Peter Quinn is a historical fiction author, best known for his novel "Banished Children of Eve." Born and raised in New York, Quinn has deep roots in the city, with his grandparents having immigrated from Ireland. He is a third-generation New Yorker, and his Irish heritage has greatly influenced his writing.
Quinn began his professional career as a speechwriter for Time Inc., where he worked his way up to the position of corporate editorial director before retiring in 2007. In addition to his work at Time Inc., Quinn has also served as a speechwriter for New York governors Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo. His time as a speechwriter for these prominent political figures gave him a deep understanding of the political landscape, which he has also incorporated into his writing.
In addition to his work as a speechwriter, Quinn has also had a successful career as a novelist. His novel "Banished Children of Eve" won an American Book Award in 1995. The novel is a historical fiction set in New York City during the 1860s and 1870s, and explores the experiences of Irish immigrants during this time period. He has also written other novels such as "Hour of the Cat" and "The Man Who Never Returned."
Quinn is also a prolific writer of non-fiction, with his book "Looking for Jimmy: In Search of Irish America" being published in 2007. He has also contributed articles and reviews to numerous newspapers and journals, including The New York Times, Commonweal, America, American Heritage, The Catholic Historical Review, The Philadelphia Enquirer, The L.A. Times, Eiré-Ireland, and in numerous other newspapers and journals. He is also an active member of the Irish-American community, serving on the advisory boards of the American Irish Historical Society, NYU’s Glucksman Ireland House, the Tenement Museum and the New York City Landmark Conservancy. He is president and co-founder of Irish American Writers & Artists. He is married to Kathleen Burbank Quinn, and they have two children, Genevieve Barry Quinn and Daniel Ryan Quinn. They reside in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.