About the Book Two Irish immigrants raise their family in the Western New York frontier in the 1840´s and 1850´s. In an area that is still a wild part of the United States, blacksmith Dennis and his wife Johanna do their best to guide their children through the challenges of living in a diverse neighborhood and still-fledgling nation to prepare them for their roles in adulthood. The struggles of the adults and adolescents are set against the backdrop of a nation on the brink of war, and help to define their commitments to family and community. Meanwhile, the future of a hostile homeland hangs in the decisions of its citizens. Thomas is the firstborn living child of the couple, hence he is received with great joy. As the eldest, Thomas grows into a strong, reliable young man aware of the responsibilities of being the elder brother of seven younger siblings. Interspersed with the joys and sorrows of life is the constant threat of civil war, a war that will divide the nation and cause rifts that survive far into the future. From the might and natural splendor of Niagara Falls to the struggles of Union prisoners of war in the unforgiving south, human nature in all its complexities comes through … noble and corrupt, forgiving and contemptible.

About the Author Michael E McCarthy
Michael McCarthy published his first historical novel From Cork to the New World in 2009 and his second novel The Flight of the Wretched in 2011. Both stories chronicle Irish immigration in the 1800s. He has published articles for NorthEast Colleges and Universities Security Association´s (NECUSA) The Clipboard and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators´ (IACLEA) Campus Law Enforcement Journal. In his spare time, Mike and his wife, Ann, enjoy their grandchildren, kayaking and camping.

Also by the Author The Flight of the Wretched: A Journey to the New World (2011)
From Cork to the New World: a journey for survival (2009)