The McKannahs

By Rick Magers

Grizzly Books

ISBN 

2004

            The McKannah's is the epic story of a tough Irish family that settles in nineteenth century California.  It tells the plight of the Spanish Californios whose culture was crushed by the land-hungry Anglos, and chronicles the tragic devastation of California's Native Americans by the settlers' greed and prejudice.

            Sean McKannah was born in Ireland.  When his family is killed in a fire he runs away to sea to find a better life.  He is befriended by the captain of his ship and supported by this friend as he matures.  McKannah leaves the sea in California to go gold hunting. He falls in love, marries, has a family and makes his place in California.  This is the thrilling story of his adventures and adventures of his sons. 

            One of Sean's sons becomes a Texas Ranger. Two become lawyers.  Another is an honest professional gambler.  His very special fifth son, Jesse -- Jesse becomes the legendary "White Buffalo," friend to the California Native Americans.

 Neither the Irish, the Californios nor the Native Americans were fully accepted by other Americans during the nineteenth century.  Magers has woven a great story around the triumphs and tragedies of the settlement of western America. The McKannah's is a mixture of historical fact and well-crafted fiction that holds the reader's interest to the last page and leaves you wishing for more.

A.H.Holt, editor

WesternFictionReview

June 2004