cover image Urban Odyssey: A Multicultural History of Washington, D.C.

Urban Odyssey: A Multicultural History of Washington, D.C.

. Smithsonian Books, $34.95 (320pp) ISBN 978-1-56098-545-7

Though dry in tone and lacking the unifying vision of a single author, this wide-ranging collection of essays takes a worthy step toward establishing the distinctive migrant and immigrant history of our nation's capital. The first section of essays attempts to trace the early experiences of Native Americans, African Americans and Irish workers. More interesting are the entries on 19th- and 20th-century community building: given its lack of factories, Washington attracted better-educated and assimilated Jews; similarly, the relatively small group of Italians was not split by regional identity. Among essays concerning recent immigrants are those that observe how people from Latin American nations have forged a ``Latino'' identity, while those from Africa remain divided by cultural and political barriers. Cary is executive director of the Humanities Council of Washington, D.C.; most contributors are scholars. Photos. (Jan.)