Angelas Ashes Cd

Rating:
Summary: Can a memoir be selfish?
Review: The writing attracted me. A common thread of inventive, simple prose runs throughout the book giving art to an interesting story. Ferrol Sams's fiction is somewhat like this. I got a little tired of the "self" focus, and found myself more interested in what happened to Michael and Angela, and even the absent father after Frank left. Can a memoir be selfish?

Rating:
Summary: A surprisingly funny look at a family sentenced to poverty.
Review: My Irish relatives are tossing in their graves, wishing they could add their own hilarious comments to Frank's sad tale. It shouldn't be possible to find humor in such a tragic childhood, but my husband and I both laughed steadily throughout this innocent account of a family sentenced to poverty by their father's disease. McCourt perfectly captures the Irish point-of-view, finding honor and love in unlikely places while managing to overlook obvious indications that much is terribly wrong.

Rating:
Summary: Enthralling
Review: When I put the book down as I reluctantly did from time to time to continue with the duties of life, I felt like I had to brush the fleas off of me, wash the rags I most certainly had on and look for food. The book was so engrossing that to put it down, was to wake from a deep sleep.

Rating:
Summary: Wouldn't recommend it to a friend.
Review: After reading the reviews on Amazon.com, I expected to be completely wrapped up in this book. I wasn't wrapped up, however, and didn't recommend it to any of my friends. The book was funny in parts, and depressing in others. But, I just don't see what was so amazing about this book. And, at the end I was left with the question...WHAT HAPPENED TO ANGELA AFTER FRANK WENT BACK TO THE U.S.?

Rating:
Summary: I don't know if i should feel bad for laughing or not crying
Review: Well, I must say that i never expected to read a memoir. I'm glad that i read this one. I can commiserate with the fear of priests and teachers and parents and tauntings from my peers, the fear of the days to come. I've been there. I think we all have. It discourages me that so many people think that Mr. McCourt should be seeking mental care. I don't think he should be. I'm glad he's of the old breed that can remember his life and laugh about it. We all should be able to do that. It gives me hope that in the end we'll all be able to look back on this and laugh. Better yet to be able to tell others and make them laugh too. It's a tragic story but so what we all have tragic stories which I think McCourt understands and this is why he never lets us pity him. I certainly don't pity him. I'm sorry he never got to know his sister or his two brothers, the twins. But oh well. He'll live and he doesn't make me feel that I should go down on my two knees and beg his forgiveness for him growing up the way he did. I think McCourt wrote most of this book laughing his ass off. I would have. I don't feel bad for him. I'm envious. I've never had an apple freshly plucked from the tree and I doubt I'll ever have milk straight from the cow. McCourt is the sterotypical Irishman. He's got troubles but he still manages to laugh about it and so do I and so should we all.

McCourt got over it and I think perhaps his detractors ought to as well.

Rating:
Summary: A Limerick masterpiece
Review: As a native of Limerick, I had been putting off reading this book for many months. After all, who want's to read perceived negative material about a town that I'm proud of and having lived in the US and UK still consider to be one of the top places in the world to bring up a family? I needn't have worried. What a fabulous book! I was stunned with this superb work and as I finished the last page, my first thought was "When the sequel comes, I'll buy it instantly". There are not many authors one can say that about! Basically, Frank was miserable in New York, then Antrim, then Dublin and finally Limerick. Let's face it, being poor in the 30's and 40's in any of these places was a grim existence. There was much controversy in Limerick about the book, both from an image and truth point of view. None of this matters. Well done Frank. Next time you come to Ireland, come and visit to see Leamy's school and enjoy a pint of the black stuff in South's pub! .

Rating:
Summary: Enthralling....You just want to hear more
Review: I purchased the audio version of this book as I'm so pressed for time to read text. I found myself transported from start to finish to Mr. McCourt's world and family life. As others have said I find it difficult to believe that there is no bitterness or hatred in his words or voice. But there are scars. On another level the book took me back to my own childhood. Although I'm not Irish the stifling grip and hypocrisy of the Church rings true for me. The attitude of Church officials toward Frank's family and their rejection of him when he applied to be an altar boy are stinging. After ten years of their educational system and twenty years at their weekly services I'd had enough. I haven't been back since and I assure you they'd have no problem judging someone like me. It was refreshing to hear Frank's voice with all its humor and pathos. Judging from the other reviews I've read it has opened up a dialogue about what it means to be young and poor. To speak with so eloquent a voice lifts us all up.

Rating:
Summary: Read it!
Review: Since I've been buried in graduate school for the past year, I actually hadn't heard of "Angela's Ashes" before I picked it up in a London bookshop. Two pages in, I knew I loved this book. Traveling on the train and ferry to Ireland one weekend, countless people came up to me when they saw me reading the book and told me how much they enjoyed it. I was so impressed with the way McCourt is able to adopt the voice of a young boy while still communicating so clearly to the reader. His story and writing style are truly remarkable.

Rating:
Summary: McCourt frees you of his ordeal by splitting your sides
Review: Life in Limerick should not be this horrific. Lying beside his dead siblings, and wanting for a cut of bread, little Frankie finds the humor about him in a story of self perseverance, and vision.You want to be able to pull Frankie from the death of the River Shannon, and bring unto your own. It is the hilarity by which McCourt helps us through it, sometimes so much so, that, we forget his personal hell. It is indeed an enlightening experience.

Rating:
Summary: There has to be a sequel!
Review: Like many others, I was totally immersed in Frank McCourt's book from start to finish - and it's the finish that bothered me. So I have to ask - is there a sequel still inside his head? If so, please - and may I speak for many others - put it down and let us read it!