ability to write a people's history of Ellis Island that felt both erudite and human. There is always a tendency within historians to sometimes lean on the evidence and archival documents to the point that the historical feels tedious, devoid of warmth, and merely formulaic. There is no need to fear here. Szejnert is a master writer, the stories she presents are real and you can tell how much she cares about the subject of her story. At the same time, I really appreciated the historical analysis she presents and infuses these personal stories of mainly Polish immigrants coming to the U.S. through Ellis Island with. It's the perfect balance and reminded me of Auster's 4 3 2 1 at its best.
December 8, 2021
3.5-4 stars. May adjust as I think about it more.
I have been craving a nice, cited history book for weeks now--after all of the pseudo-history books I have read over the last 4 months,
This book was shortlisted for a WIT prize in England and sounded interesting--and my library had it. I thought it would be super interesting to get a take on Ellis Island from Eastern Europe. And it was--I learned quite a few things specific to the Polish immigration.
1) I knew Poland did not exist as a country for over 100 years (until 1918). So what did this means when the exclusion acts of the 1920s set the number of immigrants from any country at X% of those that came first c1910 and then c1890 (backing it up to discourage the "bad" immigrants from southern and eastern Europe and discouraging the "good" ones from northern and western Europe)? Poland (and Lithuania) did not exist during the years used to set the percentage. Szejnert does not answer this question, but I am very curious. Ruthenians, meanwhile, have never had a country. So did they get 0? Did they get counted with Poland? What about all of the Czechs and Hungarians and Ruthenians and Poles that were counted as from "Austria" because of the Austro-Hungarian Empire? So interesting, I need to look into this.
2) Szejnert also discusses (endnote 3) a not-well-known source she used. The tsarist government withheld letters from America--cash, tickets, the letters themselves--unbeknownst to those living in the partitions of Poland (can you imagine!?). These withheld letters ended up in an archive, and a historian and his students were working with them in 1944. The archive burned in the Warsaw Uprising, and the only surviving letters are ones they had already transcribed, and those they had taken for transcribing. He later published a book (in Polish) that Szejnert says has not gotten its due in the affected areas or in the Polish/Immigration academic communities. What an amazing project it would be to study the extant letters and trace families. Are their families out there still holding grudges about things that were the fault of the tsarist government? It is heartbreaking to think about it.
I liked the way this book is organized, starting with the Lenni Lenape and ending in the 21st century, and the way all chapter titles have to do with water/tides. A lot of the book focuses on the men who ran the station, and a few of the men and women staffers who served for a long time. There was one very strange translation--on page 308. "But the words poster children also calls to mind foster children, adoptees who must cope with a difficult start." This sentence makes no sense. "Poster children" and "foster children" do not bring each other to mind--they sound different and mean completely different things in completely different settings. And foster children are not adoptees, quite the opposite. I wonder if this is something translated directly and it does not work in English, or...what? (I even googled about the UK's foster system in case this was a UK/US thing, but nope...the two systems are similar.)
I have been craving a nice, cited history book for weeks now--after all of the pseudo-history books I have read over the last 4 months,
This book was shortlisted for a WIT prize in England and sounded interesting--and my library had it. I thought it would be super interesting to get a take on Ellis Island from Eastern Europe. And it was--I learned quite a few things specific to the Polish immigration.
1) I knew Poland did not exist as a country for over 100 years (until 1918). So what did this means when the exclusion acts of the 1920s set the number of immigrants from any country at X% of those that came first c1910 and then c1890 (backing it up to discourage the "bad" immigrants from southern and eastern Europe and discouraging the "good" ones from northern and western Europe)? Poland (and Lithuania) did not exist during the years used to set the percentage. Szejnert does not answer this question, but I am very curious. Ruthenians, meanwhile, have never had a country. So did they get 0? Did they get counted with Poland? What about all of the Czechs and Hungarians and Ruthenians and Poles that were counted as from "Austria" because of the Austro-Hungarian Empire? So interesting, I need to look into this.
2) Szejnert also discusses (endnote 3) a not-well-known source she used. The tsarist government withheld letters from America--cash, tickets, the letters themselves--unbeknownst to those living in the partitions of Poland (can you imagine!?). These withheld letters ended up in an archive, and a historian and his students were working with them in 1944. The archive burned in the Warsaw Uprising, and the only surviving letters are ones they had already transcribed, and those they had taken for transcribing. He later published a book (in Polish) that Szejnert says has not gotten its due in the affected areas or in the Polish/Immigration academic communities. What an amazing project it would be to study the extant letters and trace families. Are their families out there still holding grudges about things that were the fault of the tsarist government? It is heartbreaking to think about it.
I liked the way this book is organized, starting with the Lenni Lenape and ending in the 21st century, and the way all chapter titles have to do with water/tides. A lot of the book focuses on the men who ran the station, and a few of the men and women staffers who served for a long time. There was one very strange translation--on page 308. "But the words poster children also calls to mind foster children, adoptees who must cope with a difficult start." This sentence makes no sense. "Poster children" and "foster children" do not bring each other to mind--they sound different and mean completely different things in completely different settings. And foster children are not adoptees, quite the opposite. I wonder if this is something translated directly and it does not work in English, or...what? (I even googled about the UK's foster system in case this was a UK/US thing, but nope...the two systems are similar.)
December 31, 2023
I picked this book up on a whim thinking that it would share stories about the immigrants who came into the US through Ellis Island. It was actually the story of the men and women who worked at Ellis Island. It was an interesting perspective that I wasn't expecting. The author did thorough research and used many sources to make the people come to life. The translator did an excellent job of making the story flow, and did not allow it to get chopped up in translation. I enjoyed this more than I was expecting to.
April 14, 2022
Incredible. It reads almost encyclopedic and captures the reader’s imagination so vividly. Journeying back in time to the very first immigrant stepping onto Ellis Island...I loved all the photos too. A must read.
November 4, 2022
I thought this book was incredibly profound. I learned so much about Ellis Island. I didn't realize that Ellis Island was used during the war as a hospital and the Navy stored munitions there. I learned about all the different immigrants and quotas that were used through the various years.
And the pictures were amazing. They told such a great story of what was actually happening on the island. I was mesmerized by some of them.
I thought this book was profound.
And the pictures were amazing. They told such a great story of what was actually happening on the island. I was mesmerized by some of them.
I thought this book was profound.
September 16, 2024
Podrobný pohľad na Ellis Island ako centrum imigračnej politiky Spojených štátov.
Read
February 9, 2021To me Malgorzata Szejnert embodies the image of Poland … She has grace, a gentle tone, and a serene gaze.
Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and author of Secondhand Time
In addition to filling a gap in American history, [Ellis Island] gives attention to a female journalist in the male-dominated genre of Polish reportage. Anyone looking to learn more about the history of immigration in the United States will enjoy this intimate portrayal of American history.
Asymptote Journal
A feat of historical documentation, Ellis Island tells the story of this fabled strip of land through the experiences of the people who sought a new life in America. A prescient and thought-provoking book about hope, despair and what it means to find yourself in a new world.
Dan Shaw, Happy Magazine
This ‘people’s history’ comprises intimate views of Ellis Island both from immigrants and from staff, including doctors, social workers, commissioners, and interpreters (among them the future mayor Fiorello LaGuardia). Policies were shaped by anti-Semitism, fear of Communism, and xenophobia, and monthly immigration quotas in the twenties led to ‘a peculiar type of boat race’ in New York Harbor, as ships rushed to deliver their passengers. Szejnert also records the idealism and the compassion of those employed there — such as the social worker who gave new arrivals stylish American clothing — many of whom were immigrants themselves.
New Yorker
As Szejnert shows, it would be difficult to find a scrap of land that better revealed the moral state of the Northern hemisphere during the first half of the 20th century than Ellis Island … a pleasurable read for anyone wanting to know more about those who immigrated to the United States and those who, because of prejudice or sheer bad luck, never made it.
LA Review of Books
[A] giant account of testimonies, memoirs, photographs, and letters that bring to life all of the varied experiences of arguably the most famous landmark of immigration in the world.
Three Percent
Excellent … Ellis Island’s real achievement lies in recreating not just what it was like but what it felt like to be there. It is, in its understated way, quite remarkable.
The Telegraph
[Ellis Island] is a fascinating catalogue of the wonderful array of characters and broad spectrum of humanity which passed through the island’s buildings. FOUR STARS
Miles Kemp, The Advertiser
Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and author of Secondhand Time
In addition to filling a gap in American history, [Ellis Island] gives attention to a female journalist in the male-dominated genre of Polish reportage. Anyone looking to learn more about the history of immigration in the United States will enjoy this intimate portrayal of American history.
Asymptote Journal
A feat of historical documentation, Ellis Island tells the story of this fabled strip of land through the experiences of the people who sought a new life in America. A prescient and thought-provoking book about hope, despair and what it means to find yourself in a new world.
Dan Shaw, Happy Magazine
This ‘people’s history’ comprises intimate views of Ellis Island both from immigrants and from staff, including doctors, social workers, commissioners, and interpreters (among them the future mayor Fiorello LaGuardia). Policies were shaped by anti-Semitism, fear of Communism, and xenophobia, and monthly immigration quotas in the twenties led to ‘a peculiar type of boat race’ in New York Harbor, as ships rushed to deliver their passengers. Szejnert also records the idealism and the compassion of those employed there — such as the social worker who gave new arrivals stylish American clothing — many of whom were immigrants themselves.
New Yorker
As Szejnert shows, it would be difficult to find a scrap of land that better revealed the moral state of the Northern hemisphere during the first half of the 20th century than Ellis Island … a pleasurable read for anyone wanting to know more about those who immigrated to the United States and those who, because of prejudice or sheer bad luck, never made it.
LA Review of Books
[A] giant account of testimonies, memoirs, photographs, and letters that bring to life all of the varied experiences of arguably the most famous landmark of immigration in the world.
Three Percent
Excellent … Ellis Island’s real achievement lies in recreating not just what it was like but what it felt like to be there. It is, in its understated way, quite remarkable.
The Telegraph
[Ellis Island] is a fascinating catalogue of the wonderful array of characters and broad spectrum of humanity which passed through the island’s buildings. FOUR STARS
Miles Kemp, The Advertiser
Read
February 9, 2021To me Malgorzata Szejnert embodies the image of Poland … She has grace, a gentle tone, and a serene gaze.
Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and author of Secondhand Time
In addition to filling a gap in American history, [Ellis Island] gives attention to a female journalist in the male-dominated genre of Polish reportage. Anyone looking to learn more about the history of immigration in the United States will enjoy this intimate portrayal of American history.
Asymptote Journal
A feat of historical documentation, Ellis Island tells the story of this fabled strip of land through the experiences of the people who sought a new life in America. A prescient and thought-provoking book about hope, despair and what it means to find yourself in a new world.
Dan Shaw, Happy Magazine
This ‘people’s history’ comprises intimate views of Ellis Island both from immigrants and from staff, including doctors, social workers, commissioners, and interpreters (among them the future mayor Fiorello LaGuardia). Policies were shaped by anti-Semitism, fear of Communism, and xenophobia, and monthly immigration quotas in the twenties led to ‘a peculiar type of boat race’ in New York Harbor, as ships rushed to deliver their passengers. Szejnert also records the idealism and the compassion of those employed there — such as the social worker who gave new arrivals stylish American clothing — many of whom were immigrants themselves.
New Yorker
As Szejnert shows, it would be difficult to find a scrap of land that better revealed the moral state of the Northern hemisphere during the first half of the 20th century than Ellis Island … a pleasurable read for anyone wanting to know more about those who immigrated to the United States and those who, because of prejudice or sheer bad luck, never made it.
LA Review of Books
[A] giant account of testimonies, memoirs, photographs, and letters that bring to life all of the varied experiences of arguably the most famous landmark of immigration in the world.
Three Percent
Excellent … Ellis Island’s real achievement lies in recreating not just what it was like but what it felt like to be there. It is, in its understated way, quite remarkable.
The Telegraph
[Ellis Island] is a fascinating catalogue of the wonderful array of characters and broad spectrum of humanity which passed through the island’s buildings. FOUR STARS
Miles Kemp, The Advertiser
Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and author of Secondhand Time
In addition to filling a gap in American history, [Ellis Island] gives attention to a female journalist in the male-dominated genre of Polish reportage. Anyone looking to learn more about the history of immigration in the United States will enjoy this intimate portrayal of American history.
Asymptote Journal
A feat of historical documentation, Ellis Island tells the story of this fabled strip of land through the experiences of the people who sought a new life in America. A prescient and thought-provoking book about hope, despair and what it means to find yourself in a new world.
Dan Shaw, Happy Magazine
This ‘people’s history’ comprises intimate views of Ellis Island both from immigrants and from staff, including doctors, social workers, commissioners, and interpreters (among them the future mayor Fiorello LaGuardia). Policies were shaped by anti-Semitism, fear of Communism, and xenophobia, and monthly immigration quotas in the twenties led to ‘a peculiar type of boat race’ in New York Harbor, as ships rushed to deliver their passengers. Szejnert also records the idealism and the compassion of those employed there — such as the social worker who gave new arrivals stylish American clothing — many of whom were immigrants themselves.
New Yorker
As Szejnert shows, it would be difficult to find a scrap of land that better revealed the moral state of the Northern hemisphere during the first half of the 20th century than Ellis Island … a pleasurable read for anyone wanting to know more about those who immigrated to the United States and those who, because of prejudice or sheer bad luck, never made it.
LA Review of Books
[A] giant account of testimonies, memoirs, photographs, and letters that bring to life all of the varied experiences of arguably the most famous landmark of immigration in the world.
Three Percent
Excellent … Ellis Island’s real achievement lies in recreating not just what it was like but what it felt like to be there. It is, in its understated way, quite remarkable.
The Telegraph
[Ellis Island] is a fascinating catalogue of the wonderful array of characters and broad spectrum of humanity which passed through the island’s buildings. FOUR STARS
Miles Kemp, The Advertiser
June 28, 2020
Malgorzata Szejnert has written a fascinating and insightful history of Ellis Island, the U.S.'s main immigration station from 1892 to 1954 which saw up to 12 million people coming through for immigration processing.
Szejnert starts right at the beginning, when the island was inhabited by Native Americans and it was one of three Oyster Islands, and ends with Ellis Island now as a museum and even covers the role it played during the September 11th attacks.
I visited the island and the museum in January 2019 and wished I had been able to dedicate more hours to the visit, so I was very happy to be able to read this extensive history in lieu of visiting the island again.
The author is very good in bringing a very personal and human dimension to the history which you won't probably get by visiting the museum alone though. Individuals' stories, both those of employees and of immigrants, are skilfully woven into the chain of world events and government policies affecting the every day running and character of the island. This creates a very narrative and engaging style of presenting the island's history which I very much appreciated. Some stories are truly heartbreaking. There's the one of the elderly father and young student son who have to make a split-second decision of whether they agree to be separated and the father returning to most likely an early death in the Russia of pogroms and institutionalised anti-semitism. There's also the odyssey of Nathan Cohen, a man who following a nervous breakdown is sent from country to country with none of them willing to accept him.
I did find the last third of the book lagged more, perhaps it got a little repetitive and certainly I found
the recounting of what happened after the island's immigration station both a little rushed and less interesting.
The photos dotted across the book were a great addition.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in migration and 19th and 20th century history.
Many thanks to Scribe UK and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#EllisIsland #NetGalley
Szejnert starts right at the beginning, when the island was inhabited by Native Americans and it was one of three Oyster Islands, and ends with Ellis Island now as a museum and even covers the role it played during the September 11th attacks.
I visited the island and the museum in January 2019 and wished I had been able to dedicate more hours to the visit, so I was very happy to be able to read this extensive history in lieu of visiting the island again.
The author is very good in bringing a very personal and human dimension to the history which you won't probably get by visiting the museum alone though. Individuals' stories, both those of employees and of immigrants, are skilfully woven into the chain of world events and government policies affecting the every day running and character of the island. This creates a very narrative and engaging style of presenting the island's history which I very much appreciated. Some stories are truly heartbreaking. There's the one of the elderly father and young student son who have to make a split-second decision of whether they agree to be separated and the father returning to most likely an early death in the Russia of pogroms and institutionalised anti-semitism. There's also the odyssey of Nathan Cohen, a man who following a nervous breakdown is sent from country to country with none of them willing to accept him.
I did find the last third of the book lagged more, perhaps it got a little repetitive and certainly I found
the recounting of what happened after the island's immigration station both a little rushed and less interesting.
The photos dotted across the book were a great addition.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in migration and 19th and 20th century history.
Many thanks to Scribe UK and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#EllisIsland #NetGalley
October 14, 2020
An interesting and informative history of Ellis Island and our first attempt at immigration control. When you recover from the staggering numbers of people who passed through the doors and all the issues they dealt with from disease, language, housing, medical and sanitation then you can begin to enjoy the individual accounts of immigrants, staff and the various directors of Ellis Island. The book has been translated from the author's native Polish which could account for some of the abrupt leaps from the stories of people who immigrated to the people who processed them to the Directors who were appointed. It was also very interesting to see some of the unusual plans for the island after they stopped using it for immigration. You can tell that the author has done extensive research and the photos add much to the story. I would recommend this book to any reader interested in immigration from Europe or those who enjoy New York City's illustrious history. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
June 10, 2022
Ostrov kľúč (Ellis Island) bol vstupnou imigračnou bránou (lepšie povedané lievikom), do zasľúbenej americkej zeme. Vznikol umelým rozšírením pôvodného miniatúrneho ostrova neďaleko ostrova Sochy Slobody. Motto ostrova (na web stránke) vypichuje jeho posolstvo: "Sen. Cesta. Príchod". Od konca 19.storočia do polovice 20.storočia čelil obrovskému náporu prisťahovalcov z celej Európy.
Kniha je plná fotografií a zachytáva systémové kroky Ameriky pri vysporiadavaní sa s prílivom, ba povodňou nového obyvateľstva, ktoré okrem prázdnych rúk a rôznych chorôb, prinášalo priestor pre zneužívanie systému, vykorisťovanie a podvody, podobne ako tomu bolo pri odchode z vlasti. Na opačnej strane je v knihe množstvo príbehov (neskoršie) známych aj neznámych prišelcov, ktorý sa snažia vysporiadať s novými životnými výzvami a najmä tou najzásadnejšou, či sa im podarí splniť si vychýrený americký sen.
Výborné čítanie.
Kniha je plná fotografií a zachytáva systémové kroky Ameriky pri vysporiadavaní sa s prílivom, ba povodňou nového obyvateľstva, ktoré okrem prázdnych rúk a rôznych chorôb, prinášalo priestor pre zneužívanie systému, vykorisťovanie a podvody, podobne ako tomu bolo pri odchode z vlasti. Na opačnej strane je v knihe množstvo príbehov (neskoršie) známych aj neznámych prišelcov, ktorý sa snažia vysporiadať s novými životnými výzvami a najmä tou najzásadnejšou, či sa im podarí splniť si vychýrený americký sen.
Výborné čítanie.
September 1, 2017
4,5*
Świetna lektura, dzięki której moja wiedza o Ellis Island znacznie się poszerzyła.
Ilu było tłumaczy na wyspie w szczytowym momencie?
Czym różniły się bagaże imigrantów z Włoch, Polski czy np. z Irlandii?
Czy potrzebny był paszport?
Jakie testy musieli przejść imigranci, by marzenie o ziemi obiecanej się ziściło?
Czym był sześciosekundowy test medyczny?
Co oznaczały symbole namalowane kredą na ubraniach imigrantów?
To tylko niektóre z ciekawostek zawartych w reportażu M. Szejnert.
Dla osób poszukujących informacji o swoich przodkach, którzy wyemigrowali do USA, lektura obowiązkowa.
Świetna lektura, dzięki której moja wiedza o Ellis Island znacznie się poszerzyła.
Ilu było tłumaczy na wyspie w szczytowym momencie?
Czym różniły się bagaże imigrantów z Włoch, Polski czy np. z Irlandii?
Czy potrzebny był paszport?
Jakie testy musieli przejść imigranci, by marzenie o ziemi obiecanej się ziściło?
Czym był sześciosekundowy test medyczny?
Co oznaczały symbole namalowane kredą na ubraniach imigrantów?
To tylko niektóre z ciekawostek zawartych w reportażu M. Szejnert.
Dla osób poszukujących informacji o swoich przodkach, którzy wyemigrowali do USA, lektura obowiązkowa.
September 14, 2020
This book is an must for anyone interested in the history of migration and the building of America. Ellis Island was the portal for most immigrants to the US from the late 1800s to the mid 1950s and Szejnert paints vignettes of the various waves over the decades by focusing on individuals: employees, administrators and most importantly, the varied immigrants themselves. This is a highly readable collection of stories, touching on how every important historical event impacted those wishing to come to the United States. This is the sort of book you don't read just once. I know I'll be going back to it, time and again.
Thanks #netgalley for the e-review edition of this book.
Thanks #netgalley for the e-review edition of this book.
February 18, 2021
Thank you for making this book available in English.
November 1, 2020
Ellis Island
This book is really interesting. It explores the history and origin of Ellis Island, the place where thousands and thousands of immigrants disembarked in America to find a better life and to make their fortunes on the streets paved with gold. Its physical rise and fall, its active rebuilding of and reuniting of families from across the seas, and its creation from landfill is really illuminating.
It explores Ellis Island from its inception, its purpose, and its creation over tumultuous years. WWI saw it morph into a military base of sorts. It had an insane asylum on the grounds. Various Commissioners of different temperaments brought their own personalities and changes to the way immigrants were treated and/or mistreated there.
The idea that in America, heads and noses were measured, as they later were by Hitler, horrified me. Other anecdotal stores cheered me like the idea that the Statue of Liberty was Christopher Columbus or the high rise buildings on the shores of Manhattan were mountains without snow to some who saw them for the first time. I even learned about inventions I had never heard of, like the buttonhook which enabled women to dress without the aid of a man or companion and was also used to inspect the eyelids of immigrants suspected of carrying a disease called trachoma.
The book explores the immigration policy of America toward Jews. Anti-semitism was alive and well and it still is today. In this book, the picture of the downtrodden comes alive. The “tired and poor” really were coming to America.
Using the experiences and stories of real people, like Fiorello LaGuardio, Enrico Caruso and others, the book becomes more than a chronicle of events, it takes on a life of its own and highlights just how important Ellis Island was and is now in our history as we look back.
Perhaps it is the translation, perhaps it needs some more editing, since I am reading an ARC, but it is a bit disjointed at times and some of the tales seem disconnected and incomplete, like tangents that have no purpose. It is, therefore, a little choppy. It is not a book to read quickly. One needs time to absorb it because there is so much information contained between the covers. There were many Commissioners and each left their mark. I feel certain that this book will reward others as it did me, with knowledge I had not had before. The photos of the real people really enhance the presentation of information.
The narrative covers the politics of the day, the economy, the dangers, the concerns and the immigration rules and regulations which have changed massively over the years sometimes becoming more humane and sometimes inhumane. Learning that reasons for being accepted into America were often subjective and for capricious reasons, not based on rules but based on the inquisitor one faced, was disappointing, but these archaic measurements of a person’s worth are still in existence today. Who is worthy of coming to America? Does it depend on how they look? Should the person be healthy, financially independent, have a skill needed here? Should a person be admitted for reasons of asylum or work? It is a conundrum to this day with competing views constantly fighting each other for space.
This book is really interesting. It explores the history and origin of Ellis Island, the place where thousands and thousands of immigrants disembarked in America to find a better life and to make their fortunes on the streets paved with gold. Its physical rise and fall, its active rebuilding of and reuniting of families from across the seas, and its creation from landfill is really illuminating.
It explores Ellis Island from its inception, its purpose, and its creation over tumultuous years. WWI saw it morph into a military base of sorts. It had an insane asylum on the grounds. Various Commissioners of different temperaments brought their own personalities and changes to the way immigrants were treated and/or mistreated there.
The idea that in America, heads and noses were measured, as they later were by Hitler, horrified me. Other anecdotal stores cheered me like the idea that the Statue of Liberty was Christopher Columbus or the high rise buildings on the shores of Manhattan were mountains without snow to some who saw them for the first time. I even learned about inventions I had never heard of, like the buttonhook which enabled women to dress without the aid of a man or companion and was also used to inspect the eyelids of immigrants suspected of carrying a disease called trachoma.
The book explores the immigration policy of America toward Jews. Anti-semitism was alive and well and it still is today. In this book, the picture of the downtrodden comes alive. The “tired and poor” really were coming to America.
Using the experiences and stories of real people, like Fiorello LaGuardio, Enrico Caruso and others, the book becomes more than a chronicle of events, it takes on a life of its own and highlights just how important Ellis Island was and is now in our history as we look back.
Perhaps it is the translation, perhaps it needs some more editing, since I am reading an ARC, but it is a bit disjointed at times and some of the tales seem disconnected and incomplete, like tangents that have no purpose. It is, therefore, a little choppy. It is not a book to read quickly. One needs time to absorb it because there is so much information contained between the covers. There were many Commissioners and each left their mark. I feel certain that this book will reward others as it did me, with knowledge I had not had before. The photos of the real people really enhance the presentation of information.
The narrative covers the politics of the day, the economy, the dangers, the concerns and the immigration rules and regulations which have changed massively over the years sometimes becoming more humane and sometimes inhumane. Learning that reasons for being accepted into America were often subjective and for capricious reasons, not based on rules but based on the inquisitor one faced, was disappointing, but these archaic measurements of a person’s worth are still in existence today. Who is worthy of coming to America? Does it depend on how they look? Should the person be healthy, financially independent, have a skill needed here? Should a person be admitted for reasons of asylum or work? It is a conundrum to this day with competing views constantly fighting each other for space.
June 12, 2022
Many know the story of Annie Moore, the cute blonde 15-year old Irish girl who was the first immigrant to be processed through Ellis Island in 1892. Annie arrived with her two younger brothers in tow, ages 7 and 11, and with a single piece of luggage. What you probably didn’t know is that while three ships were waiting to unload as Ellis Island was opening, Annie was hand picked to be the first one through. Seems the Ellis Island administration was intent on not having their first arrival be from what the public perceived as a “less desirable” immigrant. (Some things never change in America.) Another part of the story we haven’t heard is that Annie lived a life of poverty on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, giving birth to 11 children, only five of whom lived to be adults, before she herself died at age 47.
This is just one of the many facts in the history of Ellis Island contained in this book. Who would have known that Fiorella LaGuardia worked at the island as a translator? It is written by a Polish author and was originally published in Polish. That offers the promise of a different perspective from the numerous works by American authors.
Szejnert describes the “six-second physical” performed by the island’s doctors. That was the amount of times they had to scan the immigrants as they arrived and identify those suspected of carrying a disease, deformity or mental defect. Unfortunately, the author’s descriptions of some of immigrants she identified were equally short. There is more detail about the management and staff of the island than about the immigrants.
Many of the commissioner’s, in Szejnert’s view, had good intentions. William Williams, the first commissioner is described as a man of “honor, order and discipline.” Attitudes toward the island reflected public attitudes toward immigrants. Just as in 21st century America there was a nativist element to public perception and different administrations alternated between the reform and restrictive minded. One commissioner, Frederick Wallis, appointed in 1919, upon resigning, noted “the suffering we see at the island daily is indescribable and would melt a heart of granite.”
Many of us want to see Ellis Island as a symbol of hope, of a fulfillment of the promise of the Statue of Liberty and of the whole melting pot, diversity concept of America. But, according to Szejnert, “the rest of the world associates it more with the end of hopes than with their beginning.” From 1892 to 1954 16.6 million arrived, 610,000 were refused entry. A small percentage but one can only imagine the heart-breaking stories among them.
There is another whole side of the island’s history most of us know less about. It was used during the two world wars more as a detention camp for supposedly suspicious individuals than as an entry way for immigrants seeking a new life.
I found some of the writing choppy and some transitions awkward. That may not come down to the author, but rather the translation. There is also more than one typo. But it is a book full of interesting tidbits of information.
This is just one of the many facts in the history of Ellis Island contained in this book. Who would have known that Fiorella LaGuardia worked at the island as a translator? It is written by a Polish author and was originally published in Polish. That offers the promise of a different perspective from the numerous works by American authors.
Szejnert describes the “six-second physical” performed by the island’s doctors. That was the amount of times they had to scan the immigrants as they arrived and identify those suspected of carrying a disease, deformity or mental defect. Unfortunately, the author’s descriptions of some of immigrants she identified were equally short. There is more detail about the management and staff of the island than about the immigrants.
Many of the commissioner’s, in Szejnert’s view, had good intentions. William Williams, the first commissioner is described as a man of “honor, order and discipline.” Attitudes toward the island reflected public attitudes toward immigrants. Just as in 21st century America there was a nativist element to public perception and different administrations alternated between the reform and restrictive minded. One commissioner, Frederick Wallis, appointed in 1919, upon resigning, noted “the suffering we see at the island daily is indescribable and would melt a heart of granite.”
Many of us want to see Ellis Island as a symbol of hope, of a fulfillment of the promise of the Statue of Liberty and of the whole melting pot, diversity concept of America. But, according to Szejnert, “the rest of the world associates it more with the end of hopes than with their beginning.” From 1892 to 1954 16.6 million arrived, 610,000 were refused entry. A small percentage but one can only imagine the heart-breaking stories among them.
There is another whole side of the island’s history most of us know less about. It was used during the two world wars more as a detention camp for supposedly suspicious individuals than as an entry way for immigrants seeking a new life.
I found some of the writing choppy and some transitions awkward. That may not come down to the author, but rather the translation. There is also more than one typo. But it is a book full of interesting tidbits of information.
October 15, 2020
I enjoyed reading Ellis Island: A People's History. I especially liked the photographs, giving more credence to the immigrants that came through Ellis Island.
Although the book focused substantially on Eastern Europe immigrants, which was disappointing to me. I still found it to be educational, and rewarding to read. I liked reading the various aspects of the immigration process, from beginning to end, including the doctors, nurses, interviewers, immigration pre and post wartime, quotas, immigrants in a holding pattern, and so much more. The social aspects were an important issue in giving admission to America, or denying admission.
l wish there had been more research regarding the entire spectrum of those who emigrated from other countries, such as Italy, France, South America, England, Greece, Middle East, etc. Those countries were not delved into, and I feel it would have best reflected the title. As it stands, for me, it was more about polish immigration, and in my opinion "A People's History" relates more specifically to the Polish immigrant.
Thank you to LibraryThings Early Reviewers for my advanced copy.
Although the book focused substantially on Eastern Europe immigrants, which was disappointing to me. I still found it to be educational, and rewarding to read. I liked reading the various aspects of the immigration process, from beginning to end, including the doctors, nurses, interviewers, immigration pre and post wartime, quotas, immigrants in a holding pattern, and so much more. The social aspects were an important issue in giving admission to America, or denying admission.
l wish there had been more research regarding the entire spectrum of those who emigrated from other countries, such as Italy, France, South America, England, Greece, Middle East, etc. Those countries were not delved into, and I feel it would have best reflected the title. As it stands, for me, it was more about polish immigration, and in my opinion "A People's History" relates more specifically to the Polish immigrant.
Thank you to LibraryThings Early Reviewers for my advanced copy.
October 11, 2020
Extremely well researched and written history of Ellis Island. I usually read only fiction, but I have always had an interest in Ellis Island and I was drawn to this book.
The book is very informative and the attention to detail is excellent. While learning about the history of the actual piece of land, the reader also becomes introduced to the many workers on the island and several immigrants that passed through it's doors.
The history is uplifting and also saddening. Although many people came to the United States and went on to better lives, many were also turned away and sent back to their point of origin.
I would recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in Ellis Island. It has broaden my knowledge and has placed the island in a special place in my heart for all the hardship it has in its past.
I want to thank NetGalley and Scribe UK for allowing me to read the advanced reader copy of this book. My review is my own opinion not influenced by receiving the ARC.
The book is very informative and the attention to detail is excellent. While learning about the history of the actual piece of land, the reader also becomes introduced to the many workers on the island and several immigrants that passed through it's doors.
The history is uplifting and also saddening. Although many people came to the United States and went on to better lives, many were also turned away and sent back to their point of origin.
I would recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in Ellis Island. It has broaden my knowledge and has placed the island in a special place in my heart for all the hardship it has in its past.
I want to thank NetGalley and Scribe UK for allowing me to read the advanced reader copy of this book. My review is my own opinion not influenced by receiving the ARC.
December 21, 2025
In research my own ancestry which traces through Ellis Island I have been limited to sources written from an United Stated or British author due to my own English language limitation. I was thrilled to discover this book from a Polish author which has been translated into English.
It was well researched and written. The print book had many interesting photographs. The audiobook narrator does an excellent job with names and languages from so many different countries. So I recommend a physical copy in conjunction with the audiobook for the full experience if at all possible.
This book presents an honest history of the Island’s history without the sterilized romanticism I was taught as a child in the United States. It does jump around a bit but this is due to the authors noble attempt to capture the history of many different people which is the true history of the Island itself. Thank you to the author for taking the time to research and write this book.
It was well researched and written. The print book had many interesting photographs. The audiobook narrator does an excellent job with names and languages from so many different countries. So I recommend a physical copy in conjunction with the audiobook for the full experience if at all possible.
This book presents an honest history of the Island’s history without the sterilized romanticism I was taught as a child in the United States. It does jump around a bit but this is due to the authors noble attempt to capture the history of many different people which is the true history of the Island itself. Thank you to the author for taking the time to research and write this book.
June 29, 2020
Ellis Island is a thoughtful examination of the history of the processing center and the people who worked and passed through. Having just visited Ellis Island in the last year, it's replete with history and stories, which the author shares. I liked the snapshots of people she chose to highlight. I enjoyed all of the photographs. I pored through the citations at the end. This is an important contribution to an integral aspect of US history. Thanks to Edelweiss and Scribe for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 21, 2021
This is a treasure of a slice of history that I sucked up in one sitting. It is that fascinating. An excellent account of Ellis Island and all its storied history.
Sifting through thousands of archival recordings and mountains of correspondence of the passing through Ellis Island and beyond or being turned back from it, the great Polish reporter Malgorzara Szejnert, pieces together the experiences of Polish, German, Jewish and Italian emigrants. With her reporters eye she also captures the lives of station employees, doctors and nurses, commissioners, interpreters, social workers.
Sifting through thousands of archival recordings and mountains of correspondence of the passing through Ellis Island and beyond or being turned back from it, the great Polish reporter Malgorzara Szejnert, pieces together the experiences of Polish, German, Jewish and Italian emigrants. With her reporters eye she also captures the lives of station employees, doctors and nurses, commissioners, interpreters, social workers.
January 11, 2023
Książka o jednej głównej bohaterce, ukazanej na ponad stuletniej przestrzeni. Bohaterką jest wyspa Ellis u wybrzeży Nowego Jorku, która przyjmowała imigrantów przybywających do USA (w tym Polaków). Bohaterami drugoplanowymi są osoby przybywające na wyspę oraz przyjmujące imigrantów.
Książkę dobrze się czyta, choć momentami przynudza, wiele niepotrzebnych wtrąceń (pan A mógł spotkać pana B, ale zapewne się nie spotkali). Przypisy też mogły być na odpowiedniej stronie, obecnie jest to łatwe do wykonania, a znacznie ułatwia czytania.
Książkę dobrze się czyta, choć momentami przynudza, wiele niepotrzebnych wtrąceń (pan A mógł spotkać pana B, ale zapewne się nie spotkali). Przypisy też mogły być na odpowiedniej stronie, obecnie jest to łatwe do wykonania, a znacznie ułatwia czytania.
Want to read
March 12, 20212009, English translation 2020
WRB Jan 2021 reviews the book positively.
"Unknown in the US, Szejnert [Shay-nert], in her 80s, is renowned in Poland as a brilliant journalist.Since retiring from reporting she has been producing meticulously crafted geographic-historical books."
I see Kinga has marked this book as 'to read' -- wonder if she has read earlier books.
WRB Jan 2021 reviews the book positively.
"Unknown in the US, Szejnert [Shay-nert], in her 80s, is renowned in Poland as a brilliant journalist.Since retiring from reporting she has been producing meticulously crafted geographic-historical books."
I see Kinga has marked this book as 'to read' -- wonder if she has read earlier books.
January 18, 2023
Really enjoyed this book. At first, I struggled to get into it due to not being broken down into chapters like I am used to. By the mid to end of the book, I was used to this though. This book was very informative and has made me really want to visit Ellis Island even more. I loved getting to learn about so many different people and stories that brought me through all the life of Ellis Island.
January 18, 2021
3.5 mostly for translation. Also choppy transitions between time periods. Otherwise very informative. How the European and Eastern European immigrants affected the make up of our country. Many of us benefited from this. It was interesting to see the treatment and conditions on Ellis Island.
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