The children of Michigan Street
(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.