American Immigrants

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
A story about how the Garcia girls adjusted to America in the 1960s after leaving a wealthy life in the Dominican Republic.

Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow
In the early 20th century, the lives of a Jewish immigrant, an African-American musician, and a single father are mixed with those of some famous people of the time.

The Scotswoman by Inglis Fletcher
Flora MacDonald comes to North Carolina after helping Bonnie Prince Charlie in the Jacobite Rebellion and sides with the British, in duty to her husband.

Snow in August by Pete Hamill
Set in Brooklyn during the 1940s, this work is about Michael, a young Irish-American boy, and Rabbi Hirsch, an immigrant from Prague. They become friends after discovering that each of them has recently lost a loved one.

At Weddings and Wakes by Alice McDermott
The story of four very different Irish-Catholic sisters while they live on Long Island in the 1960s.

Accordion Crimes by Annie Proulx
A Sicilian immigrant comes to New Orleans with his son in 1890 and is murdered by an anti-Italian mob. After his death his accordion passes through several doomed immigrant families.

The Fortunate Pilgrim by Mario Puzo
Lucia Santa immigrates to New York from the mountains of Italy in search for a better life. A strong woman, she struggles through life in Hell's Kitchen, two broken marriages, six children to support, and a son who joins the mafia.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
Jurgis and his family emigrate from Lithuania to Chicago to find that America isn't everything that they hoped. They deal with sickness, death, and are exploited by the meatpacking industry.

Inside, Outside by Herman Wouk
David Goodkind, a Nixon staff member, tells about his childhood and Russian immigrant family.