The Immortal Irishman- The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero by Timothy Egan
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Web ID: 4659668Gripping and engaging history
"The Immortal Irishman" is an outstanding piece of historical non-fiction that tells the remarkable story of Thomas Francis Meagher, a prominent figure in Irish and American history. Egan's writing is engaging, insightful, and thoroughly researched, taking readers on a journey through Meagher's tumultuous life, from his early years in Ireland to his role in the American Civil War and beyond. One of the strengths of this book is the way Egan brings Meagher's character to life, portraying him as a complex and charismatic individual with a strong sense of purpose and a deep love for his country. Through his vivid descriptions and anecdotes, Egan paints a picture of a man who was both flawed and inspiring, and who played a pivotal role in shaping the course of history. Another aspect of this book that I found particularly impressive was the way Egan contextualizes Meagher's story within the larger historical context of Irish and American history. He skillfully weaves together the political, social, and cultural forces that shaped Meagher's life and the world around him, providing readers with a deeper understanding of the times in which he lived.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Insights into both 19th-c Ireland and America
Thomas Francis Meagher was from an elite Catholic Irish background and was a revolutionary in 1840s Ireland. I am very interested in race and Irish America and the nugget of this book for me (and a moment that conveys its very able addressing of Meagher’s Irish and American contexts together) was that the Irish immigrant recruits in the Union Army were not necessarily wholly on board with abolitionism, since it turns out that in his Union Army role once in America, Meagher hardly ever brought up Lincoln or slavery when organizing his fellow Irishmen. There is huge irony that freedom for Ireland did not always translate to an uncomplicated support of freedom for others among the Irish in America. Meagher’s old comrade (also considered in the book), the pro-slavery John Mitchel, comes to mind also
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
The Forest Gump of the nineteenth century
A fascinating story of an Irishman who seemed to be an influence at seminal events of the nineteenth century. First, a leader of Ireland’s failed revolt against England in1848. His subsequent banishment to an Australian penal colony. His escape to America, his heroism leading an Irish brigade in the civil war. Finally, his role in the development of the Montana territory and his mysterious death. He gave up personal privileges for his principles and ,in my view , a hero, no matter what his ethnicity.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com