Rating: 
Summary: A story of human complexity
Review: I've just finished "Tis" and found I have mixed feelings about the work and the author - feelings I didn't have concerning "Angela's Ashes". During my reading, I found myself rooting for Frank McCourt to not fall into the same trap as his father did, that trap the Irish call "the weakness". I rooted for him to go to school, get the girl, live the American dream happily ever after. But this wasn't the way Frank McCourt's life was to be.So I obviosly made the mistake most reviewers of "Tis" made. This work is a MEMOIR, not a work of fiction nor fantasy. If I take Frank McCourt at his written word, he has been mostly unsuccessful in his life's dreams, and fallen far short of personal goals. The book seems to be more of a self examination held in public for ridicule and criticism - as any good Catholic boy must do. Who else would have to air their linen thus. And who else except a superb story teller could make a success of it in spite of those failings. It's a MEMOIR. It's a sad, joyful, shameful, depressing, and very funny MEMOIR. It doesn't need any psychoanalysis or critical reader analysis, or comparisons to similar authors past or present. It's a MEMOIR!
Rating: 
Summary: Paints a great picture of immigrants in N.Y. in the 50's
Review: Frank McCourt's 'tis painted an excellent, up close view of immigrants' experiences in the 1950's of America. This book was not as captivating as Angela's Ashes, but was just as heartbreaking and humorous at the same time. Mc Court has a talent with words and giving first person, detailed accounts. His settings, feelings, characters come alive as if one's watching a movie on the big screen or is actually there. Frank McCourt relates to the insecurities and disappointments in everyones'lives Irish or not. But as far as being Irish, hits on the nail every experience, attitude, slang of the time all of which are even recognizable today in those who immigrated from Ireland at the same time. He's fortunate and unique to have pursued education at that time, as many did not. But it's people like him who struggled, educated or not, to make the lives of the next generation better. Lastly, in his book he is often annoyed when people say where in Ireland their parents are from, as second generation Irish-Americans often do, because there is a great pride although the first generation are the ones who go through the struggles. He very clearly described his, but comfort is found in the fact that he succeeds as will his families'generations to come.
Rating: 
Summary: Are you tippling a little early for Hallowe'en?
Review: Well here I was reading my Frank McCourt, whom my first-born Son met at Harvard earlier in the month of October, and the last paragraph to stick to my poor memory before sitting down to write was only a sentence long, however at least one-hundred-thirty words if you didn't count twice the abbreviations or hyphenated ones, with so few commas that I paused to wonder what is it with Frank and his commaphobia, though if truth were told, I wouldn't have it any other way even if I could, despite knowing well that his English teachers must have given him one fit right after another about run-on sentences which surely would have disrupted the ebb and flow of his Irish style of writing had he listened and thus been the cause of his never having won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature. Frank, of course, does it with so much more style and gets you caught up in his excitement: "There's nothing in my head but Mike Small, blonde, blue-eyed, delicious, sailing through life in her easy Episcopalian way, the all-American girl, with sweet memories of Tiverton in her head, the small town in Rhode Island, the house where her grandmother reared her, the bedroom with little curtains moving gently at the windows that looked out on the Narragansett River, the bed dressed with sheets, blankets, pillows galore, blonde head on pillow filled with dreams of outings, hayrides, trips to Boston, boys boys boys, and Grandma in the morning setting out the nourishing all-American breakfast so that her little girl can move through the day charming the arse off every boy, girl, teacher and anyone she meets including me and mostly me as I sit stricken on the bar stool." ['Tis, page 206.] That was as close to the bar stool as I came, though back in the hollows of Tennessee where moonshine is yet made you'd never know how we country folk celebrate All Hallows Even unless you change the spelling to what is commonly found in this part of the woods and curl up with 'Tis.
Rating:
Summary: Bleary story and attitude told with great cadence
Review: After reading "Angela's Ashes" I looked forward to "Tis" with virtual lust. I can hear the brogue in his voice, but Franks' failure to grow beyond his beginnings, the overuse of "effing" around and his contemptable treatment of his Mam left me depressed and remembering that nasty little guy in the 3rd row who tried to hump every female who passed his way. In reading this book, I lost respect for McCourt. He fluffs over his divorce, putting it to "squabbles," and belies all that his poor wife must have endured. He fails to take responsibilty and one is left to think much less of the man. Frank, try your hand at fiction next time and try to "grow before you go."
Rating:
Summary: 'tis is an absorbing, compelling read.
Review: I was thoroughly impressed with this continuation of Angela's Ashes. I normally only read fiction novels, but this book had me fascinated. The story flows through NYC and gives an entertaining and historical impression of the time passed. 'Tis made me laugh out loud as well as cry. Check it out today!
Rating:
Summary: A disappointing sequel
Review: I loved "Anglela's Ashes" and could hardly wait for "Tis." But I got the feeling that Mr. McCourt was pressured either by his fans or his publisher to write a sequel. 'Twas a disappointment. The first half contained more than I needed or wanted to know about his sexual awakening and exploits and the ending was incomplete. The descriptions of his days as a teacher, however, were wonderful. His writing style is the same simple narrative we loved in his first book.
Rating:
Summary: Absorbing, funny, and fantasticly written
Review: I read "Angela's Ashes" as well as Malachy's book "A Monk Swimming." It had the same wonderful language and style of Frank's first memoir, but was more uplifting and humorous, like Malachy's memior. I am not yet done, but can't seem to put it down, and am dreading it coming to an end. If you buy any books this year, or need a great holiday present... this is it.
Rating:
Summary: The compelling evidence of a fatal wound
Review: A compelling read, for the first four-fifths of the book, but, as others have noted, "Tis" ultimately disappoints and saddens. Yes, what about his eyes? his teeth, the end of his first marriage, his drinking? You finally see that Frank McCourt, although he got to America, got educated, found work, and wrote a best-selling book, did not emotionally survive his terrible childhood. Inside, he is still the starving, criminally neglected child whose model for manhood is his self-deluded alcoholic father. Some hurts cannot be entirely healed. It's miraculous that he lived to tell the story, and to contribute to society through education, but, as he depicts himself in "Tis," his is the story and the contribution of a child with a permanently broken heart.
Rating:
Summary: Life is complex and not just a cute package tied up w/ a bow
Review: I enjoyed 'Tis. I suppose I don't like the need to compare things, so I feel that 'Tis should be read for what it is and not compared to Angela's Ashes. I especially liked Frank McCourt's description of his visit to Ireland when he was in the Army. When he writes about Limerick and seeing Ireland, it just seems like his writing is magical. Also, his description of his students at the McKee Vocational School on Staten Island is superb. Frank McCourt has truly captured how teenagers respond to reading certain books, writing certain papers, etc. He really knows how a teenager talks and acts. This was some of his best writing in my opinion. He truly has a way with the written word.
Rating:
Summary: A book of chronological misconceptions
Review: Being brought up in London during the depression, and then the blitz makes me appreciate Franks horrible childhood,so well orchestrated in Angelas ashes. However my sympathy ended with "Ti's". Frank, if you ever read this, I know where you'r coming from. I also emigrated to this Country for similar reasons. Your book takes the reader on a journey that was traversed by many thousands of others, it therefore is not unique, niether is it captivating as was "Angelas Ashes", however you made it despite great adversity. My heartfelt congratulations. I did enjoy both books, honest.
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