"It wasn't only that Mike had gone underground. The government had made him into a medieval heretic, infected by some pest."
Irish Eyes by Peter Rutkoff Birch Brook Press
book review by Michael Radon
Steeped in radical behavior back in their native Ireland, the McCormack family finds that unrest runs in their family even after settling in the United States. This story primarily follows the third generation of McCormacks in New York, the brothers Jamie and Mike, as they grow up in the middle of the twentieth century. As they come of age during the turbulent Vietnam War era, their lives take drastically different paths. Jamie joins the priesthood, dealing with the civil unrest of the time by studying its roots, while Mike gets his hands dirty with counter-cultures and activism. While their family grows apart over time, it's the lingering influence of the grandfather they never knew that keeps them linked on some level.
What really moves this story along is the level of historical detail that shapes these characters through various phases of their life. The young McCormacks are fascinated by television and baseball, then as they become teenagers they turn more towards music and athleticism framed in the style and attitudes of the time. This eye for specifics helps the reader form a real bond with the main characters and at the same time brings perhaps the most prevalent character, the city of New York, to life. From the Giants-Dodgers rivalries of yesteryear to the colorful characters of Tompkins Square, this title is one of those rare books that truly encapsulates everything about life in a specific city. The vibrant setting, the fully developed characters, and the compelling story of growing apart from the people you love the most all come together to create a powerful and engaging tale.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review