Dickens on the Midway - A Review of Celtic Knot

While we often consider ourselves as first editions, we’re really part of a historic continuum that includes the experiences of our ancestors. We didn’t just appear on the world stage without context. Our forebears’ challenges and determination laid the foundation for our lives. Robert Conlon’s novel, Celtic Knot, powerfully recognizes these historical debts, celebrating a legacy forged in the crucible of late 19th-century Chicago.

While fiction, this book is based on the real-life experiences of Conlon’s grandfather, Timothy Conlon.

Tim’s story is reminiscent of Dickens’s “David Copperfield.” At the age of 7, Tim lost both parents within a relatively short period of time. He was separated from his siblings when the parish nuns sent him to an orphanage in Arlington Heights, 20 miles from Chicago. There, Tim was abused by a sadistic monk. He escaped in what can only be described as a prison break and eluded the sheriff and orphanage authorities through his ingenuity and pluck.

Tim found his way back to Chicago, where the “mad monk” from the orphanage pursued him, fearing that Tim would share with the police what he knew about the priest’s abuse.

Tim evaded the monk by hiding out in Chicago’s red-light district, known as Little Cheyenne, where many homeless children without families found informal work, food, and a degree of anonymity. He slept on a saloon’s floor, which he swept for food. Little Cheyenne was Chicago’s vice district lined with brothels, saloons, and gambling dens. It was described by one detective as “one of the toughest and most vicious places on earth.” This was certainly not the ideal environment for an 8-year-old orphan!

As the story unfolds, Tim is assisted by the kindness of a saloon keeper and madame, who help protect Tim against the mad monk who continued to pursue him. As I read the book, I shivered at the thought of my 7-year-old grandson living in such wretchedness.

Despite only having a couple of years of formal schooling, Tim was a voracious reader and autodidact. He taught himself electronics and ultimately built a very successful career in the burgeoning telephone industry. He also married and led a remarkably traditional family life after the challenges of his early childhood. Robert Conlon explores that aspect of his grandfather’s life as well.

I don’t want to reveal too much more. I highly recommend this book; it’s a gripping story, which also sheds light on the Irish immigrant experience in post-fire Chicago. As a fan of Charles Dickens, I found it especially compelling because Tim, like David Copperfield in London, beat the odds in the rough-and-tumble “City of Big Shoulders.” Celtic Knot is a vital contribution to Chicago’s literary landscape, documenting the grit required to overcome adversity.

The author and I attended law school at DePaul together, and his work stands as a loving tribute to both his grandfather and the city of Chicago (Bob and I were carousing on Division Street roughly 100 years after his grandfather was sweeping saloon floors for food!). Celtic Knot also captures the essence of the Irish immigrant experience in the post-fire era, offering a compelling narrative that speaks to the universal theme of David overcoming Goliath. Goliath in this case was the poverty and hardship of a developing metropolis.

Ultimately, Tim’s journey reminds us to honor the sacrifices and hardships that paved the way for our lives. I highly recommend this historical novel to anyone interested in the immigrant journey or the Dickensian realities of early American urban life. It’s a compelling story of survival and success that ensures the legacy of those who came before us is not forgotten.