"In this collection of writings chronicling Quinn's exploration of his own past - and the lives of the hundreds of thousands of nameless immigrants that struggled alongside his own ancestors - "Paddy" the caricature gives way to an image of "Jimmy,"--An archetypal Irish-American (a composite of Jimmy Cagney and Jimmy Walker) who comes to life as the fast-talking, tough-yet-refined urban American who redefined American politics, street culture, and moral imagination. Addressing subjects ranging from the impact of decades of immigration on Western Ireland to the long legacy of Irish-American Archbishop John Hughes, Quinn's prose weaves together the story of a people that has made an immeasurable contribution to America's history and culture."--Jacket.