Rating: 
Summary: One of the Best Books I've Ever Read
Review: I always recommend this book to my friends by saying "It's the most hilarious book about starving to death". Which is not too far off.What makes this story so great is not what happens in it - it is the "tone" and how it is told. Everything being seen through the eyes of a little boy makes even the worst things seem humorous. His sense of character is great. The people almost jump off the page. I laughed and was very moved by this book. I highly recommend it. PS: The movie has some good performances but never meets the magic of this book. The "tone" is missing.
Rating: 
Summary: A Slow, Disgusting Trainwreck
Review: This is the only book in many years that I decided I did not want to finish reading. I'd heard how wonderful the book was and I actually enjoy slower, touching novels, but this one just didn't even seem worth the time I spent reading it. I didn't think the writing was very good. It was more like an endless, detailed list of all the tragedies that happened to these helpless kids and how no humane person ever tried to help them, especially their own parents and family. It was excrutiating reading it, with no redeeming value anywhere in sight.
Rating: 
Summary: Could have been even better.
Review: I would've given this book more stars but for two things. The foundation and message/moral of this fine book was ruined by #1 the excessive and unneccessary swearing and by #2, the masterbation scene at the end. Just because a writer (or anybody else) delivers a masterpiece, that doesn't mean he/she is excused from writing in good taste. AND, ANY writer can ruin a masterpiece by disclosing too much information. This book was both a masterpiece and a disgusting piece of work to me. America, where have our standards gone?
Rating:
Summary: Best Book I've Ever Read? Maybe...
Review: To not give this book 5 stars shows that you've not done much writing yourself (and perhaps not much living). Because great writing is like a great golf swing: It's real easy, just sitting on your duff watching, till you actually try it yourself.
Angela's Ashes is arguably the greatest read I've ever had; it is arguably the finest memoir ever written. And yes, that means in the history of books. It's that good.
I laughed at one paragraph, I cried the next, and it went like that throughout. Amazing writing. No wonder it took the man so long to accomplish. You people who gave this book less than 5 stars need to go actually write something yourself. Try it out sometime. See how easy. So many critics, so few writers...
Rating: 
Summary: A simply human book
Review: This is the type of book which no film can capture the atmposphere of - a truly sad yet funny story at the same time. I tried to read it twice - the first time i just read the lines "... worse still is the miserable Irish childhood" and didn't really give the book much of a chance. Then my friend encouraged me to read it as she said it was funny and so I decided to give it another chance.I started laughing on the second page in - it was fantastic. I feel the film gives it little justice - as though the book is sad - it deals with survival and humour rather than just sadness. It captures the attention through telling it's story through the eyes of a child - a truly entertaining, human yet funny book.
Rating:
Summary: Not an easy read, but a worthwhile one.
Review: If you can make it through the first 100 pages of "Angela's Ashes," then the rest is much easier. This isn't because it's poorly-written. Far from it; "Angela's Ashes" quickly captures the reader with a unique and compelling voice. The difficulty is that the first part of the book is tragic beyond words... and yet Frank McCourt has found words which capture the tragedy of his early years with ruthless honesty. In bone-clean prose, McCourt details the events of his early childhood, first in America and then in Ireland. His story is an interesting one, to be sure, but the most notable thing about it is the way he tells it. McCourt's straightforward style perfectly portrays how a child sees the world and his family. Especially early on, there is no moralizing or judgment; events simply happen, often for no discernible reason (although reasons are clear to the reader). As McCourt grows, so the prose becomes more complex, and his understanding of what is happening to his family crystallizes. McCourt also does a great job capturing the rhythm and cadence of dialogue and regional accents, especially the Irish way of speaking English. While reading the book's dialogue sequences, a reader can hear the people speaking in their inner ear, can hear the thick Irish accents of some, the clear English of others. Simply put, Frank McCourt has one of the finest ears for dialogue of any writer I've ever read. The imagery of "Angela's Ashes" is simple but vibrant, the story moving and very, very real. It is, in many ways, a difficult book to read, but that is simply because it is so well-written, and portrays a difficult subject with honesty and clarity. One finishes the book wishing that more writers could write this clearly, but even more important, the reader understands what Frank McCourt went through as he grew to a young man. If that reader is anything like me, it will make them very thankful for what they have.
Rating:
Summary: Too much cussing
Review: My daughters and I started listening to the book on tape. It's a good story, and I especially enjoyed hearing the author himself telling the story. But the cussing became so constant that I didn't let the girls listen to the second half. An otherwise great story was ruined by the excessive use of words that detracted rather than added. I don't need to hear GD on every page to get the idea that people actually talk that way. A few examples would have been sufficient.
Rating:
Summary: Exceptional
Review: I don't think I can add anything in this review that hasn't already been said by numerous others. So I will just add my applause and give it a vote of five stars. It is wonderful!!!
Rating:
Summary: Angelas ashes by Frank Mc Court
Review: ANGELA'S ASHES- FRANK MC COURT Angela's ashes, follows one boys quest through the harsh catholic life of Limerick, fighting for survival in a land of poverty. Frank learns to deal with many expected and unexpected happenings, and in the end fulfils his childhood aspirations. Drunken fathers, sin and begging are features,which sum up the main storyline of the novel.
This novel is a non - fictional memoir of a childhood is filled with adventure, poverty and sin. The style in which it is written takes you on a journey back into the past, discovering a life, which can be seen in a new light. The novel is a spyglass into the past, and shows the conditions of a different age, and supposedly a different world altogether.
At the beginning of the novel, there are four main characters. These characters consist of Malachy, Frank, Angela and Mr Mc Court (who is also named Malachy). However as life takes its toll, family members come and go, and more and more strain occurs. Each of the characters is very different (personality wise). They each have very different views on how life should be lead, which sometimes leads to a head on collision.
I think this novel is very unique and absolutely amazing. I believe that I connected with the characters and felt what they felt. At times I found the storyline a bit depressing, however this shows how well the novel has been written. I would recommend it to anyone aged 13 upwards, as it is an extrodinary tale of love poverty and sin. I was captivated by the sadness, and enlightened by the happiness, and can honestly say it was an amazing experience. I think that I would definitely read it again, and I am currently reading the sequel 'tis to Angela's ashes.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Read
Review: It is hard to read this book and still think that life is tough. Here is the story of a young man who is raised in the poorest of the poor in Limerick, Ireland who had to beg for food to eat, pick up coal off the streets for heat, write threatening letters to friends and family for extra money, and even help tear down a wall in his house to feed the fire. It sure made me feel spoiled and appreciate the good life that I have. I liked the stories. Every childhood is this eventful, or at least should be. You learn to like Frank McCourt and even identify with him as he questions the things in life, like the angel on the 7th step and religion in general. You read as Frank McCourt spends years saving up money so he can do what his teacher urged him to do: Go to America where he can have more opportunity. I loved this book and the movie did a very fair job of depicting the events of this book. My only complaint is Mr. McCourt's lack of quotation marks. Sometimes it is very hard to understand who is talking at a given time. You can figure it out from the context, but you would expect more from an English teacher. The quotation marks would have made it flow better. However, I would not hesitate recommending this book to anybody.
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