I received a review copy of this book from Net Galley and Three Hills Publishing, which is affiliated with Cornell University, free of charge. This book is now for sale.

Since retirement, I have often taken my reading outside of my comfort zone, and at times I’ve been rewarded. I took a chance in requesting this biography because I have a peripheral interest in church history, and American history and Irish history are more direct interests. However, in this case there is too much assumed knowledge to be readily accessible to an acolyte of the region. My only trip to New York was a weekend tourist jaunt, and I have never been to the church in question. However, I am drawn to the resistance he put forth during the “Know Nothing” period of anti-immigrant sentiment, and now is certainly the time to receive such a cautionary tale.

The claim that this man “made” Irish America seems overstated to me.

That’s not to say that it won’t interest you. The documentation is as unimpeachable as one would expect from a highly regarded university, and scholars with a specialized area of interest will likely find this a treasure because it is so specific. A niche audience may rate this title as four stars; I find it too dry a read to imagine five. But it isn’t intended to be a popular read but a scholarly one.

A solid niche read for those with interests that are aligned with the author’s.

John Hughes left his native County Tyrone, Ireland and arrived in America virtually penniless in 1817. Through indomitable hard work and ambition he became Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York in the 1840s and one of the most well-known Catholics of his time, and he remains a larger-than-life character to this day. He was enormously influential and tireless in his efforts for American Catholics who were often reviled and treated with suspicion. He established schools and seminaries and founded St Patrick's Cathedral – although he never lived to see its completion. He was, and remains, a controversial figure, but his efforts would one day make the election of a Catholic President perfectly acceptable. He lived through turbulent times and sometimes created some of that turbulence himself – hence Dagger being added to his name. The book is not just a biography but an in-depth account of the social and political milieu in which he lived and worked. As a biography it is comprehensive, meticulously researched and detailed, although it must be said also dry and academic at times. A worthwhile and interesting read.