May the Road Rise to Meet You: Everything You Need to Know about Irish American History

by Robert Sullivan and Michael Padden

Book Overview

When one speaks of "the Irish" in America, many images come to mind -- beautiful music and stirring legends passed down through the ages, a sense of humor that never fails to bring a laugh, and a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452278538
• ISBN13: 9780452278530
• Release Date: March 1999
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Length: 332 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

entertaining and informative

This little book was a real treat to read. Chapters in this book are as follows: there is a forward written by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Chapter 1: Clannishness: some background, Chapter 2: Ancient Ireland, Chapter 3: The Middle Ages: Christianity comes to Ireland, and the Vikings Invade (meanwhile the Irish discover America), Chapter 4: Troubles Brewing, Chapter 5: Fighting Irish, Founding Irish, Chapter 6: An Ulster American Miscellany, Chapter 7: Boston Bound (or, Philadelphia here I come), Chapter 8: The Fightin' Irish in the Wild, Wild West, Chapter 9: Irish Nationalism, the American Role, Chapter 10: The Lit'ry Life (and other Artsy Pursuits), Chapter 11: Sporting Irish, Chapter 12: The Road Rises: Irish Americanism in the Twentieth Century, Chapter 13: From County Wexfor to Camelot: a family saga, Chapter 14: The Road from Here.This book doesn't cover everything in extreme detail -- you'll have to find a bigger, more serious tome for that. This book gives you a little background on Irish ancestors in Ireland and the US and the Irish in America today. It was a great, enjoyable read. I highly recommend it!

A Wonderful Introduction to Irish American History!

I love this book! Who could ask for a better, more accessible introduction to Irish history? I recently had the pleasure of reading "May the Road Rise to Meet You," and--as a person completely immersed in Irish history--must say that it served as a wonderful overview of the history of a nation. I'd like to thank the authors for writing such a terrific intro to Irish history! Can't wait to buy it for my friends as St. Patrick's Day gifts! (I just wish I could meet the authors so they could sign it for me!)

teachers should try this book

I got this book as part of a series on American ethnic histories. I have used it extensively in my high school class, where my students have just devoured it. It is in a cool question and answer format, so the students can just pick part of it to read, then explore more. Parents want it now. It is fun to have around -- I recommend it.

Great Gift!

I received this book for Christmas, and could not put it down Christmas day (much to the dismay of family!). What a treat to get all the answers about my heritage in readable form for guys like me who have only a few minutes here and there to read. Frank McCourt is quoted as saying that this book is as satisfying as a pint of Guinness or a Connemara sunset. For once, a readable book that gives me stories to tell my grandchildren about the rich heritage of the Irish.