[Review of] David M. Brownstone, Irene M. Franck, and Douglass L. Brownstone. Island of Hope, Island of Tears

• Main Author: Zimmerman, Zora Devrnja
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: VCU Scholars Compass 1987
• Subjects: book review; Race and Ethnicity; Douglass; Hope Island; Hope island
• Online Access: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/ess/vol7/iss1/8; https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1280&context=ess

The most compelling aspect of this dramatic history of immigration to the United States via Ellis Island is its vivid documentation of actual human experiences. Personal testimonies from dozens of immigrants form a living tissue that connects the detailed, fully-researched historical data on immigration history. These oral descriptions recreate the journey for us, illustrate the conditions in the homeland being left behind, and give us an insider's view of the bureaucratic tribulations each immigrant faced on Ellis Island. The result is a powerful, inspiring testimonial to the courage, ingenuity, determination, and strength of the human spirit. These accounts, often expressed in slightly awkward, simple English prose, rivet the reader, opening up worlds long forgotten, and, through their very simplicity, underscore the complexity and intensity of the immigrant experience.