Similar experiences for Canada in a way. I don't know how many people (if any) were turned away at Halifax, but that is where my grandparents disembarked in 1926. It had apparently been a particularly rough crossing, which was very hard on my grandmother, as not only was she seasick like most of the passengers, but was also experiencing morning sickness, and only realized at sea that she was pregnant with my uncle, her first child.
From there they had to take the train well across Canada, supposedly to take up land grants that the Canadian government was giving away to certain groups of Eastern Europeans, Ukrainians among them. But my grandparents never took up their allotment, because at some point during the journey, my grandfather got talking with some other Ukrainian guys who had found out that the allotment he was heading to in Saskatchewan was very low-quality farmland, so he and my grandmother took what must have seemed a very dangerous chance, and hopped off the train in Winnipeg, where they got some tiny place to stay while my grandfather worked construction in the city until they had enough saved to rent some farmland outside the city, and over the years and decades, it turned into owning a small farm to owning 2000 acres to owning apartment buildings in the city.
I think the Canadian experience (although I am no expert) of moving west was later and less violent than the American one, though. But it seems that the books you are recommending all involve immigrants, but the experience of those who stayed (at least for the time being) 'back east'.
For the bloodier-minded (like myself), there is a show I would like to recommend that definitely has passionate love stories set against a backdrop of unforgiving wilderness, and viscious human savagery. Not that the books on your list don't have it, it's just that in the east it was at least they tried to keep the violence hidden under a veneer of civilization. The show is about the Oregon Trail, and is actually a prequel to 1923, the prequel to Yellowstone. One season, full story, '1883', starring Sam Elliot. I have watched it twice.
Sorry for taking over a Substack in the comments section again. I really have to do something about that.
Thank you for your kind words. And also for your participation in the HTF presentations that I watch recorded.
It's not giving anything away to say that '1883' tells the (poignant and tragic, yet also elevating) story of how the Duttons ended up in Montana, even though they originally set out for Oregon from Tennessee, from a South that was still in many ways suffering from economic depression following the Civil War. Which means that even further back, they would likely have been of Scots-Irish origin. It is narrated by one of the principal female characters, and there are multiple (and very different ) love stories in it.
'1923' has now had two seasons, and stars Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford.
I realized later that in my earlier post, I did what many of us (males) are guilty of, and kind of let my grandmother disappear in the story, short as it was, despite her having been an integral part of her family's success. While my grandfather worked construction, she worked as a seamstress at the Eaton's department store until she was too pregnant. Later, she took on the very taxing work of a farm wife, which led to two full-term stillbirths. With her last pregnancy (my mother), my grandfather basically wouldn't let her do anything but cook meals. Later, as they were doing better, she was in charge of the women who worked for them.
My grandfather also taught her about machinery, and she then took on the task of looking after mechanical beasts, just as she had the cattle and pigs that they had gotten rid of as unprofitable at that time. She did all the oil changes, kept the tractors, trucks, etc. lubricated, and so on.
Many years later, when my grandfather died suddenly at the beginning of what was supposed to be a well-earned and prosperous retirement, and my mom and dad split, she pretty much raised me (an accomplishment whose value is still very much up for debate) while my mother dealt with our family's business affairs.
Thank you, I really appreciate that. It was from my grandmother that I got most of my family history (although my mum contributed quite a bit of later detail), but i would definitely have to do some imagining, as the timelines were never quite clear.
I also had some darker stuff from her that I have used as material for some of the other historical fiction (with what I guess they call 'folk horror' mixed in), and believe it or not even for stories for the literary universe of Warhammer 40,000. Those stories I have to save until I have a few traditionally-published ones under my belt, as Black Library (the publishing imprint of Games Workshop) has a policy of reading unsolicited (and un-agented ) manuscripts, if they come from already traditionally-published authors.
This is a great list. To it I would add Suzanne Utarro Samules new novel, Seeds of the Pomegranate. Based on her own family history, it's a story of the Sicilian mob told from a female perspective. It's a gripping tale and historically rich in detail. https://www.suzannesamuels.com/
Melissa, I recently read (or rather listened to) Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (a YA novel), a queer coming of age story set in San Francisco's Chinese community in the paranoid 1950s. As you can imagine, it has been high on banned books lists for the last few years. High on my list are the Latina Boom novels that came out in the 1980s and 90s — Isabel Allende, Cristina Garcia, Julia Alvarez.
Great list! I would definitely suggest The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman. Just finished that one and really enjoyed it. Ties immigration and US eugenics history together.
Similar experiences for Canada in a way. I don't know how many people (if any) were turned away at Halifax, but that is where my grandparents disembarked in 1926. It had apparently been a particularly rough crossing, which was very hard on my grandmother, as not only was she seasick like most of the passengers, but was also experiencing morning sickness, and only realized at sea that she was pregnant with my uncle, her first child.
From there they had to take the train well across Canada, supposedly to take up land grants that the Canadian government was giving away to certain groups of Eastern Europeans, Ukrainians among them. But my grandparents never took up their allotment, because at some point during the journey, my grandfather got talking with some other Ukrainian guys who had found out that the allotment he was heading to in Saskatchewan was very low-quality farmland, so he and my grandmother took what must have seemed a very dangerous chance, and hopped off the train in Winnipeg, where they got some tiny place to stay while my grandfather worked construction in the city until they had enough saved to rent some farmland outside the city, and over the years and decades, it turned into owning a small farm to owning 2000 acres to owning apartment buildings in the city.
I think the Canadian experience (although I am no expert) of moving west was later and less violent than the American one, though. But it seems that the books you are recommending all involve immigrants, but the experience of those who stayed (at least for the time being) 'back east'.
For the bloodier-minded (like myself), there is a show I would like to recommend that definitely has passionate love stories set against a backdrop of unforgiving wilderness, and viscious human savagery. Not that the books on your list don't have it, it's just that in the east it was at least they tried to keep the violence hidden under a veneer of civilization. The show is about the Oregon Trail, and is actually a prequel to 1923, the prequel to Yellowstone. One season, full story, '1883', starring Sam Elliot. I have watched it twice.
Sorry for taking over a Substack in the comments section again. I really have to do something about that.
I really enjoy your comments! Don't ever feel the need to shorten them. It sounds like there is a story to be told with your grandparents.
Yes, I did focus more on those who stayed in East. I'll have to do a follow up post with those who went West.
You and my husband always have similar taste in shows. He watched Yellowstone, but hasn't watched 1883 yet.
I'll have to look for some book recommendations for the stories of Canadian immigrants.
Thank you for your kind words. And also for your participation in the HTF presentations that I watch recorded.
It's not giving anything away to say that '1883' tells the (poignant and tragic, yet also elevating) story of how the Duttons ended up in Montana, even though they originally set out for Oregon from Tennessee, from a South that was still in many ways suffering from economic depression following the Civil War. Which means that even further back, they would likely have been of Scots-Irish origin. It is narrated by one of the principal female characters, and there are multiple (and very different ) love stories in it.
'1923' has now had two seasons, and stars Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford.
I realized later that in my earlier post, I did what many of us (males) are guilty of, and kind of let my grandmother disappear in the story, short as it was, despite her having been an integral part of her family's success. While my grandfather worked construction, she worked as a seamstress at the Eaton's department store until she was too pregnant. Later, she took on the very taxing work of a farm wife, which led to two full-term stillbirths. With her last pregnancy (my mother), my grandfather basically wouldn't let her do anything but cook meals. Later, as they were doing better, she was in charge of the women who worked for them.
My grandfather also taught her about machinery, and she then took on the task of looking after mechanical beasts, just as she had the cattle and pigs that they had gotten rid of as unprofitable at that time. She did all the oil changes, kept the tractors, trucks, etc. lubricated, and so on.
Many years later, when my grandfather died suddenly at the beginning of what was supposed to be a well-earned and prosperous retirement, and my mom and dad split, she pretty much raised me (an accomplishment whose value is still very much up for debate) while my mother dealt with our family's business affairs.
Sorry, there I went again
Almost flash non-fiction.
If you wrote this story as a novel or novella, I'd read it, especially if it was from your grandmother's point of view.
Thank you, I really appreciate that. It was from my grandmother that I got most of my family history (although my mum contributed quite a bit of later detail), but i would definitely have to do some imagining, as the timelines were never quite clear.
I also had some darker stuff from her that I have used as material for some of the other historical fiction (with what I guess they call 'folk horror' mixed in), and believe it or not even for stories for the literary universe of Warhammer 40,000. Those stories I have to save until I have a few traditionally-published ones under my belt, as Black Library (the publishing imprint of Games Workshop) has a policy of reading unsolicited (and un-agented ) manuscripts, if they come from already traditionally-published authors.
Amazing
This is a great list. To it I would add Suzanne Utarro Samules new novel, Seeds of the Pomegranate. Based on her own family history, it's a story of the Sicilian mob told from a female perspective. It's a gripping tale and historically rich in detail. https://www.suzannesamuels.com/
Thank you for sharing, Nancy! I will definitely look it up.
All of the covers here are so beautiful!
Aren’t they though! I really love His Fic covers. 📖
Melissa, I recently read (or rather listened to) Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (a YA novel), a queer coming of age story set in San Francisco's Chinese community in the paranoid 1950s. As you can imagine, it has been high on banned books lists for the last few years. High on my list are the Latina Boom novels that came out in the 1980s and 90s — Isabel Allende, Cristina Garcia, Julia Alvarez.
Great list! I would definitely suggest The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman. Just finished that one and really enjoyed it. Ties immigration and US eugenics history together.