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Summary: Angela's Ashes
Review: The book Angela's Ashes was a very interesting story about the author, Frank McCourt's, life as a child. At the beginning of the book it was a little hard to get into but after the first couple of chapters it was full of excitement and unbelieve things.Overall this book was very good.
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Summary: angela's ashes
Review: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt was an awsome book to read because it really gave me a preaty good view on how people delt with poverty in the old days, and this book can open a blind mans eyes and show them what it was rally like.
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Summary: best book I ever read
Review: I was never a reader until this book. I enjoyed it so much I read all the time now - but few books have come close to Angelas Ashes.
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Summary: a mirthful telling of a life in poverty
Review: Frank McCourt demonstrates humor without detracting from the seriousness of his poor Irish-Catholic childhood. Born in Brooklyn, his family returned to its native Ireland while he was young. He has a drunken father to whom he looks up to, a younger brother Malachy and two younger twin brothers who die. Most of all, he has Angela, his mother who does her best with what she has to raise them right. The family rents a chilly room in a lane, where the downstairs is so wet they can't live there --- so they call the warm toasty upstairs "Italy". While their father drinks away what little money they have, the mother is collecting coal in the street for heat, going to welfare societies for clothes, shoes and furniture. The story is told by the viewpoint of young Frank as he grows up, and includes tales such as his first jobs, the first girl he ever loved, a long illness in a hospital where he befriends a young girl and has his first taste of literature. It is written in a funny witty style, and readers will feel joy for Frank even when he is in the worst of situations, because you know he has within him what he needs to prevail.
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Summary: An incredible tale by a master storyteller
Review: I picked up Angela's Ashes on tape from the library just on a whim, knowing nothing about the book and listened to it during my daily commute. It is narrated by Frank McCourt, and that made it all the more powerful (and entertaining!) He writes the book exactly how he would have spoken then, so I can imagine that for a well-read person, the contractions and punctuation and other bits of grammar (or lack thereof) might be a challenge at first. Listening to him tell his life's story is something altogether magical. Frank McCourt tells of his life as a child growing up in severe poverty. Only a master storyteller could get you to laugh out loud at a boy who has suffered such severe hardships that I could hardly believe them. I'm sure that some of the circumstances have been embellished for the sake of the story, but I have no doubt that people did and probably still do live in conditions such as Frank McCourt and his family. The deplorable conditions and situations were sometimes difficult to listen to, and I wanted to crawl through the cassette deck on more than one occasion and kick some "arse" myself. It made me realize how little a child really needs to be happy and healthy, and a little ashamed of our own children "deprived" and "falling down with the hunger" because they had to have toast with their eggs instead of a strawberry Pop Tart. This book certainly helped me to appreciate my own life, and made me unbelievably proud and happy that little Frankie McCourt made it out of that hell and wrote to tell about it. It will also make you quite hungry for fish and chips with plenty of vinegar and salt, which is where I'm headed right after quitting time!
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Summary: Nothing great in this story
Review: Whilst this is a well written poignant story there is nothing new in it or particulary alluring to keep you reading. In fact the story is rather dismal and depressing. If you are feeling down and want to prove that others have had troubles worse than yours pick up this book and have a good read. If you are after entertainment you won't want to read this book.
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Summary: Excellent book!
Review: I read this book on a plane headed to Los Angeles and simply could not put it down! I was completely engrossed from the moment I began reading it until the moment I finished. This book gave me a lot to think about. The mere openness of Mr. McCourt concerning his life was amazing. I was often times livid about the way in which he had to go about his life, and felt the pain of his mother who in her own way remained strong and hopeful during his father's constant battle to find stable employment. His father was a very interesting man. I believe that he was suffering from a broken-heart due to the loss of his daughter and
twin sons. I believe the elder McCourt could have been an author or story-teller within his own right. I feel that such things can be a given and passed down from generation to generation. I think that this indeed was an interesting point that Mr. McCourt made in his movie and book that his father was always telling him stories in which apparently he remembered and retained. It is hard to imagine how one could have survived such an upbringing; nevertheless this book is a perfect example how Mr. McCourt was ever so eloquent in his one dream of coming to America. I was touched by his willingness on several occassions in which even as a child he worked and tried to take on the responsibilities of caring for his family. I thought that was beautiful when he became in the very words of his father when he left for London, "the man of the house." Mr. McCourt honesty and straight-forwardness about the events that occurred in his life makes him one the most beautiful authors that I know. Honesty within itself is a beautiful thing. The freedom to write an honest piece of work is far more intriguing. I love this book it touched my life. I have read this book more than once, and somehow when I want to place myself within a situation of all odds I read this . . . And then I am reminded of the dream of Mr. Frank McCourt and I am totally convinced that anything is possible within my life if only I just BELIEVE! I highly recommend this book to all . . . it is one excellent read!
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Summary: Hmmmm
Review: Another one of those recent books which has to compared with the movie. As ever the book wins hands down. Not a light read but enjoyable none the less. It is the writers memoirs of a poor upbringing mainly in Limerick. Does it really rain there contantly? The downstairs of the family is permanently flooded. The loss of siblings is described in a matter of fact way which emphasises its inevitability. It is not all gloom. There are moments of real humour - particularly the first communion where 'The Lord Jesus' becomes stuck in his throat and is subsequently vomited into the back-yard. As this is a memoir it is unclear how much is historically accurate. but it isn't a history book. I would have given it 5 stars but it was depressing in places. Hardly a reasonable criticism.
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Summary: And this guy taught writing???
Review: I'm Irish. Oviously not the same kind of Irish this guy wrote about...if you can call it writing. I pity the poor students in his class -- and say "for shame" on the school that hired him. So, he thinks this is how all the Irish talk? And how they behave? Not in my family, nor any of the other hundreds of other Irish families I knew growing up, and still know. This book is a disgrace to any ethnic group. Maybe this guy should get some therapy and work out his pain and anger over his "...miserable Irish Catholic childhood..." But then, we wouldn't have another 'feel sorry for me' book, now would we...
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Summary: Funny, sad
Review: The memoir "Angela's Ashes" is a compelling life-story of the author, told in colorful (or drab, as the case often is), witty and refined descriptions. McCourt offers insightful, painful and clever excerpts of his life growing up in Ireland. The book is both depressing and uplifting at the same time.
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