Hannah's Left Hook

by Brian McKeown

Through countless scrubbings of St. Lawrence’s Church floor, a poor washerwoman develops a devastating left hook. During the Great War she persuades the Birkenhead Shipyard to hire her as its first female laborer, beginning her transformation into a working-class legend.
Set in northwest England, Hannah’s Left Hook is a story of survival, feisty determination, and the occasional black eye. Hannah Corcoran and her family battle their way through the tumultuous events of the first half of the twentieth century. Whether it’s a butcher who thumbs his scales, a foreman who exploits female shipyard workers while their husbands and brothers fight the Great War, an agent provocateur who escalates the food riots of 1932, or a sergeant who drafts under-age boys during WW II—Hannah’s left hook strikes to defend the rights of the unemployed and the oppressed.

276 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2014

About the author

Brian McKeown's historical novel, HANNAH'S LEFT HOOK, was published in 2014 by Garland Press. Brian was born and raised in Birkenhead, England.His father was a docker and his mother was a clippie on the buses. He attended St. Anselm’s College, did a stint in the RAF and the Merchant Navy, and then studied electronics at Birkenhead Tech, which allowed him access to the fledgling computer industry.After being hired by an American computer company, he relocated to Central Massachusetts where he has lived happily for the last thirty-five years. His first book,Enter at A Laughing, is a collection of humorous essays.

Reviews

[Diane Mulligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to buy an advance copy of this novel from the publisher at an event in March. Although I don't read a lot of historical fiction, the premise caught my attention, so I decided to give it a try.

From the first introduction of Hannah and her vicious left hook, I was complete engaged in the story. Hannah is a feisty and fierce protagonist who stands up to bullies and advocates on behalf of women and of the laboring class, but she's also a devoted and loving mother. What's not to love?

The setting of Birkenhead, a small town near Liverpool, comes to life in the hands of Brian McKeown. McKeown's storytelling style is direct and clear, and as he conveys the lilting Irish accent of his main characters (Irish living and working England, another group of people Hannah advocates for), you get the fireside feeling of having a story told directly to you in a way that's charmingly old-fashioned, in the best possible sense.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

First I have to say that I absolutely adore and love Hannah!

This is a beautifully written story. Hannah is probably one of my favorite characters ever. A women who goes around punching men who totally deserve it and a women who is not at all afraid to stand up for what she believes. I think we should all hope to have a little Hannah in us. A women famous for her left hook, but also such a loving wife and mother and daughter. Hannah goes through a lot of tragedy in her life and still somehow manages to remember what is really important in life... Family, love, and doing what is right.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great Historical Fiction novel. Or a great read in general!

[Bonnie Cassidy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book because the author was speaking at our local library. I missed the talk, but kept chipping away at reading the book. The premise is a bit silly--a women who goes around losing her temper and punching people in her town--but it did provide an interesting perspective on pre-war England in a ship-building town.

[Darlis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really good! I loved the story of Hannah's life. She was always trying to improve her lot. The book is s aseries of stories at different times in her life. Really well done.