What do you think?
Rate this book
From Dublin to Chicago
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
320 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1914
About the author
George A. Birmingham
142 books7 followersReverend
James Owen Hannay
(1865-1950) was born in Belfast and educated at Haileybury and Trinity College, Dublin. He wrote some of his books under the pseudonym George A. Birmingham. His most famous works include: The Spirit and Origin of Christian Monasticism (1903), The Seething Plot (1905), Hyacinth (1906), Benedict Cavanagh (1907), The Northern Iron (1907), The Bad Times (1908), Spanish Gold (1908), The Search Party (1909), Lalage's Lovers (1911), The Major's Niece (1911), The Red Hand of Ulster (1912), The Simpkins Plot (1912), The Adventures of Dr. Whitty (1913), General John Regan (1913), Gossamer (1915), Inisheeny (1920), Send for Dr O'Grady (1923), Found Money (1923), The Great Grandmother (1923), King Tommy (1924), Goodly Pearls (1926), Fidgets (1927), The Hymn Tune Mystery (1930), Wild Justice (1930), and Elizabeth and the Archdeacon (1932).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 7, 2018
This is a little gem I discovered quite by accident. Chicago and Ireland, two places close to my heart. As if the subject matter wasn't enough to pique my interest, The entertaining style of the author would make it worth the read anyway.
George A. Birmingham, which is apparently a pseudonym for James Owen Hannay, was a reverend from Ireland that visited the United States, this book being his recollections. Referring to the great migration of Irish to the United States, he makes no bones on why his fellow citizens pulled up stakes, but he wanted to see for himself what the lure of America was-other than the opportunity for financial solvency, not always and option at that time in Ireland. Birmingham, or Hannay, has a subtle wittiness throughout the book, with too many great quotes and impressions to count, although he gets more serious as it goes along. It really is his impression of a foreign country, whether accurate or not (like anybody else, he only has his own personal experience as a baromenter), he gives his opinions in a way that makes it hard to tell if he's being facetious or not. It's part of the charm of the book.
Apparently, Birmingham was some kind of known figure and was interviewed by the press upon his arrival in New York. The arrival itself was a very amusing description, and his opinions of reporters as compared to those in Europe were striking if not accurate. Again, it's hard to tell if he's being completely serious or not. I have to assume that he is, but then again...
Although Chicago is in the title of the book, he had plenty to say about New York, with the Tammany gangsters and the fact that it was the dirty Irish that ran the city. He makes an amusing observation that those same Irish kept New York very clean as compared to European cities. This book was published in 1914, when Irish need not apply signs could be found around the city. Not that city government wasn't corrupt; but according to Birmingham, all governments are to some degree. Still, things got done somehow.
No government, after all, is honest. The most that can be expected from men placed in authority is that they should not outrage public opinion by flaunting their dishonesty.
He opines on the architecture of New York, although he knows nothing of architecture, but most people don't so he feels safe that only a small minority can call him on his ignorance. I wasn't able to; he sounded like an expert to me...
He also visited Atlantic City-out of season, but was very impressed nonetheless, although he was warned that he wouldn't like it. They were wrong. Impressed by architecture and the number of piers. Back in the day when Atlantic City was a place you might want to go...
We can now travel just about anywhere in a matter of hours, but back then, the train was the most efficient way to go. It took days to get from the east coast to Chicago, and Birmingham had plenty to say about the experience. The drunken, grumpy traveler of today might be outraged over what they might have to endure on a train trip, but at the time, it was state of the art traveling. It also gave one time to think and reflect on the country whizzing by. He talked about the pioneers, heroe's in his eyes who spread out over the vast unexplored continent. I've heard it said that the early pioneers knew less about the America they were exploring than NASA knew about the moon before the first Apollo mission. Birmingham wondered what kind of person would blaze that kind of trail.
Finally, he reaches Chicago, and he loved it. He thought they had great hotels (they do, but the rooms had to have been bigger than they are today), and the citizens were very hospitable, although he referenced the works of Upton Sinclair and Frank Norris, two authors that excoriated Chicago in their famous novels, but then, doesn't every city have a dark side? Birmingham's opinion was that Chicago had it all, the good, the bad and the ugly. He saw mostly good though and left with the desire to return someday.
He then goes on to Memphis, the land of cotton at the time. He opines on the negro problem and the southern man's contempt for them, a contempt that did not exist at that level in the North (as far as he saw), nor in other countries. Women are more welcoming, exploiting them for various household duties. Gone With the Wind came to mind.
Throughout, Birmingham sprinkles his review of America with wit and humor, giving his impressions on everything from American women to the difference between American and English homes. Doors, porches...quite amusing and accurate all the while. He also visited some universities, but what he saw then is a far cry from what an American university churns out now. Well, it was back in the day, when university signified the propounding of free thought. Times have changed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will probably check out some of his other works. It probably would have been very interesting to hear this man give one of his sermons. Most likely it would have been the highlight of the service. ****
George A. Birmingham, which is apparently a pseudonym for James Owen Hannay, was a reverend from Ireland that visited the United States, this book being his recollections. Referring to the great migration of Irish to the United States, he makes no bones on why his fellow citizens pulled up stakes, but he wanted to see for himself what the lure of America was-other than the opportunity for financial solvency, not always and option at that time in Ireland. Birmingham, or Hannay, has a subtle wittiness throughout the book, with too many great quotes and impressions to count, although he gets more serious as it goes along. It really is his impression of a foreign country, whether accurate or not (like anybody else, he only has his own personal experience as a baromenter), he gives his opinions in a way that makes it hard to tell if he's being facetious or not. It's part of the charm of the book.
Apparently, Birmingham was some kind of known figure and was interviewed by the press upon his arrival in New York. The arrival itself was a very amusing description, and his opinions of reporters as compared to those in Europe were striking if not accurate. Again, it's hard to tell if he's being completely serious or not. I have to assume that he is, but then again...
Although Chicago is in the title of the book, he had plenty to say about New York, with the Tammany gangsters and the fact that it was the dirty Irish that ran the city. He makes an amusing observation that those same Irish kept New York very clean as compared to European cities. This book was published in 1914, when Irish need not apply signs could be found around the city. Not that city government wasn't corrupt; but according to Birmingham, all governments are to some degree. Still, things got done somehow.
No government, after all, is honest. The most that can be expected from men placed in authority is that they should not outrage public opinion by flaunting their dishonesty.
He opines on the architecture of New York, although he knows nothing of architecture, but most people don't so he feels safe that only a small minority can call him on his ignorance. I wasn't able to; he sounded like an expert to me...
He also visited Atlantic City-out of season, but was very impressed nonetheless, although he was warned that he wouldn't like it. They were wrong. Impressed by architecture and the number of piers. Back in the day when Atlantic City was a place you might want to go...
We can now travel just about anywhere in a matter of hours, but back then, the train was the most efficient way to go. It took days to get from the east coast to Chicago, and Birmingham had plenty to say about the experience. The drunken, grumpy traveler of today might be outraged over what they might have to endure on a train trip, but at the time, it was state of the art traveling. It also gave one time to think and reflect on the country whizzing by. He talked about the pioneers, heroe's in his eyes who spread out over the vast unexplored continent. I've heard it said that the early pioneers knew less about the America they were exploring than NASA knew about the moon before the first Apollo mission. Birmingham wondered what kind of person would blaze that kind of trail.
Finally, he reaches Chicago, and he loved it. He thought they had great hotels (they do, but the rooms had to have been bigger than they are today), and the citizens were very hospitable, although he referenced the works of Upton Sinclair and Frank Norris, two authors that excoriated Chicago in their famous novels, but then, doesn't every city have a dark side? Birmingham's opinion was that Chicago had it all, the good, the bad and the ugly. He saw mostly good though and left with the desire to return someday.
He then goes on to Memphis, the land of cotton at the time. He opines on the negro problem and the southern man's contempt for them, a contempt that did not exist at that level in the North (as far as he saw), nor in other countries. Women are more welcoming, exploiting them for various household duties. Gone With the Wind came to mind.
Throughout, Birmingham sprinkles his review of America with wit and humor, giving his impressions on everything from American women to the difference between American and English homes. Doors, porches...quite amusing and accurate all the while. He also visited some universities, but what he saw then is a far cry from what an American university churns out now. Well, it was back in the day, when university signified the propounding of free thought. Times have changed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will probably check out some of his other works. It probably would have been very interesting to hear this man give one of his sermons. Most likely it would have been the highlight of the service. ****
Displaying 1 of 1 review