It is 1930 — the Depression — and ground has just been broken for the Empire State Building. One of the thousands of men erecting the building high above the city is Michael Briody, an Irish immigrant torn between his desire to make a new life in America and his pledge to gather money and arms for the Irish republican cause. When he meets Grace Masterson, an alluring artist who is depicting the great skyscraper's ascent from her houseboat on the East River, Briody's life turns exhilarating — and dangerous, for Grace is also a paramour of Johnny Farrell, Mayor Jimmy Walker's liaison with Tammany Hall and the underworld. Their heartbreaking love story is also a chronicle of the city's rough passage from a working-class enclave to a world-class metropolis.

EMPIRE RISING is a historical novel that, like the construction of the Empire State Building on which it centers, grows on the listener. The story begins slowly as the extensive cast of characters, ranging from Tammany Hall politicos to the gruffest iron workers, is introduced. The book then evolves into both a love story and an intricately drawn political novel. Michael Deehy is an excellent choice as narrator. Deehy's soft Irish accent works well with the cast of predominantly Irish characters, particularly immigrant Michael Briody, the protagonist. Deehy fully demonstrates his versatility by giving each of the other characters a unique and convincing voice. While EMPIRE RISING is a bit long, it's a journey worth completing. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

 

Thomas Kelly is the author of two previous books. His first, Payback (1997), is in development as a feature film; his second, The Rackets (2001), is being adapted for a forthcoming ABC series produced by Sydney Pollack. Kelly lives in Manhattan.

Empire Rising by Thomas Kelly
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