The Know Nothings

"The Know Nothings," Which follows "Wild Onion," "Pitchfork Murders," and "San Patricios," continues Reimer's tale of two immigrants who settle in Chicago. Told from the point of view of characters living in the 19th century with the power of historical fiction. Authentic characters pull the reader into the story creating a desire to know them. Seamus O'Shea and Axel Konrad are close friends. Sprinkled throughout the novel are human experiences that we identify with immediately: irrational fears parents entertain when a child is facing a crisis or threatened, joy in reconciliation, pleasure when friends succeed, horror felt when humans are mistreated, the ugliness of racial, ethnic and religious intolerance, to name a few. Anyone interested in the early history of Chicago and the politics of the 1850's leading up to the Civil War, will find "The Know Nothings" a worthwhile read. The politics of today are not that much different than the politics of the mid-nineteenth century. Any difference is attributed to modern technology.