In response to David Barrow:
  Brock claims in the foreword to the book that most of the events
he describes are historical....of course, where historical fiction
crosses the line is a question.  At any rate, in response to your
question, part of the novel deals with the "Fenians," apparently
(this was news to me) sort of a 19th century American branch of
today's IRA.  The Fenians were a post-Civil War organization dedicated
to forcing the English to "give Ireland back to the Irish," pretty
much by whatever means necessary, as told in the novel.
   I happen to be of Irish descent.  My grandparents came over, andas a
kid I saw the Erin Go Bragh stuff lying around, was taken to the St Paddy's
Day parade, St Patrick's Cathedral, and so forth.  However, I never
heard the term "Fenian" and haven't followed up on it in the library.  As
Brock paints it, though, this was not a very attractive movement, and
neither the main character nor Twain, in the novel, is sympathetic to
the militant Irish nationalists.  As individuals, some of the Irish are
are portrayed very warmly, and others as villains.  You asked particularly
about "Pap."  I don't think much of this pertains very directly, although
drinking does create problems for several of the characters.

   One sidelight.  In the story, the Fenians try to invade Canada to
pressure the British.  Does anyone know if this is fact or fiction?

Mike Dooris
Penn State Univ