John Desmond was born in the old mill city of Lowell, Massachusetts. He spent time in the "Acre" section of that city where his mother's family lived. The "Acre" was a slum originally established as a neighborhood for Irish immigrants. As a young boy, he saw many poor people struggle to make ends meet, and, as a result, developed an empathy for the working man and woman who did the best they could to provide for their families.
Desmond attended a Catholic elementary school and then the city's public school system, graduating from Lowell High school in 1969. Not being able to afford high tuitions, Desmond is a product of the Massachusetts state college system and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in History and a Master's degree in Education. He was later accepted into and completed two graduate studies at Harvard University.
He taught History for thirty four years at Billerica Memorial High School in Massachusetts before trying his hand at writing.
As a teacher, Desmond joined the local teachers' union and got involved in contract negotiations. It was during that time that he encountered an anti-union mentality that was disturbing to him, and which seems to have intensified in the present time.
He also became alarmed at the animosity that has developed toward immigrants in this country. "It seems to me that many people of the United States need to be more aware of their history," said Desmond. "If they look back into our past, they will be reminded of the inhumane treatment that was visited upon immigrants and laborers in this country, possibly their own ancestors. We are making the same ugly mistakes today that we made in the 19th century. By looking at who we were, we can see who we are and, hopefully, bring about positive change. Immigrants and unions have made wonderful contributions to this society. Many people need to be shown what life was like for the average man, woman, and child in this country before our ancestors brought about all the reforms and benefits that we enjoy and take for granted today. This is why I wrote "The Black Thorn."
Early reviews of "The Black Thorn" on Amazon have been excellent. Readers have commented on its relevance to today's ongoing social and political challenges, its readability, and its engaging, entertaining, story telling style. "The Black Thorn" has been praised for its historical accuracy, and compared by one reviewer to John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath."
Currently, Desmond lives in Andover, Massachusetts with his wife Cindy. He has two sons, John and Jeff, and five grandchildren.
"The Black Thorn" is Desmond's first novel.
If you are interested in contacting this author, his email address is desmondius@hotmail.com.
