Rating: 
Summary: Superlative
Review: A suberb performance from a master story teller. Mr. McCourt tells his harrowing tale without a hint of bitterness, but much humour. My only mistake was in purchasing the abridged rather than the unabridged tapes. I soon found coming up with reasons why I needed the unabridged; the extra listening time was worth the added price.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read For Everyone!
Review: I've read it twice and loved it...Even though it's about poverty in Ireland, it's not about poverty, it's not about Ireland...it's about the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. McCourt's writing style is what lends it the most credibility...in the beginning it has the quality of a child telling a story and it matures as he does throughout the book. I didn't care much for his "afterschool activities" in the later chapters...the book could have done without them, but I guess the crucial part of any memoir is the truth through your own eyes. The last chapter is perfect! I'd reccomend to anyone!
Rating: 
Summary: deceptively simple style tells great story
Review: Surprisingly straightforward writing style takes you into this complex view of Irish caricatures and into the author's own maturation. Extremely sad events but you frequently will be laughing out loud during many a heartbreaking episode. Although written with raw honesty, the narrator (McCourt) is the only character I really cared for. You see his warts and others, but end up being sympathetic to only his--but powerfully sympathetic. Many chilling, dramatic images painted throughout the narrated events--some wonderful language. Although very different from Joyce, I would consider this style of stream-of-consciousness or phenomenological writing to be more true to the inner experience than Joyce. Maybe you will see this when you read it. Overall, amazing in the way that it gives you insight into "the human experience." I think this eventually may be a classic in this category.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ!
Review: I was first drawn into reading Angela's Ashes when I passed it in a bookstore. The cover caught my eye...the sad looking little face. When I read the book, I could not put it down! It only took me two days to read it. The book is very well writen, Frank McCourt does a wonderful job, even without the puncuation! The writing style is very unique, and that caught my attention. The reading was quick, because the book was so interesting I could never put it down! I recommend this book to all of my friends, and even strangers! This is my favorite book of all times! I give my thanks to Frank McCourt, for such a wonderful book, and I am eagerly finishing 'Tis, which is just as good! Sarah
Rating:
Summary: Should be 10 STARS!
Review: I am not a highly educated girl. But I love to read. I love to read easy reads. This book was a beautiful read. The tape read by Mr. McCourt just makes this a complete experience. I like the direct style of Mr. McCourt's writing. How dull to read some of the other "best sellers" with their 10 adjectives and 3 adverbs per sentence. How nice to read this book... that a sentence could be 2 to 4 words. It took me years before I decided to read this book, as I do not like to read mainstream books. I am glad I did.
Rating:
Summary: A 'Must Read' for anyone who whines
Review: I swear I will never complain about anything in my life as long as I live (my husband wishes this were really true). I put off reading this book because when a friend described it it sounded so depressing. This friend would describe the authors hardships but with a strange smile as she tried to explain,"But it's not just about starving, it's funny. Trust me." So I trusted my friend. This book broke my heart--sent me into utter dispare. But McCourt's down to earth writing style and naive childhood dialogue was hysterical. A four year old would really talk and think like that! I finished the book last night and didnt go to bed depressed--Instead I am truly grateful for all I have. I loved this writing style--without quotation marks and with run-on sentences. Children dont usually think in perfect sentence structure anyway. What an incredible story.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book on tape!
Review: I listened to Angela's Ashes as narrated by the author on my 50-mile-per-day commute, and I kept looking for excuses to drive anywhere so I could keep listening. His voice was so infectious, and the story was so amusing and so horrifying at the same time, that I became totally obsessed and had to be told to turn the Irish accent off. I don't know whether it would have affected me as much if I'd just read the text; chances are it would have made me laugh out loud and cry just as much. McCourt has the rare ability to tell a ghastly story of a childhood in the midst of poverty, desperation, needless infant mortality, drunkenness, class prejudice, religious oppression, and sheer meanness in a gentle, almost elegiac fashion. I did not find it maudlin or overly sentimental, as I was afraid I would with all the hype.
Rating:
Summary: An english teacher that uses no quotation marks?
Review: Frank McCourt, Your book is wonderful, I can even hear the Irish accents. Your use of words is more than spell-binding, but you've certainly made my reading laboured. You omitted quotation marks, and that impedes the cadence of your lovely book. Maybe the hard-bound copy has the quotation marks, and the paperback doesn't. Could that be? Enlighten me, Mr. McCourt. This is a style of writing that I've not seen before. Will I read more of your books? Och aye! I'll even volunteer to insert the quotation marks and then you can add me to your "small hymn to an exaltation of women". (notice how nicely I did that?) Respectfully, E. Christina Dabis
Rating:
Summary: TO REAL TO LIFE!
Review: My grandfather is a home-child from Ireland. He lived the life of Frankie except for the fact that he didn't have anyone who loved him. His mother met a man when my grandfather was a young boy and he didn't want children so his mother gave him to an orphanage where he was beaten by nuns and starved. This book was so true to life. People comment how depressing it is and so is the movie - Frank McCourt obviously did a wonderful job in writing his memoirs!
Rating:
Summary: Magnificient!
Review: At first I had absolutely no interest in reading a book about someones hard life in Ireland, even if it was a #1 NY times best seller. There is a lovely Irish woman I ride the bus to work with every day, and we talk for very nearly the whole hour of our ride into work. This woman is in her early 60's. The movie ANGELAS ASHES was about to come out and she mentioned that she read the book three times and cried all 3 times because the book was exactly her life in County Kerry. Every page that she read brought back memories. The extreme poverty, going without shoes all the time, the meanness of the teachers, and a father that drank at every opportunity. She told me that if I want to know what her childhood was like in Ireland just read ANGELAS ASHES. After talking with her I became more than curious and intrigued. The first page of the book is very powerful and sets the stage for the rest of the book. I could not put it down. Who the hell cares about the run on sentences & lack of punctuation. I was so engrossed that I didn't even notice any of that. Some of the best books I've ever read were written in plain language. No fancy, its obvious I've got my PhD jive. Frank McCourt still manages to pull the reader into his story & draw emotions. At least that is what Frank McCourt did with me. Once you are finished reading the book you continue to think about it long afterwards. I am a member of an African-American book club and I put ANGELAS ASHES on the list of books for the other members to read & for us to discuss. I am so glad that I read this book and can't wait to see the movie. This book & Frank McCourt will long be remembered and talked about.
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