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Peter Quinn

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Looking for Jimmy: A Search for Irish America Paperback – February 5, 2008

by Peter Quinn (Author)

4.4 60 ratings

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In Quinn’s hands, the Irish stereotype of “Paddy” gives way to an image of “Jimmy”―an archetypal Irish-American (a composite of Jimmy Cagney and Jimmy Walker) who comes to life as a fast-talking, tough-yet-refined urban American redefining American politics, street culture, religion, and imagination. From their immigration into America to the politics of the modern day, Quinn's vibrant prose weaves together the story of a people that has made an immeasurable contribution to American history and culture.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Peter Quinn is the author of Hour of the Cat, The Man Who Never Returned, Looking for Jimmy, and The Banished Children of Eve.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abrams Press (February 5, 2008)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1590200233
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1590200230
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.75 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,725,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,855 in U.S. Immigrant History
- #3,335 in Emigration & Immigration Studies (Books)
- #24,633 in Ethnic Studies (Books)

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4.4 60 ratings

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Peter Quinn

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Peter Quinn joined Time Inc. as the chief speechwriter in 1985 and retired as corporate editorial director for Time Warner at the end of 2007. He received a B.A. from Manhattan College in 1969, an M.A. in history from Fordham University in 1974 and completed all the requirements for a doctorate except the dissertation. He was awarded a Ph.D., honoris causa, by Manhattan College in 2002.

In 1979, Quinn was appointed to the staff of Governor Hugh Carey as chief speechwriter. He continued in that role under Governor Mario Cuomo, helping craft the Governor’s 1984 Democratic Convention speech and his address on religion and politics at Notre Dame University.

His 1994 novel "Banished Children of Eve" (Viking/Penguin) won a 1995 American Book Award. His second novel, "Hour of the Cat" (Overlook), set in Berlin and New York on the eve of WWII, was published in June 2005. "Looking for Jimmy: In Search of Irish America" (Overlook), a collection of non-fiction pieces, was published in February 2007. All three books are in print. His third novel, The Man Who Never Returned," which is based on the still-unsolved 1930 disappearance of NYS Supreme Court Justice Joseph Force Crater, was published in 2010.

Quinn co-wrote the script for the 1987 television documentary “McSorley’s New York,” which was awarded a New York-area Emmy for “Outstanding Historical Programming.” He has participated as a guest commentator in several PBS documentaries, including “The Irish in America;” “New York: A Documentary Film;” “The Life and Times of Stephen Foster,” as well as the Academy Award-nominated film, “The Passion of Sister Rose.” He was an advisor on Martin Scorcese’s film “Gangs of New York.” He helped conceive and script the six-part documentary “The Road to the White House,” which aired on TG4, in Ireland, in 2009.

Along with his book writing, Quinn was the editor of The Recorder: The Journal of the American Irish Historical Society from 1986 to 1993. He has published articles and reviews in The New York Times, Commonweal, America, American Heritage, The Catholic Historical Review, The Philadelphia Enquirer, The L.A. Times, Eiré-Ireland, and in numerous other newspapers and journals.

At present, Quinn is on the advisory boards of the American Irish Historical Society, NYU’s Glucksman Ireland House, the Tenement Museum and the New York City Landmark Conservancy. He is president and co-founder of Irish American Writers & Artists.

Married to Kathleen Burbank Quinn, he and his wife are the parents of Genevieve Barry Quinn and Daniel Ryan Quinn. They reside in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

His website can be found at www.newyorkpaddy.com

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4.4 out of 5

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Kindle Customer

Another big fan

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2011

Verified Purchase

I like Banished Children of Eve, so I thought I'd give this a try.

This book is wonderful and every essay is better than the one before.

He paints a realistic picture of Irish Americans in this country after the Famine and before Kennedy and reminds us of both their warts and their virutues. I've already convinced my sister to read this after me.

Side note, my father was a Jimmy from NY (morningside heights & then the bronx) so I could hear him talking on many pages.

The only drawback to this book is that Mr. Quinn names other books as sources. So now, I have to spend more money. ;)

Good job.

4 people found this helpful

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brianmcdonnell

A beautifully written history about the Irish experience and their impact in NYC and the nation.

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2013

Verified Purchase

Peter Quinn is an excellent writer who has a depth of knowledge about the Irish-American experience, culture and their contribution to America. A must read for anyone who is interested in the story of how the Irish became the dominant political and economic force in NYC in spite of deep seated bias and discrimination.

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Pat Carr

I am 88 years old.. Although the author's ...

Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2018

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I am 88 years old.. Although the author's experiences are focused on the Bronx, the first few chapters about Irish-american life in the USA are very accuratey coincide clopsely wirh m,y .own, experience in Baltimore, during the 1930s and 1940s However, his analyses and philosophies regarding the Catholioc religion and Demoncratic politicsd, set forth in the bollowing chaptersar, e not universally shared by Irish-Americans of that or this generation.

4 people found this helpful

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James Liam

Irish American to enjoy this wonderful book

Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2018

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You don't need to be a Bronx born, Irish American to enjoy this wonderful book. Funny, sad, and brutally honest, you'll have a hard time putting this one down.

One person found this helpful

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Peter Cavanaugh

A Must For Saint Paddy's Day And The Other 364!

Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2007

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So, I went "Looking for Jimmy"and found Peter, Donald, James, Vincent, John, Lawrence and all manner of assorted exported Cavanaughs, Catholic and Protestant, dead and alive. Even all four. Peter Quinn presents us with an extraordinarily wonderful compilation. I'm giving it a sixth star right here!

8 people found this helpful

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Thomas

Great Book!

Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2014

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so well-written, and really informative...takes you right back to earlier times in the the lives of the Irish in America

Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2007

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Peter Quinn is a master storyteller and with his prose he tries to keep alive the enduring and rich legacy of Irish-American contributions to the history and foundations of American life.

4 people found this helpful

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jtw

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2015

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Its OK

One person found this helpful

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