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Summary: tis very honest
Review: I thought this book was very good, and while some may say it was not as good as ASHES,(I disagree) the point is it is a memoir of Frank McCourt not a fictional story. It is funny and poignant and at times irritating to read the choices that he makes. His honesty in his memoir is blunt and he seems to hide nothing from the reader. He includes so many bad choices(that many would have shied away from revealing) that you can't help but respect his openess about his life. We aren't intended to judge him, but to peek into his life and to see how we are shaped by events and choices in our own lives, in the short and the long term. It may also make us look with a bit more compassion on those around us whose lives we "just don't get!" and to appreciate the blessings we receive no matter how small.
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Summary: You guys are judging completely on the story....
Review: First of all, 'Tis was not as good as Angela's Ashes, but a very close second. All the people whom have reviewed this are basing their opinions on how "childish" he was when he came to America. LOOK, Frank meant to do that. He wanted to show how immature he was, and at the same time, he's showing how mature he is now. 'Tis is a great book with excellent writing, which is the one thing that should be judged in the case of memoirs.
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Summary: Amusing
Review: Although I got a bit tired of Frank McCourt's naive act, I did enjoy reading this book. Many times I felt glad that I wasn't married to such an immature, childish, irresponsible alcoholic; I felt impatient for him to grow up. But humor kept it amusing enough, especially the retelling of his first day teaching at a Staten Island high school. Being a teacher, I found this story to be hilarious. I couldn't help feeling throughout, though, that if it hadn't been for the connections of his brother Malachy, that even "Angela's Ashes" might not have been published.To my mind much better Irish authors are not as appreciated as McCourt, such as Roddy Doyle whose "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha" has the same kind of poignancy as "Angela's Ashes" and Edna O'Brien's whose "Country Girls' Trilogy" is unforgettable.
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Summary: 'Tis
Review: I enjoyed this book but not as much as Angelas Ashes. I felt as though the book was not as well developed as Angelas Ashes. I would still recommend this book, but with the caveat that the sequel is rarely as good as the original.
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Summary: Riveting
Review: Frank McCourt's riveting memoir of his return to the United States at age 19 from Ireland was one of the most compelling reading experiences I have had in some time. McCourt's account of his coming-of-age in a foreign land is funny, sad, engrossing, squirmy, joyous, and so in-your-face realistic that you'll shiver with him as he describes living through winter in NYC in his cold-water flat. And, oh yes, the man can write.
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Summary: Could do better!
Review: The Good Stuff - Frank McCourt is writing about his life. Many readers don't like the person Frank has become, but McCourt cannot change his life to get a better book. McCourt shows refreshing honesty, even writing about the more unsavoury aspects to his character. Tis is very very funny! McCourt is an Irishman, and thus an outsider, so he has his own unique "take" on people and events in his life - eg his first day of teaching. The Not so Good - The book is appears rushed at the end, as if McCourt had to fufill a publishing deadline. I'm sorry, but this is unforgivable. I read elsewhere that McCourt has had three wifes, so why is only one mentioned? The author is entitled to miss things out, but it does seem a shame that important aspects of his life do not get a mention. Tis had the potential to be another masterpiece, like Angela's Ashes, but ultimately fell short.
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Summary: Excellent Author - Enjoyable Book
Review: I was delighted to be able to read 'Tis which I longed to readafter Angela's Ashes. Frank McCourt is an incredibly talented authorwho writes in a very unique way. The reader can expect to almost feel and experience what it was like to be Frank McCourt. When I was reading the book I felt like I was inside his body, experiencing everything he did and feeling the pain and suffering he went through. I loved reading 'Tis as much, if not more so, than Angela's Ashes.
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Summary: 'Tis is Great
Review: Made the mistake of reading quite a few reviews, some professional, some amateur, of "'Tis" prior to purchasing the book. Glad I went with my instincts and bought it anyway; otherwise, I would have missed a good read. You can't compare "Angela's Ashes" with "'Tis" successfully because there are two different narrative points of view, one a child's and the other a young man maturing into an adult. Yep, "'Tis" is sometimes seedy and raunchy, but I never felt it was "whiny," a much-used word used by negative reviewers. The story is the writer's reality, like it or not. Frank McCourt is a gifted writer of great ability and writes so charmingly (even the seedy and raunchy parts) that it would be a shame if he stops at two books.
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Summary: OUTSTANDING
Review: I read Angela's Ashes and was awestruck. I had to follow Frank's life, purchase 'Tis, and disregard reviews of 'Tis that were disappointed with the "sequel". These books were not pieces of fiction; they were the life story of Frank McCourt. I bought "Tis with no preconceived ideas and was not the least bit disappointed. The same writing style and endearing qualities were evident in 'Tis that made me love Angela's Ashes. To think that someone growing up with as little as Frank had - and not just the absence of material things - could be responsible for his own success is amazing. How many second and third and fourth generation Americans rise to the level Frank did with as little as he had to start with. Our population - and newspapers - are filled with the failures of people who expect the world to hand them everything, then blame everyone else when it doesn't. No one handed any of Frank's family anything, and it seems they all had their successes (except Alphie who seemed to disappear). I have mistakenly let a friend borrow Angela's Ashes; I will not lend it again. I want it in my home, and on the shelf with other books I consider to be classics. These two books are treasures, as is Mr. McCourt.
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Summary: Fantastic book!
Review: I don't understand why so many people seem to see Frank a failure as a teacher. As a teacher myself, I understand exactly what he went through in the schools. His "humor" and "irreverence" towards his students & their "attitudes" is very typical of all teachers--good and bad, and anyone who thinks it isn't, is very out of touch with our American education system. His description of his students was very realistic, and I got the impression that he was a very effective teacher, considering that the majority of kids in this country today have to be "entertained" in order to be "taught." I would be interested in hearing some reviews from his former students? How about it? Are you out there?
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