Danny O'Neill Pentalogy Books in Order

Seven-year-old Danny O'Neill goes to live with his grandmother because his parents cannot support their large family. Amid working-class Chicago, he begins discovering the anxieties, divisions, and demands that shape the world around him.

Danny O'Neill approaches adulthood through high school, family loss, and his first full-time job. His difficulty connecting with his father and peers unfolds against the emotional and financial pressures facing his Chicago family.

At the University of Chicago, Danny O'Neill begins developing confidence in his writing while facing his grandmother's approaching death. As he works on a novel, he prepares to leave his family, neighborhood, and religious upbringing behind.

The final O'Neill family novel turns back toward their immigrant beginnings and the decline of Danny's grandfather and aunt. Experiences of leaving Ireland and settling in Chicago reveal the fears and losses behind the family's later life.

Danny O'Neill grows up between the private pressures of his family and the public life of Chicago's streets. Poverty and conflicting expectations deepen his confusion as the O'Neill and O'Flaherty families continue their struggle.