Well, why not? If you were Irish or an Irish-American immigrant, you'd have a bone to pick with the British oppressors. And if you can't hit 'em at home, might as well hit 'em next door. This meticulously researched study of a little-known chunk of American history (there were actually multiple invasions, each one increasingly more ridiculous) is both fascinating and hilarious in its unfortunate futility.
Not that it seemed futile at the time. Shortly after the Civil War an ugly streak of anti-Catholic sentiment reared its ugly head, thanks to the rising number of Irish immigrants. Not that they WANTED to flee their homeland starving, mind you. But America wasn't much better for the Irish, at first, until they got their act together and started organizing politically, with the help of exiles from the motherland eager to stir up shit in the new world.
Invading Canada seemed like a good idea simply because it was RIGHT THERE. What better way to send a statement to the Crown than to invade its territory next door? A more conservative wing of the Fenian Brotherhood urged prudence, and the road to invading Canada was both long and twisted. Klein does a great job elucidating the political machinations both within and without the Brotherhood that led to the first invasion of Canada.
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Notice that I said "first." In increasingly more ridiculous attempts, the Irish-Americans and their Irish supporters repeatedly tried to invade Canada. Officially the American government had to disapprove, citing neutrality laws. Realistically, however, they would've jumped at the chance to take Canada for themselves, so they decided to see how it played out. Though each attempt started with high hopes, something -- British spies, lack of arms and food, or smaller than expected numbers shot the Irish in the foot every time, sometimes with unintentionally comic results.
By the fifth or sixth time someone tries to "invade" Canada, you will find yourself laughing and saying, "Really, guys?" Honestly, they shot themselves in the foot right in the first attempt: a number of Black Civil War veterans approached the Fenians and asked to join in the fight. The Irish? Said no. Because racism. Sigh.
This book is a mixture of military tactics and political intrigue, all told in a spirited style that keeps the plot perking along even when the infighting gets ridiculous. You know how it ends -- obviously Canada is not now an Irish province -- but getting there is the fun part, even if you don't normally like military history. Recommended for libraries where micro-histories and/or political non-fiction is popular.
By the fifth or sixth time someone tries to "invade" Canada, you will find yourself laughing and saying, "Really, guys?" Honestly, they shot themselves in the foot right in the first attempt: a number of Black Civil War veterans approached the Fenians and asked to join in the fight. The Irish? Said no. Because racism. Sigh.
This book is a mixture of military tactics and political intrigue, all told in a spirited style that keeps the plot perking along even when the infighting gets ridiculous. You know how it ends -- obviously Canada is not now an Irish province -- but getting there is the fun part, even if you don't normally like military history. Recommended for libraries where micro-histories and/or political non-fiction is popular.
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