Fado: a Memoir of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Ireland, 1835 - the author's remote ancestral home, Arranmore Island, languishes on the eve of famine. Meanwhile, carved from the Illinois prairie, a small settlement rises, eventually becoming his boyhood hometown, Mundelein. Fadó (f'doe), Irish for "long ago," chronicles the surprising confluence of these two cultures. Generations of family heritage, immigration, triumph, and tragedy reveal fascinating ties to a much bigger world. Resonating throughout is the story of a son eager to please his father and prove his worth. Fadó is a personal invitation to anyone wishing to explore the depth and truth of one's own heritage - part memoir, part history, affectionately told in exquisite detail.