Patrick's Corner

In this warmhearted memoir, the author revisits growing up the youngest of six in an Irish Catholic family in post–World War II Cleveland.

You’ve heard of Murphy’s Law and even the Peter Principle, but here’s a new one: Patrick’s Law. Patrick’s Law, which deserves at least equal space in the index of life, states that in large families, the youngest gets the shortest end of the stick. The youngest has certain traits that can last to adulthood: “His clothing will mark him and his position in the family strata. His socks will droop because of a lack of elasticity brought on by age and the larger ankles of his brothers. The youngest will generally never hold an original opinion for fear of being informed he is a klutz by at least one of his brothers. He will always be referred to as So-and-So’s little brother and will NEVER (a) get the Sunday funnies first, (b) go anywhere without telling at least two persons where he is going, or (c) be able to read a comic while seated on the family’s only commode.”

Patrick’s Corner is a collection of stories about growing up after World War II in a world where family life, neighborhood interdependence, and nurturing environments were the norm. The author describes how one family’s steadfast devotion to each other, and their foundation of moral values helped them surmount the challenges of poverty. Told with the sensitivity of the “baby of the family,” this memoir is full of warmth, love, growing pains, and the struggles for survival. The author writes about his “comin’ up” as the youngest of six sons in an Irish Catholic family headed by a widowed mother. Like most brothers, the Patrick boys fought, but more often they were friends who talked, laughed, and shared their growing pains with each other. Even if you have never had to wear hand-me-down clothes or been referred to as So-and-So’s little brother or sister, these stories are sure to touch your heart.

Praise for Patrick’s Corner

“A bred-in-the-bone storyteller, the author makes this memoir a dramatic, moving and irrepressibly witty delight.” —Publishers Weekly

“A nostalgic tribute from the baby of a family—life-affirming.” —Kirkus Reviews