The 9th chapter in The Promised Land is a book by the same title, written in 1912 by Mary Antin. I'm not quite sure why Parini included this book among the thirteen books "that changed America." I disagree with the assumption that this text had the same influence on American thought as did The Souls of Black Folk, or The Journals of Lewis and Clark. The other books on his list clearly changed American thought. They pushed the boundaries for race relations and for an enduring search for freedom and pursuit of individuality.
The Promised Land is an immigrant memoir. And, while I agree that it is the forerunner for many other such memoirs that shine a light on the immigrant experience in America, I don't believe this book influenced American thought about immigration. This and other immigrant memoirs have provided insight into the immigrant experience, but as evidenced by current animosity toward immigrants -- whether legal, or illegal -- it's clear that these books really haven't "changed America." We still have a long way to go in understanding the truly inclusive possibilities for our melting pot.
I skimmed through this chapter quickly -- on to Chapter 10: How to Win Friends and Influence People. Quite a shift in themes!!!!
I bet I saw Carnegie's book in our home library hundreds of times, but never picked it up. Such a compelling title!
ReplyDeleteI know! I never read it either -- but I sure bet Al Smith read it :-)
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