Title: Mary Quigley’s Da: A Personal Tragedy of an Irish Immigrant Caught on the
Kansas-Missouri Border during the Civil War
Author: Mary Jaffe
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1532092206
Pages: 464
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza

Read Book Review

Whether it is a global event or a personal family matter, legacies are born and thrive
every day within our world. A family legacy can be one of the most powerful of all, for
good or bad. As Marian Wright Edelman once said, “I feel very lucky to have grown up
having interaction with adults who were making change but who were far from perfect
beings. That feeling of not being paralyzed by your incredible inadequacy as a human
being, which I feel every day, is a part of the legacy that I’ve gotten from so many of the
adult elders.”

In author Mary Jaffe’s historical fiction, Mary Quigley’s Da: A Personal Tragedy of an
Irish Immigrant Caught on the Kansas-Missouri Border during the Civil War, the author
takes some of her own personal family history and the history of our nation and
develops an engaging historical fiction read like no other. Following the legacy of the
family of Irish immigrant Joseph Quigley, the author details the man’s life and the events
which defined him in detail, from his family’s escaping the Potato Famine and moving to
America, to his teen years in a cow town, to his military service and taking his new wife
into the wild frontier.

This is a truly fascinating read. The book opens shockingly and strongly, taking the
perspective of young Mary Quigley, the daughter of Joseph, who along with her siblings
find themselves orphaned and their family rocked by a dark and terrible secret. Their
world torn apart, the book then goes into the life of Joseph and the events leading up to
that horrific moment. The blend of history along with the personal family legacy was well
written throughout this book, but it was the character growth and evolution which really
stood out, as the family history, culture, and dynamic really helped each character’s arc
grow and showcase the downfall of this family even more. The dual nature of Joseph
with his wife and children can be felt in every page, making this such an engrossing
read.

This is the perfect book for those who enjoy historical fiction, in particular reads which
involve immigrant families living in 19th century America, during and after the Civil War,
and the concept of personal family legacy blended with historical fiction. As a fan of the
genre, it was easy to get wrapped up in the narrative and the fact that part of this story
is based on true events which makes this tale both sadder, yet even more thought provoking,
a true sign of a masterful historical fiction narrative.

Heartbreaking, historically driven and a lengthy read, author Mary Jaffe’s Mary
Quigley’s Da: A Personal Tragedy of an Irish Immigrant Caught on the Kansas-Missouri
Border during the Civil War is a great book. Analyzing the way family legacy grows and
the mystery which surrounds dark moments in a legacy, this book is the perfect blend of
family drama and history