Ambitions - The life and love of John & Susannah Morrissey
John Morrissey's early life was marked by unimaginable poverty, discrimination, and violence.
Susannah Smith was raised in the relative comfort of a middle-class Protestant family and graduated from Emma Willard's Troy Female Seminary.
They had little in common except an unlikely love and unrelenting ambitions.
"AMBITIONS doesn’t mess around with digression. I kept waiting for it but got plotting with lots of conflicts, action, decision-making, and continual forward progress. Coherent … check. Rigorous … check. Authentic... check. Valid … check... Engaging…check.
Yeah, I liked AMBITIONS and look forward to the next book."
Ice Rivers, Author of Full Filler: Dreams & Distance
5 STARS!
AMBITIONS IS...
"A fascinating and compelling story of humble beginnings, hopes, dreams, and discrimination faced by Irish immigrants on their journey to citizenship and pursuit of the American Dream in mid-19th century New York. This story piqued my interest immediately in the first chapter and left me marveling at the remarkable early life story of John Morrissey and looking forward to reading book two. Left to fend for himself independently at an early age due to the financial and personal hardships faced by his large but impoverished family, Morrissey worked hard, persevered, and made the most of the opportunities that helped him achieve his personal goals.
The novel is eloquently written and is woven throughout with fascinating historical facts and context during a time when New York and the American West were undergoing successful social, economic, and industrial changes. The developing love story between two young people from opposite worlds sets the stage for the next phase of their life together. The political themes and attitudes surrounding the treatment of Irish immigrants who arrived in America in the mid-1800s feel current and parallel the experiences of newly arrived Americans today. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of New York, the Industrial Revolution, and the contributions of immigrants to the building of America."
Amazon Customer 11/5/22
5 STARS!
A Boisterous Tale
"Ambitions" is the story of a young man’s rise in the brutal world of mid-19th century America, of his search for love and consequence. John Morrissey, son of a poor immigrant family of Troy, New York, comes of age in a time when “no Irish need apply.” He sets out to conquer the world with his fists. He courts Susannah Smith, a beautiful girl whose desire and ambition match his own but who is out of his reach on the Hudson Valley social scale. Undeterred, John batters his way toward his dreams.
The writing style is straightforward and non-pretentious. Every page displays Morrissey’s urgent mission of fame and respectability and his enormous self-confidence in his pursuit of them. That confidence is sometimes misplaced, but we cannot help admiring the hero’s willingness to stake everything on his own strength and courage.
I enjoyed reading this boisterous adventure in upward mobility, the first volume of a planned trilogy. Both John and Susannah are likable characters. Author Frank Baillargeon does a great job of telling their story and includes many details of life in that era. The novel is based on the lives of the real John and Susannah Morrissey, who became consequential figures in 19th-century America, but who are not much remembered. Bringing them out of the shadows is a personal quest for the author. He caught his zeal and derived much of his information on the Morrisseys from his late father, who made it a lifelong research project.
Thumbs up for Ambition."
Larry F. Sommers
Author, Price of Passage
5 STARS!
Review by OnlineBookClub.org
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Ambitions" by Frank Baillargeon.]
5 out of 5 stars
"Frank Baillargeon's novel Ambitions is a tale of hope. The author tells the tale of John Morrissey's parents, Tim, and Judith Morrissey, two poor Irish immigrants. The family was having an exceedingly grim time because they were working so hard to feed themselves. When John reached twelve, Judith suggested he work so they could have more money. John followed the suggestion and started working because he had no interest in going to school. He spent his free time with his gang members on the streets while he wasn't at work. Because of his street fighting, he eventually realized how much he enjoyed it and turned it into a career. Did he fulfill his goal of becoming a professional fighter?
I became interested as I read about John and how he worked tirelessly to achieve success. John's life is what I would call a journey of hope if I were to give it a name. The author beautifully authored this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I admired John's ascent from the streets to the palace due to his dedication to being a successful professional fighter. I've learned from reading this book that your passion and drive for success are more important than your background. While you cannot change your place of birth, you may decide who or what you will become in the future. Despite his humble upbringing, John was tenacious to succeed.
In this book, John is my favorite character. His bravery and zeal inspired me. Despite all the difficulties he encountered as a child, he never gave up, and on his path to stardom, he persevered despite taking several injuries during competitions. I was impressed by the author's inventiveness. Having a positive mindset when facing life's obstacles is another lesson I took away from this book. After reading this book, I was inspired to pursue my aspirations more.
can
I rate this book five out of five stars because it taught me to focus on my goals and be resolute in pursuing them. Everyone should read this book, but I strongly urge young people who are disheartened by life's many obstacles to do so. They will get a lot from the book in addition to enjoying it"
5 STARS!
“Ambitions is one of the most riveting novels I've read, capturing the inconceivable life of John Morrissey, evolving from clever street thug to the heavyweight boxing crown and eventually landing the noblewoman of his dreams. This is a love story full of grit and struggle, powerful messages about class, family roots, upbringing, chasing passions, and never letting the world tell you what you're capable of; an incredible tale written with sheer passion and a tight, powerful voice. This book has it all...and maybe then some.”
Jonathan Stark, author of You've Got Something Coming
5 STARS!
The Historical Fiction Company Review - October 2022
5 STARS!
"...but this is also the story of the woman behind the man, her own ambitions in life, and her unwavering support of her husband, even during great danger. This book reveals a quite different Victorian world than most imagine, the dark underbelly of racial injustice against the Irish in America and the shadowy world of brothels and booze.
The author's aptitude with history and with the travails of the Irish during this time in American history is well-developed, even the seedier aspects of the underlying corruption in politics and the Irish mob/gangs of New York, and of John's eventual relationship with Tammany Hall. For fans of movies such as Cinderella Man or Gangs of New York, this is a splendid rendition of the real life of John Morrissey with very entertaining page-turning passages and scenes, a book easily finished in one sitting.”