South Boston, My Home Town: The History of an Ethnic Neighborhood

The history of ``Southie,'' an area of Boston that until recently was a politically potent ethnic and religious enclave, is explored in a colorful narrative that deftly covers its 350 years. O'Connor, professor of history at Boston College, is empathetic yet balanced in describing the pillars of South Boston's Irish-Catholic lifefamily, work and religion. He describes how South Boston became a neighborhood with the gradual annexation of the southern peninsula to Boston proper and the vast tide of Irish immigration in the 1830s and 1840s. Once safe in their ethnic exclusivity, contemporary Southies now chafe under racist labels stemming from school and neighborhood desegregation issues. Blending his own recollections with the writings of others, O'Connor captures the vitality of a once ascendant community. Photos not seen by PW. (Dec.)