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Summary: A strong argument for Audio Books...
Review: Frank McCourt narrates his own autobiography for the audio edition. Rarely ever do I find this preferable to reading the book yourself...but listening to him recount the trials and inequities of life in Limerick, Ireland adds a dimension not found in the text. Having grown up aware of the social and economic disparity in the world and in life, McCourt has developed a cynical, yet optimistic tone and it resonates in his voice. Rather than pity himself, follow the footsteps of his father and many like him and chase his sorrows away with the pint, he has turned troubles into an entertaining memoir. With his voice you are convinced that he only wants to amuse you, rather than seek your sympathy (the only sympathy he seems to desire is for unsung heroes, such as his mother). You can't help but picture him slightly grinning throughout the performance. Even if you read the book, I recommend finding the Audio Cassette or CDs...he truly brings his work to life.A sidenote: it also may be easier, since in the book he does not use quotation marks. You will spend some time differentiating between dialogue and narration.
Rating: 
Summary: Sad but Funny
Review: Although angela's ashes is a really sad book, the author writes everything with a light sense of humor. And as much as he tells us about the hardships of his childhood and how tough life at home was, he doesnt fail to stick in a good anecdote or two about school or him and his brothers. I really enjoyed this book, and i think that the author did a really good job of getting a not so bright story across without making the book a total sob-fest.
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Summary: Angela's Ashes
Review: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, tells the harrowing tale of his poverty stricken childhood in the lanes of Limerick, Ireland. McCourt proclaims the beginning of the book, "Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood." Angela's Ashes shows the truth of his statement through the horrors and hardships of Frankie McCourt's miserable Irish Catholic childhood. These feelings are shown through many small memories and some more important experiences of Frank McCourt's childhood and teenage years. Despite the sadness and depression displayed in the memoir, McCourt is able to laugh at his poverty and is constantly using irony and his dark humor about his upbringing in Ireland.
Frank McCourt is born Irish Catholic in New York City, but when his only sister dies soon after her birth Frank's family decides to move back to Limerick, his mother's hometown in Ireland, thinking times would be better there. They could not have been more wrong, the depression is at its worst, and the rest of Ireland is trying to leave while they are returning. Malachy, Frank's father, is a severe alcoholic, and cannot provide the family with any money except what the dole, a payment given to the unemployed, gives him. Even then the family of six has to live off practically no money. The children's diet consists of solely fried bread and tea, hardly enough for growing boys to live off of. Their tiny apartment is constantly flooding and the McCourt's are forced into one room with one bed for most of the year. After a year of extremely meager living conditions the two twin baby boys of the family die of malnourishment. Frank's dad, eventually leaves to work in England in a munitions factory, but only after leaving his wife with two more baby boys to feed. As expected Malachy never sends back any money to his family who continue their poverty-stricken lives.
Frank's home and school life is extremely structured around his Catholic religion. During Angela's Ashes Frankie McCourt goes through many rites of passage in the religious world, as well as in the Limerick community, which mark his growth into a man. His first confession, first communion, and confirmation were all ceremonies in which Frank and the town of Limerick looked upon as great events which marked moments in a boy's growth into a man and a member of the Catholic Church. But also in this memoir McCourt mentioned occasions which meant the most to him while growing up. The time of the most pride for Frank is when he starts earning some money when he is a young teenager and is able to help feed his family. That however was short-lived and he soon has to return to school. When Frank finishes school as a young adult he begins a real job at the Limerick Post Office as a message boy. Also as a tradition in Ireland he had his first pint of beer the night before he turned 16, an acceptance into the man's world in Limerick.
I believe that Angela's Ashes is a great inspirational memoir as well as a very entertaining story. McCourt not only writes in the perspective of a child or teenager, he makes it convincing that the writing is coming from an adolescent, not a forty-year old English teacher as he is. However that does not stop him from using wonderfully descriptive language and intelligent writing which is consistent throughout the book. The incredible story of his childhood kept me captivated, and funny anecdotes made me laugh out loud, and stopped me from being too depressed by Frank's sad tale.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Memoir
Review: Angela's Ashes recalls Frank McCourt's Irish Catholic childhood. He and his family suffer disease, death, alcoholism, and poverty. McCourt's style of writing is so affective. It is a good memoir making each scene come to life. This book may be compared to other coming of age non-fiction writing, but it is unique in its setting and style. McCourt's creative non-fiction style is strong. It has both imagery and reflection. The writing has great chronological structure and organization. Because it is written from memory, there are some gaps, but it can still be read as stream of thought. The gaps also make the writing realistic. No one can account for every moment of their childhood. Reading this book was enjoyable. It made me aware of historical situations that I did not have knowledge of previous to reading this book. The writing is unique and compelling. McCourt's story telling keeps the reader wanting to know more, even though it entails poverty and disease.
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Summary: Mrs. Bisson's history class review
Review: Angela's Ashes was a real exciting read for me. Going through the growing process of Frankie McCourt proved to be more captivating than i had expected. He revealed personal details about himself that you would not expect and overcame great poverty, getting virtually no help from his drunken father. It's a great read and i recommend it to everyone.
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Summary: Great Book!
Review: This was a great book. One of the best books i've read about hardships that people went through during the times of the war. I love reading non fiction books because it lets me put myself in their position and makes me think about how hard life would be in those days. I usually dont hear about many stories about Irish familes and what they went through. I hear about Jewish or American familes. Turns out that Ireland had many poor areas and didnt have much money during the war. Frank McCourt and his family lived in Ireland during this time and they went through many diffuclties living. Especially with a father that is an alchoholic and uses most of his money on drinks. if you love reality books and you like to know how people used to live, like Frank McCourt, than i recommend you read this book.
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Summary: Angela's Ashes Book Review
Review: Angela's Ashes is definitely a book worth reading! Frank McCourt, the author of this memoir, retells the story of his childhood first in Brooklyn, New York and later in Limerick, Ireland. McCourt suffers a cruel life of poverty, neglect from his alcoholic father, and relentless pressure from the Church and his school yet is able to overcome these obstacles in the end and return to the states to start his life over. I loved this novel and i promise that you will too! Go now and start reading it!
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Summary: Universal
Review: This book is so universal in its portrayal of pain, suffering, hope, love, life, and the human condition, that it would be impossible not to relate to it on some level. There are so many memoirs, or memoir-hybrids, floating around out there (Sedaris's "Me Talk Pretty" which is funny, McCrae's "Bark of the Dogwood," which is funny and disturbing," "Memoirs of a Geisha," which is wonderfully colorful and paced) that one hopes this one, "Angela's Ashes" won't get lost in the shuffle. McCourt is a genius when it comes to translating his feelings onto paper and we can only hope for more books like this in the future from other writers. This is a great book, full of warmth, fun, and ultimately, love. A beautiful read with a beautiful story. Pass it on.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: I loved this book. If you are interested in learning about poverty stricken cultures and how they survived than you will want to read this. It gives a descriptive account of a child's life as he grows up in Ireland with many death's in his family and an alcoholic. It is revolting the things children have to bear, and it gives the reader a hope and desire to help those in alike posistions.
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Summary: Book review For English ( Angela's Ashes)
Review: Angela's Ashes is a great book for anyone who likes to read. It takes you through the life of An Irish family, who's kids were born in America, with the family now back in impoverished Limerick, Ireland. Working hard, trying to find jobs, money, food, shelter, and even friends in the community. Author (Frances)Frank McCourt; is the oldest son in the family, and the story is told through his eyes. It is very interesting, and has a lot of Irish and American history. I highly reccomend this book, and although it is depressing for the most part, it is a real uplifter afterwards, and your life doesn't seem so bad all of a sudden. READ IT!
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