For some, this exile was a bittersweet relief, having felt betrayed by the land they once served.

During the 1848 rebellion, towns emptied as the British seized the Widow McCormack's house in Ballingarry, County Tipperary, to confront Irish forces. McCormack feared for her children's safety within, leading the rebels to retreat to protect the family.

Amidst such turmoil, many chose to leave Ireland, hoping one day their homeland would regain its vigor. Yet, the "coffin ships" on which they sailed presented their own perils, with squalid conditions and overcrowding threatening their lives. In new lands, the Irish often faced discrimination, where signs blatantly proclaimed, "No Irish Need Apply."

Bartoletti's literary style breathes life into complex information, transforming it into an engaging narrative without resorting to either pedantry or sensationalism. Her dedication led her to journey across the fields of Ireland and immerse herself in the Irish language, fueling her research for this compelling book. Though she lacks formal historical training, Bartoletti applied a meticulous methodology to unravel the intricate web of the potato famine. Delving into invaluable archives, public records, and both primary and secondary sources, she deftly intertwines fact and folklore, unveiling the multifaceted nature of the people and events she depicts with vivid clarity.

In her carefully crafted annotated bibliography, Bartoletti evaluates each resource she encountered, offering guidance to future scholars on the credibility of these sources. She highlights that due to widespread illiteracy and poverty, much of the Irish famine's history has been preserved through oral traditions, faithfully recorded by the Irish Folklore Commission's representatives who spoke to descendants. Her exploration spans a broad array of secondary materials, from historical accounts to medical texts and enchanting fairy tales, which together infuse her narrative with richness, transforming what might be dry academic content into something dynamically engaging.

By presenting events in chronological order, Bartoletti captures the devastating progression of the potato famine throughout the 1840s. A thoughtfully included timeline illuminates the sequence of events. While a topical arrangement might reduce repetitive details, such repetition cleverly underscores the relentless nature of the famine as experienced by its victims. Chapter titles, drawn from the words of those who lived through it, set the stage for forthcoming discussions. Each chapter begins with an Irish poem, blessing, toast, or lyric, immersing readers in the Irish spirit and drawing them into a world where they can almost see the mythical fairies, smell the decaying potatoes, and hear the lively tunes of a jig. By infusing dialogue and descriptions with Irish expressions, Bartoletti enriches the book's ambiance, and although she uses Anglicized Irish names in the text, she provides authentic spellings and pronunciations in her bibliography.

In her scholarly pursuits, Bartoletti unearthed illustrations that vividly complement her descriptive prose, providing a visual feast that echoes her textual imagery. Her strategic use of black and gray colors as symbolic elements, paired with thoughtfully simple illustrations, effectively sets the mood. She carefully selects voices to narrate this tale, using direct quotes to bring the famine victims' stories to life. By introducing a diverse array of characters—from struggling farmers to influential landlords—Bartoletti skillfully highlights the plight of the impoverished while portraying the Protestant British and landlords as oppressors, yet she does not shy away from revealing instances where individuals defied these stereotypes.

Bartoletti's greatest triumph lies in her ability to convey the profound despair experienced by ordinary people. She compels readers to walk in the shoes of these historical figures and to extend their empathy to contemporary individuals who endure similar hardships. Through her vivid and often haunting depictions, readers can almost taste the hunger, feel the indignation, and experience the suffering of the impoverished Irish. Yet amidst the darkness, she also captures their resilience and hope, emphasizing that her narrative stands apart by portraying the Irish as industrious, resourceful individuals who battled against being mere victims.

The haunting specter of the Irish Potato Famine lingers as a tragedy that might have been averted. Stark disparities existed between the wealthy and the impoverished across Ireland. The famine was not due to a shortage of crops but rather the relentless poverty shackling farm laborers. There was ample food; however, the means to purchase it remained elusive for most. This calamitous period sparked both noble acts and reprehensible behavior from those suffering the pangs of hunger, well-intentioned relief workers, and often self-serving British landlords and politicians. The Irish populace was entrenched in a rigid class system of landowners and laborers, breeding a myriad of social injustices. While laborers toiled to fill their landlords' coffers with lucrative harvests, they themselves subsisted on a meager diet of potatoes.

Bartoletti paints a vivid picture of the Irish as a people of generosity and industriousness, deeply devout and committed to the well-being of both young and old. Naturally inclined to share, they offered what little they had with kin, friends, and strangers alike. Their homes, before the famine, were bastions of hospitality, always prepared with extra provisions should any guest arrive. In their rich cultural traditions, even the fairies were appeased with offerings of food scattered across fields.

Exacerbating the dire situation were religious conflicts and the complex socioeconomic and political landscape. Those afflicted by the famine refused to resign themselves to despair, actively seeking sustenance by foraging for vegetables, berries, nuts, and weeds. Public relief projects provided another avenue to earn scant wages, insufficient though they were, for sustenance and rent. Central to this grim saga was the theme of family and self-sacrifice; parents often relinquished their meals for their children, and, following the deaths of husbands and fathers, mothers and children bore the weight of strenuous labor. Many even traded their garments for desperately needed food.

Despite efforts to cling to dignity and morality, desperation drove many to minor thefts to survive. Covertly, under the cloak of night, some took from fields or bled cattle for sustenance, hoping to keep their actions hidden. When neighbors discovered their acts, they confessed their shame of poverty and hunger. In certain cases, individuals resorted to criminal acts hoping for imprisonment and the meals it provided. Others retaliated against unjust accusations, as when Tom Flynn, apprehended for fishing, retaliated by poisoning the fish in the stream. Authorities, notably lacking compassion, often imprisoned even infants with their incarcerated mothers, and in extreme despair, some parents resorted to tragic ends.

Efforts to provide relief varied widely. Sir Charles Trevelyan proposed establishing soup kitchens for the starving, yet bureaucratic delays hindered their immediate realization. Unfortunately, these meals sometimes brought about health issues such as dysentery. At such kitchens, recipients were occasionally pressured to abandon their Catholic faith for Protestantism in return for food. Relief workers sometimes criticized the Irish for marrying young and having large families, compounding their humiliation. In soup schools, children faced similar religious pressures, with many choosing starvation over abandoning their beliefs.

More compassionate aid came in the form of milk and butter distributed by the wives of landlords and officials. Young "Little Miss" Kennedy, merely nine years old, extended warmth and kindness through the gift of clothes, while some famine sufferers took to knitting as a means to earn sustenance. The Quakers provided not only rice but also seeds for alternative crops and supplies for fisheries. Across the Atlantic, Americans rallied funds at famine relief events, and Queen Victoria contributed handsomely to the British Relief Association. Such benevolent figures did not demand the Irish forsake their cultural traditions or religious convictions in exchange for aid.

The famine’s statistics paint a grim picture of its social devastation. An estimated one million souls perished from starvation or disease, victims of both eviction and the inadequacies of workhouses—tragedies that might have been mitigated through responsible governance. An additional two million sought refuge abroad, yet these emigrants often encountered exploitation by unscrupulous swindlers at ports or endured deplorable conditions aboard coffin ships. Discrimination awaited them in foreign lands, compounding the hardships of poverty and social isolation. Nonetheless, many recognized their improved circumstances and managed to save money to facilitate the escape of family members still trapped in Ireland's clutches.

Bartoletti underscores the enduring legacy of the 1840s potato famine, its shadows stretching into contemporary concerns. Political, social, and economic challenges continue to spawn famines and hunger. Ireland remains indelibly shaped by the collective memory of this nineteenth-century catastrophe and the barriers that once denied its people access to sustenance.

Immersing readers in the poignant chronicles of the potato famine, Tony Allan's The Irish Famine: The Birth of Irish America (2001) and the anthology Feed the Children First: Memories of the Great Hunger (2002), edited by Mary E. Lyons, stand as compelling nonfiction explorations. The harrowing event has also inspired a wealth of novels. Carole Bolton unveils a poignant tale in The Search of Mary Katherine Mulloy (1974), while Leonard Everett Fisher takes readers Across the Sea from Galway (1975). Eve Bunting weaves mystery with history in The Haunting of Kildoran Abbey (1978), and Karen Branson delves into the plight of The Potato Eaters (1979). Patricia Reilly Giff brings to life the youthful struggle in Nory Ryan's Song (2000), and Mary E. Lyons presents a vivid narrative in Knockabeg: A Famine Tale (2001). Marita Conlon-McKenna's Under the Hawthorn Tree: Children of the Famine (2001) resonates with tales of survival, while Mical Schneider narrates a journey across the Atlantic in Annie Quinn in America (2001). Laura Wilson captures resilience in How I Survived the Irish Famine: The Journal of Mary O'Flynn (2001), and Clare Pastore chronicles a brave voyage in Fiona McGilray's Story: A Voyage from Ireland in 1849 (2001), part of the Journey to America series.

Time Travel and Adult Narratives

James Heneghan's intriguing novel The Grave (2000) transports readers across time, as a teen protagonist navigates the turbulent years of 1974 and the famine-stricken 1847. Meanwhile, Ann Moore's Gracelin O'Malley (2001) presents a gripping famine story crafted for an adult audience. In another fascinating narrative, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick's The Long March: The Choctaw's Gift to Irish Famine Relief (1998) highlights the altruistic spirit reaching from afar to aid the Irish in their time of desperation.

"Bartoletti, Susan Campbell." In Something about the Author, vol. 88. Detroit: Gale, 1997. This insightful article delves into the life of Bartoletti, featuring enlightening biographical details and an array of compelling quotes that highlight her meticulous historical research.

Reviews of "Black Potatoes"

Bush, Elizabeth. In her review of Black Potatoes for the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, vol. 55 (October 2001): 51-52, Bush commends Bartoletti for demystifying the causes of the famine and deftly addressing commonly held misconceptions about this catastrophic period. She applauds the narrative’s reliance on primary sources and its insightful exploration of the famine’s profound effects on society's economic and political landscapes.

Bush, Margaret A. In her review for Horn Book Magazine, vol. 78 (January 2002): 91-92, Bush lauds Bartoletti’s masterful incorporation of vivid historical resources, which breathe life into the narratives of both the suffering and the influential figures of the time.

Hofmann, Mary R. In her review featured in School Library Journal, vol. 47 (November 2001): 168-169, Hofmann characterizes Bartoletti's work as "gruelingly poignant" and highlights the bibliographical essay as a captivating piece of historical scholarship.

Rochman, Hazel. In a starred review found in Booklist, vol. 98 (October 15, 2001): 394, Rochman appreciates Bartoletti’s ability to humanize the nameless and ordinary victims of the famine, offering a deeply personal perspective on this tragic event.