| Acknowledgments | |
| A Guide to Polish Pronunciation | |
| Introduction | p. 1 |
| Life in the Old Country and the Mass Migration to America | p. 7 |
| "The Old Neighborhood Isn't the Same Any More": The Evolution of Polish-American Ethnicity | p. 19 |
| Polish-American Easter Celebrations | p. 30 |
| The Christmas Cycle and Minor Holidays | p. 40 |
| Rites of Passage: Births and Deaths in Polish-American Communities | p. 51 |
| Faith, Love, and Community: The Wedding in Polonia | p. 61 |
| Spinning Tales, Weaving the Fabric of Identity: Polish-American Narratives | p. 73 |
| "Guardian Angel, Stay by My Side": Folk Religion in Polonia | p. 88 |
| The Garden of Healing: Polish-American Folk Medicine | p. 99 |
| Polish Folk Songs: Seeds of a New Musical Style | p. 109 |
| An American Original: The Polka | p. 124 |
| Reinventing the Reel: Polish Folk Dances in Polonia | p. 141 |
| Games People Play: Folk Arts, Crafts, and Recreation | p. 149 |
| Pierogi, Kielbasa, and Other Symbols of Ethnicity: Polish-American Foodways | p. 159 |
| Anchors and Passports to Polishness: Public Folklore in Polonia | p. 171 |
| App.: The Interviews | p. 181 |
| Notes | p. 185 |
| Works Cited | p. 219 |
| Index | p. 229 |