"The Big Yank - Memoir of a Boy Growing Up Irish," is the story of a young boy growing up in the late 60's/70's rural Ireland. J.P. Sexton's family lived in dire poverty in the most Northerly Region of Ireland - the Inishowen peninsula of County Donegal. Ireland at that time was economically depressed and while many families struggled to make ends meet, the Sextons' battled (in more ways than one) on a daily basis just to scrape by.
At the age of nine, the author was recruited by his father to become a smuggler. His father; John Sexton, known throughout North Donegal as; "The Big Yank" (due to his having been born and raised in New York), had the canteen franchise at the Clubman shirt factory in Buncrana. When he realized that certain food could be bought across the border in Derry for half of what it cost down in the Republic, J.P.'s father began smuggling food across the border, assisted by his young family, every weekend.
Even the "Troubles," when Derry city was being constantly bombed and burned, did not deter The Big Yank from his clandestine shopping expeditions. The family smuggling business only ceased when the restaurant business folded, due to poor financial management. In order to save money by not having to rent a house, the author's father came up with a plan to save money by making his family live in a disused, Lough Swilly Double-Decker bus on the side of a Donegal mountain. Without running water or electricity, it was all downhill from there. Literally.
Review :
"The Big Yank is a well thought out manuscript of modern social history of life in Donegal at that time. Its delivery as a primary source is invaluable. It is funny, has pathos, evoking pity, sadness and the essential flavor of humor throughout. Its natural audience is wide-ranging. The Big Yank is a work of important social value to past and present generations."
"The Big Yank is a mesmerizing work full of grit and laughter. Several of Sexton's descriptions of emotional abuse gave me flashbacks to my own growing up years. But this is not a tale of woe. Sexton is not a victim, he is a victor who artistically weaves a sobering but hilarious saga of how one boy succeeds when most of the cards are stacked against him. Despite the adult content, as a former teacher, I would recommend The Big Yank to high school students."
"J.P. Sexton's The Big Yank is a powerful story about growing up in Donegal, Ireland in the 1970s. He writes with refreshing humor, while underneath the laughter he breaks your heart with the harsh reality of his experiences during his formative years. This book gives you a powerful image of life in rugged rural Donegal, while at the same time portraying the power of the human spirit to overcome even the most difficult circumstances. I laughed and cried while reading this book, all the while completely drawn in by J.P. Sexton's forthright ability to tell his story, and his natural, easy writing style. I could not put this book down, and will look forward to more books by Mr. Sexton."
"Oh! my God its like I'm on his journey and I can just picture the towns and the people and the adventures, the way he's writing it, I have to slow my self down to just one chapter a day. Its like I'm there with him. So far it goes down as the best book I've read and Lord knows I've gotten tons."
"I read this wonderful book in one day! The author's story captured me from the first page. Joy, sorrow, hardships and triumph, it's all here. Mr. Sexton is a wonderful writer. He is an expert at drawing the reader in to experience the sights, sounds and emotions of his life story. You can almost hear his lilting brogue jump off the pages. I am now a fan and would buy anything written by this talented, brutally honest writer. Well done!"
"It was a fabulous book. Extremely funny and well written. I can't wait for the next installment!!"
"This story holds your attention in the same way as John Grisham in his books that aren't about lawyers ("The Painted House" and "Playing for Pizza.") The fact this is a true story holds the reader from the beginning. I didn't want it to end. One of the few books I would read a 2nd time."
"I had the honor of meeting author John Sexton at the Maryland Irish Festival where I had the good fortune of buying his memoir 'The Big Yank'. Not usually a fan of memoirs, I found that John's book stirred many emotions within me. As a mother, I was shocked and enraged by the abuse he suffered at the hands of those who should have been cherishing and encouraging him. His resilience in dealing with life with this dysfunctional family had me cheering him on and laughing out loud at some of the situations which he finds himself in. His descriptions are so well done that I found that as I read, the story was playing like a movie in my mind. The art of storytelling is alive and well within J.P. Sexton and I eagerly await more from this very gifted author."
"J.P. Sexton is a master storyteller! Growing up in unimaginable poverty and brutality, Sexton takes us on a journey filled with colorful characters, humor, humility and most of all honesty"
