The Famine Ships: The Irish Exodus to America - Softcover

Laxton, Edward

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0805058443 ISBN 13: 9780805058444

Publisher: Holt Paperbacks, 1998

Synopsis

Between 1846 and 1851, more than one-million people--the potato famine emigrants--sailed from Ireland to America. Now, 150 years later, The Famine Ships tells of the courage and determination of those who crossed the Atlantic in leaky, overcrowded sailing ships and made new lives for themselves, among them the child Henry Ford and the twenty-six-year-old Patrick Kennedy, great-grandfather of John F. Kennedy. Edward Laxton conducted five years of research in Ireland and interviewed the emigrants' descents in the U.S. Portraits of people, ships, and towns, as well as facsimile passenger lists and tickets, are among the fascinating memorabilia in The Famine Ships.

About this title

About the Author:

Edward Laxton is of Irish descent. He was the news editor of England's Daily Express and Daily Mirror for nearly thirty years. The Famine Ships is his second book. He lives in England.

From AudioFile:

England's attempts to subdue its island neighbor are a sorry tale at best, but no invasion or repression could have done the incredible damage of the 1846 potato blight. For five years thereafter, the crop failure forced the Irish to flee their land in any way they could. Scott recites the horrific saga of their trials and travels, often in tones of underlying fury, yet mostly with a compassionate voice that underscores the terrible occasions described in Laxton's somewhat dry words. The work is episodic, random and, at times, repetitive, but Scott's sensibility and ability to bring to life the stilted tone of the era make this a worthwhile listening experience. S.B.S. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0805058443
• ISBN 13: 9780805058444
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256