An Italian immigrant says, "I came to America because I heard the streets were paved with gold. When I got here, I found out three things: first, the streets weren't paved with gold; second, they weren't paved at all; and third, I was expected to pave them". Against all odds - a new language, new customs, and the ethnic slurs and catcalls of prejudice - Italian Americans paved the streets, rolled the cigars, sewed the clothes, cooked the meals, and...

There are now more than 39 million Americans who list their ancestry as Irish. As they share their diaries, letters, interviews, photographs, and personal recollections, we see and hear their rich and colorful history come to life, in their own words. Illustrations throughout.

The American Family Album series tells the often heroic stories of American immigrant groups, largely through their own words and pictures. Like any family album, the pages contain period photographs, memorabilia, selections from diaries, letters, memoirs, and newspapers. Each book is a pictorial and written record of the country left behind, the journey to America, and the group's contributions to the United States. 158 illustrations.