Wednesday October 06, 2004

I can't say enough about how proud I am of my Mom! And now she's published.

The book, called "They Change Their Sky: The Irish in Maine", is a collection of ten essays that present a story of the experiences of Maine's Irish from their first arrival in Maine, through the hey-day of Irish immigration in the mid-19th and early-20th centuries, and concluding with the modern experience. My Mom's essay is called "The Irish Experience in Lewiston, Maine 1850-1880". It is thoroughly researched and a very interesting read. (And if you don't believe me, check this out)

The majority of the material for her essay is based on research she had done as an undergad at Bates College (in Lewiston, ME) and as a grad student at University of Virginia. She actually grew up in Maine, but she's not Irish. She was a history major, though, and (if I do say so myself) she's pretty smart.

The book is being published by the University of Maine Press, so don't expect to rush out and buy the book on amazon.com just yet. But, if you're interested, you can order a copy here. Proceeds from the sale of the book help support the Maine Irish Heritage Center, located in Portland, ME.