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Summary: Katy's Review of Angela's Ashes
Review: My book is called Angela's Ashes, it is by Frank McCourt. I found my book very interesting, because it was rough to learn that they were so poor. I really liked the spirit Frankie and his family had for Ireland and their heritage. I agreed with Frankie about how the most miserable childhood is the Irish childhood, and worse yet the Irish Catholic childhood. Sometimes things would get so bad to the point were he thought he couldn't go on. I felt that Ireland is somewhat similar to what America was once, when we were divided into the Confederacy and the Union. It angered me to read about how everyone was critical about people, and where they were from. For example on page 247 Frank said, "She calls me scabby eyes, she says I'm the spitting image of my father, I have the odd manner, I have the sneaky air of a northern Presbyterian, I'll probably grow up and build an alter to Oliver Cromwell himself, I'll run off and marry an English tart and cover my house with pictures of the royal family." It seemed as if most Irish people were biased where the McCourts lived, they were so particular. In addition, I didn't understand why even just one person would be smart enough to not drink or smoke. And why didn't anyone even limit the number of drinks a person could have? I felt really sorry for all the people of Limerick because not only were they in poverty, but also they were so unhappy from getting drunk too often.
In Angela's Ashes the theme or message that the author was trying to portray was to make the best of your situation and be happy with it. Frank and his brothers were so excited when they got a piece of toffee or went to the Lyric Cinema; it seemed to me like it was the best thing in the world to them. I definitely agree with that. I feel it's so important to make everything special regardless of how horrible the conditions. This book doesn't relate to my life, but I learned so much from it like about how what life is like for people with a completely different childhood than mine. There seemed to always be one more challenge or problem that Frank had to face, which I had never had to deal with. As I read more I became more thankful for the little things that came upon him, and for what I have experienced growing up.
I would recommend this book to people who can handle reading anything sad, and have an interest in other cultures. This book was very well written and realistic. I became involved in it, and couldn't stop reading. This book, Angela's Ashes, is a great true story.
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Summary: Testament to Irish Immigrants ( and Vice Versa).
Review: Angeles Ashes was thrust at me as a must read for anyone of Irish descent. My response is to thrust "Rat Catcher," a rare Scottish film back as an even more devastating story of the wider Celtic experience. Angeles Ashes is first rate story telling and gives you a real cross section of Limerick, Ireland in the 1930's. Rat Catcher is both visual and playwriting poetry. While Frank McCort made it out of the hard life to come back to America, Rat Catcher has no happy ending or easy moral to the story. I would strongly recommend Angela's Ashes to my Scottish friends, and Rat Catcher to my Irish friends, or recommend both about the wider Celtic experience in the 20th century. Unlike Angela's Ashes, outside of Scotland it is difficult to find Rat Catcher. However, it is a rare treat if you can find it.
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Summary: Why you should read Angela's Ashes
Review: I believe Angela's Ashes is a great story and very worthwhile to read. Frank McCourt's dreams of growing out of poverty and making a better life for himself sends the story on a whirlwind of tragedies and hilarious happenings. He is such a strong character for supporting his family, his dreams, and himself. Without Frank, I do not believe the McCourt's would have survived the way they did. His story is truly inspirational and proves that anything is possible as long as you keep your dreams alive.
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Summary: Amazing, Remarkable.
Review: This is a marvellous book. An exceptional story, well narrated by an exceptional writer. It made me laugh. It brought tears to my eyes. What's remarkable is that it isnt funny and tragic by turn - but both simultaneously. You develop an insight into almost each of the characters that inhabit the pages. Cannot wait to read Tis. Or anything else Frank McCourt may write.
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Summary: Bittersweet
Review: Frank McCourt has written an immigrant's tale for the new generation. American by birth, moved back to Ireland when he was a small boy. This is his story from when he was young until he moves back to America in his twenties. This autobiography is both hysterically funny with tales of his communion to crushingly sad with the death of siblings due to poor health and poverty. McCourt writes about his father and the problems he has with alcohol. He also writes about his unloving aunt who also buys his first true suit for work. For me, the most poingment moment of the book is when he comes home drunk the first time and his mother has to deal with him. This book is a true triumph because even with crushing poverty, McCourt writes about good times and friends growing up. This book is well worth the time and once you start, you can't put it down again.
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Summary: Painfully honest, beautifully told
Review: This book is brilliant not because it is a Pulitzer Prize winner (although it actually is), but because it is written in such a heartfelt manner. A painfully honest memoir, I was totally glued to the pages. The description of life in Catholic Ireland was vivid and gave a whole new meaning to hardship and resilience. McCourt is an excellent writer and he took us all through his early days in Ireland until his journey to the United States of America. If only all memoirs are this interesting!
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Summary: Great reading
Review: Angela's Ashes tells the hard life story of Frank McCourt. The book starts out in New York where he was born. His Family fall on hard times and they move to Ireland, where they live in poverty. His father is a drunk and is always in the pubs and drinks all their money away. Through the book it shows how McCourt over comes his family problems and becomes a better person from it. The content of the book starts when he is five to till he is seventeen. The book is easy to understand this way, because there is no jumping around. The dialog can be confusing with the Irish dialect, but at the same time it is nice to hear exactly what they would say in certain situations. All in All the, book was great. The author shares with you his hopes and dreams. You want to cry for him in the book because you feel so bad. Then you are so excited when he over comes all the hard ship. I give it four stars. I thought it was a great book. It made you take a look at your life and to see how lucky you really are for what you have. There are some people that have it worse.
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Summary: Depressing but Excellent
Review: 5 Stars- Depressing but excellent Frank Mc Court's memoirs "Angela's Ashes" takes us back to the 1940s where he tells us of his childhood and the poverty that his family lived though. This book can be very depressing at times which brought me to tears, but this is an excellent memoirs worthy of a 5 star rating. The book starts out in New York, the Mc Court family lives in one of the most impoverished areas of Brooklyn and father, Malachy Mc Court has a hard time keeping a job and a drinking problem. After the death of baby Margaret, the family moves back to Ireland where times are harder and life is poorer. The family relies on help from Saint Vincent, DE Paul Society and they are forced to go on relief. The father drinks whatever money he makes and has a hard time finding or keeping a job. Frank has a dream of returning to America, where he feels that he can make life better for himself. I watched the movie right after reading the book and was amazed at how many part were left out. I advise everyone to read the book to get the true story of the Mc Court Family and I look forward to reading the second part, Tis.
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Summary: Every sentence held my attention.
Review: Mr. McCourt's style of writing is unique; it's not traditional, but honest. He describes the characters in the book briefly, because their dialogues, moreso than their appearances, say a lot about their personalities. I learned about what life was like for the middle-lower class people of Ireland, about their struggles, ways of adapting, and beliefs. This book truly is a gem. I'd like to thank Frank for sharing his adventures.
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Summary: The best book
Review: Frank McCourt is a brilliant writer. Although this book is meant to have you crying, there are many times when you can't help but laugh. He writes in just the way he would speak. You hear the voice of a child when he writes. This is my favorite book of all time and it helped me learn a little about my heritage.
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