Ecclesiastic muralist Jack O'Brien (1925 - 2001) painted the ceilings and walls of cathedrals, churches and State Capitol buildings throughout the Northeast United States during the 1950's and 1960's. After a career-ending injury, he rented a Spartan studio in Toronto, Canada, near Markham and Bloor Streets, and embarked on a six year torrent of writing which produced five books (1969-1975). During this time he served as the President of the Canadian Writer's Guild. In his first book, It's Like This, Jim he brings his artist's pallet of colors, compositions and textures to vividly describe love, beauty, war, death and a glimpse of a time that is quickly disappearing. His voice and worldview are original. The book is written as if the author is having a conversation directly with the reader. It is intensely descriptive, powerful, and moving.
