Nine Irish Lives presents the stories of nine incredible Irish immigrants as written by nine contemporary Irish Americans. Rosie O'Donnell, for instance, the adoptive mother of five, tells the story of Margaret Haughery, known as "Mother of the Orphans"; filmmaker and activist Michael Moore writes about the original muckraking journalist, Samuel McClure; and celebrated actor Pierce Brosnan writes about silent film director Rex Ingram. Some of the figures profiled are well known, others have stories that are less often told; all are inspiring. Compelling history mixed with moving and personal reflection, this collection of portraits is at once uniquely intimate and surprisingly immediate. “Yes indeed, we’re torturously poetic. Awkwardly comic. Willfully ambiguous. Not happy unless we're sad. But the world wouldn't have it any other way. And if anything captures this Irish spirit, it's Mark Bailey's wonderfully eclectic Nine Irish Lives. A marvelous symphony from a variety of well-known voices.” - Colum McCann