CHICAGO, IL (Chambana Today) A retired Chicago attorney is bringing his family’s past to life through a new novel that blends personal history with some of the city’s most tragic events.
After a 40-year career as a commercial litigator, the author turned his attention to a story he says had been waiting his entire life to be told — the life of his grandfather, an Irish immigrant who overcame childhood tragedy and hardship to build a future in Chicago.
“I realized I may be the last person alive who actually knew him,” the author said. “When I’m gone, those stories go with me. I didn’t want that to happen.”
The book follows his grandfather’s journey beginning in the late 1800s, after he was orphaned at age eight and sent to live in a harsh institution. He eventually escaped and survived on the streets of Chicago, relying on unlikely allies in the city’s underbelly.
“It’s really a story about survival,” the author said. “Every day for him was about getting through to the next.”
To ensure accuracy, the author spent more than a year conducting interviews with relatives, reviewing family archives, and researching Chicago history. That included events like the Iroquois Theater Fire and the Eastland Disaster, both of which are woven into the narrative.
In a striking family connection, his grandparents narrowly avoided both tragedies — decisions he attributes in part to his grandmother’s strong intuition.
“She just had a sense about things,” he said. “Call it intuition, call it whatever you want, but it saved their lives more than once.”
While the novel is labeled as fiction, the author says it is grounded in real events, real people and carefully preserved family stories. He also discovered new depth in relatives he thought he already knew well, particularly his grandmother.
“I set out to tell my grandfather’s story, but I learned just as much about her,” he said. “She was incredibly strong.”
At its core, the book explores themes of family, immigration and resilience — ideas the author believes will resonate beyond his own heritage.
“People who’ve read it tell me it reminds them of their own families,” he said. “Whether they’re Irish, Polish or anything else, these are stories a lot of us share.”
He hopes the book encourages others to preserve their own histories before they’re lost.
“Without those who came before us, we have nothing,” he said. “They sacrificed everything so we could have the lives we do today.”
When asked what his grandfather might say about the finished book, the author paused.
“I think he’d be proud,” he said. “And then he’d tell me to keep going.”
The book is available through Eckhartz Press. Readers can learn more or purchase a copy at https://eckhartzpress.com
