Old-time politics; piety; and St. Patrick’s Day parades loom large when the Irish come to the American mind. None truly represents the complex legacy or contributions of the nation’s oldest ethnic group; who rank among the most highly educated and affluent Americans today. In Irish America; Maureen Dezell takes a new and invigorating look at Americans of Irish Catholic ancestry—who they are; and how they got that way. A welcome antidote to so many standard-issue; sentimental representations of the Irish in the United States; Irish America focuses on popular culture as well as politics; the Irish in the Midwest and West as well as the East; the “new Irish†immigrants; the complicated role of the Church today; and the unheralded heritage of Irish American women. Deftly weaving history; reporting; and the observations of more than 100 men and women of Irish descent on both sides of the Atlantic; Dezell presents an insightful and highly readable portrait of a people and a culture.
#1541587 in Books 2000-04-04 2000-04-04Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .75 x 5.50l; 1.10 #File Name: 037575525X392 pagesISBN13: 9780375755255Condition: NewNotes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A story of courage and murder. C.F. Hall's quest for the North PoleBy TigVIC.F. Hall deserves a higher place in the pantheon of 19th century Arctic explorers. Hall had no experience as a sailor; navigator or explorer yet he made 3 excursions into the treacherous waters above the Arctic Circle. The last resulting in his mysterious death and the ordeal of the survivors of his ship; The Polaris.I'd rate this book much higher if Loomis had written more about Hall's voyages and less about his efforts to raise the money for them. These were struggles that would have destroyed the hopes of someone less dedicated than Hall. They give the reader an appreciation for Hall's devotion to his dreams of Arctic exploration. But fund raising is not nearly as interesting as exploration.Loomis does devote a great deal to Hall's life among the Inuit. He was the 1st white man to fully adapt to the Inuit life. He overcame typical 19th century prejudices and understood that the Inuits had survived in the Arctic for centuries and that to ignore their culture would mean failure.But Loomis was very cautious about drawing any conclusions regarding Hall's tragic death. It could have been murder. It might not have been murder. The psychological stress of an Arctic Winter adversely affected crew members who; according to Loomis; weren't fit for the rigors on this journey to begin with. Who knows if one or more could have been driven to murder Hall just to end his dangerous journey?Given the fascinating subject matter; Loomis could have written a more engaging story. There's a lot of good stuff in the book but the pace is erratic.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Farthest North?By Bill KingWhat causes a merely modestly successful; married middle class businessman during the American civil war era to suddenly decide to head up an artic rescue mission (and then return yet again for another try). And then later still; successfully campaign to be chosen by Congress to lead the then most ambitious ever official U.S. expedition to the North Pole itself? His character.Hall took his Christianity very seriously. All of the crew of Franklin's famous expedition of a decade past were lost and Hall decided to dedicate himself to help; even though his limited means meant that he must hitchhike a ride out on a whaling ship; then set himself ashore alone; and live cheaply on the polar wasteland among the Eskimos from whom he meant to learn Franklin's fate.Indeed Hall; way way out there in icy nowhere land; after learning the Intuit language; did find out valuable clues from conversations from native elders while spending a few winters sharing this people's dangerous way of life; their igloos; their hunger in bad times; and their raw meat diet in better times.Because he kept a daily diary we get whole amazing story.Hall managed to learn enough of the truth to allow him to lead a dangerous trek for to collect valuable Franklin expedition artifacts. Upon returning the second time to civilization; his book and lectures were enough for him to win commandership of an official American expedition to hopefully attain the Pole itself; President Grant in enthusiastic support!Farthest North? Well the tale of Hall's third trip is a very good one and a final mystery is produced for our consideration thanks to the author's own modern day travel up the High North where he takes samples whose later medical analysis yields astonishing results.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Good; moves along nicely; but does have some deficiencies.By Kelly HowardI had a hard time deciding between 3 4 stars on this one; but once I thought more about what I consider deficits; I decided to go with 3.It may be an indication that I've spent too much time reading Polar Exploration books; but Loomis leaves out some things that not only came out in other books about Hall's expedition (esp. the third); but came out in his chapter on the investigation after the survivors came home. As an example; Budington's drinking. Other books have gone into considerably more detail about that; and Loomis describes how it came out in the investigation; but as he writes about the expedition as it happens; it rates barely a mention. It's almost as if Loomis didn't know about it until it came out in the queries; which is ridiculous. Whatever the conclusion of what really killed Hall; the fact that the 2nd in command was a drunken sot surely should be mentioned; especially in the incredibly confined; madness-inducing "world" of a people locked into the Arctic ice.Other glaring gaps come in the form of statements he makes but does nothing to explain or back up. One example; when; on the last expedition; the ship is anchored to a berg; a storm comes up yanks it off; setting it adrift. Now; the ship was carefully anchored to the berg when they realized they were stuck for the winter; the captain crew put it there with care forethought. When it comes off; however; Loomis states that "[the ship] could not be steered" talks about them being frantic; drifting helplessly amongst the menacing ice. Why?? He never mentions anything being broken except the anchoring ropes. Why all of a sudden was the ship helpless; when everything was fine when they settled down? Is this some sort of literary license to make it more exciting? Whatever the excuse; I found it deeply irritating when he would make these bald; dramatic statements that had zero basis.Loomis barely misses another; WAY too frequent complaint I have against Polar authors; in that he actually included two maps. They are barely maps; mere pencil outlines of most of the relevant areas with a few identifiers; but for some reason many of these authors don't even do that; and it is maddening. Andrea Barrett; who wrote the intro to this edition ( btw is an incredible writer person) had a better map in her fictional account "The Voyage of the Narwhal*." but Loomis had something; at least.Loomis does a good job of putting together what is known about Hall and his life for the most part (except for those big holes); and the book moves along nicely; for the most part. On a side note; having grown up in Cincinnati; it was also interesting to me to read about the events people there.One gripe I have with Hall himself (pointless tho that may be) is how much he trumpeted his 'ability to live in the North like the Esquimeaux.' Granted; he was more willing to deal with treat the Inuit as actual human beings than many of the insular folks of his age; which is admirable; but from what I've read of him (not just this book); his "ability" lay primarily in letting the 'Esquimeaux' do all the work keep him alive. He did live with them for long periods of time; but there is no indication that he actually learned to do what they did to survive in that unforgiving habitat; he basically sat in the igloos they made ate what hey brought him. Contrast him with Matthew Hensen; who lived with the Inuit truly learned to do what they did; without whom Peary would never have made it. Hensen was far; far more able to live support himself in the Arctic; and his (sadly brief but wonderfully written) "A Negro Explorer at the North Pole" is a must-read for anyone interested in polar living or exploration. That book reveals a wit not unlike Mark Twain; and one can only speculate what an amazing book Hensen could've written without the strictures of the times; as a black person; every word of his had to be carefully weighed and limited.I don't have a problem; as some reviewers did; with Loomis being unwilling to draw a final conclusion about Hall's cause of death. It's difficult enough at times to figure that out with contemporary deaths; and the evidence simply does not point to a definitive answer. Had he declared it a murder (or accident; or whatever); it would merely have been Loomis putting his own spin on the ambiguous evidence; anyway. He simply presented what evidence there was; and left it at that; which to me seems appropriate. Perhaps if the investigators had asked more intelligent questions and determined the exact movements of; say; Dr Bessels the cook when Hall got back; drank the suspect coffee; got sick; or indeed the movements of all the principals during the crucial periods; a more certain conclusion could be drawn now. But as it is; the incident is obscured by the fog of many decades and the uncertainty of actions all those years ago. It has to remain inconclusive; because no real conclusion can legitimately be drawn.*which is a 5 star all the way; even aside from the fact that I've met Ms Barrett on several occasions think she's one of the greatest writers; nicest people; who ever lived. Several incidents in her book are drawn from actual events in Arctic exploration; and "The Narwhal" should be read by anyone interested in Polar Exploration; or in really good books.
