Finally, an intriguing, easily overlooked book has just been released entitled "Ireland's Welcome to the Stranger." Edited by esteemed Hofstra Professor Maureen Murphy, the book was written in the 1840s by an American educator and reformer, Asenath Nicholson. Nicholson visited Ireland for 15 months to "investigate the condition of the Irish poor." The result is a fascinating first-hand look at Famine Ireland from someone who received hospitality in a bleak time. ($32.95 / 394 pages / Dufour)