Rating: 
Summary: *extremely* disappointing
Review: I could start by saying that I was hoping that "A Monk Swimming" would be a continuation of the oftentimes funny, oftentimes sad, always poetic memoir by Malachy's brother Frank McCourt but I won't because that wouldn't be fair. After all, every work should be judged in and of itself. However, to say I was disappointed by "A Monk Swimming" doesn't even begin to explain my feelings for this book. While I enjoyed the first third of Malachy's account of his life in America; after all he had a number of really funny stories and he told them well and it was good fun. However, in the second third of the book, it turned into nothing more than an oaf's tale with the abuses he heaved upon his first wife and children. To me it seems that Malachy would be great craic (fun) to hang out with on the fringe, but God help you if you got too close because then you really got hurt. Finally, the last third was simply boring. I was especially disappointed by the last two pages of the book because it clearly showed what the book could have been: that is, well written and poignant. Those last two pages had a lot of feeling and emotion that the rest of the book lacked. Oh well. In any case, I took the book back to the store where I bought it and asked for my money back (something I rarely do); there was no way that I wanted that man to have even a cent of my money. Meanwhile Frank McCourt's book will remain on my bookshelf forever, unless I'm reading it again!
Rating:
Summary: Capitalizing on big bro's success
Review: I took two books with me for my extended plane flight - "A Monk Swimming" and "Airframe" by Crichton. Relatively scared of flying, I didn't realize that Airframe was about plane crashes until I was in the air. Upon trudging through 35 pages of "A Monk Swimming" I found that sitting in a cold sweat during each bump of the plane in turbulence, reading "Airframe", was better than reading what might be the worst book my eyes have ever scanned through.
Rating:
Summary: a "coattails" classic?
Review: I really wanted to like this book but I couldn't. Everyone has a story to tell but some are simply more interesting than others. I came away from this book disappointed and empty. I did not experience the kind of story telling that pulls the reader into the book and submerges you into the writer's world until all you can think about is the story. I wanted that and I forced myself to finish this book in the hopes that it would get better as the book progressed. I am sad to say that it did not.I can't say that Malachy McCourt did not lead a different or even an interesting life. But I felt that the storytelling was forced and stilted. I wondered if Malachy had just thrown the book together to catch onto the coattails of his brother's bestseller and ride the wave all the way to the bank. I do give him the benefit of the doubt and did enjoy some parts of the book. But on the whole it felt like one big name dropping, alcoholic hazed, brag fest. How many sexual experiences with women(including the hookers), bad career choices and booze binges can you fit into a book without actually providing a good story line to give it some meat? Read this book and you will find out! I kept waiting for some personal insight into why he was making some of these life choices, what he felt about his choices, and maybe discover some of his dreams and goals. Instead I got the rambling memories of a man that in print seems only shallow and immature. I can only hope that Malachy McCourt is better in person than he was in print.
Rating:
Summary: The monk drowned
Review: Never before have I read a book for the sole purpose of investigating for any glimmer of hope in terms of writing and character development. Malachy McCourt's autobiography is disappointing in the tale of a self-indulgent young man who grows into a self-indulgent old man. It also reminds one of the need for editting so that adults are not forced to read through page after page of spelling errors, contextual errors and poor grammar. The poor monk drowned in this tale rather than bob to the surface of reinforcement of Irish stereotypes by a man professing to rail against them.
Rating: 
Summary: took after his pa quite a bit who he professes to hate a lot
Review: I listened to this as a book on tape.I felt that the author reading the account is the best way.I did not really like it all that well as it just seemed an account of how many drinks he could toss down and how many women he could bed and who was the latest celebrity he met.I kept thinking why soes he not put aside a little of the money and keep relying on chance and luck to get him out of trouble.Then when i think back on the book by Frank McCort i realize that that is how he was taught to survive and only by chance luck and the grace of God did he survive the years in Ireland to even get to America.I do prefer the actual life stories,but his life is part of all that.
Rating:
Summary: The worst book I have read in ages!
Review: This is the worst book I have read in ages. Not only is it extremely badly written, but it is badly written by a chauvinistic, alcoholic & obnoxious bore with an over-inflated ego. ".....in my opinion, there wasn't a party in New York City that was complete without my wit & my exuberance, not to mention my presence." The content of this book is extremely poor. Malachy has nothing worthwhile to tell & has learned nothing from his harsh childhood. If you liked 'Angela's Ashes', try 'Bridge Across my Sorrows' by Christina Noble. Also about a harsh, Irish Catholic childhood. The difference being that Christina Noble has done something worthwhile with her life.
Rating: 
Summary: A humorous journey through an Irishman's logic.
Review: I was curious to read this book since I found his brother's book "Angela's Ashes" among my favorites. I've met a few Irish folk from across the sea, and their humor and sense of fun mirrors those of Malachy. The anecdotal stories caught me in a laugh many times. His use of the English language is equally amusing. And not unlike "Angela's Ashes," Malachy McCourt can easily inject humor into any difficult moment. A lesson for all of us. Anyone planning of spending some time in an Irish pub, should read this book first.
Rating: 
Summary: Helluva Read
Review: I am surprised by the judgmental condemnation and malignment by all the mystery "readers" of this book. (Could it be they are some of the objects of scorn found within the pages? Methinks perhaps....) I found it to be entertaining, and at times insightful and painfully honest.
Rating:
Summary: I wish I'd never bought this book.
Review: I wish I had read other readers' reviews before purchasing this book. It is absolutely the worst book I have ever attempted to read. Seldom do I begin a book and not finish it. I made it about 100 pages into this self absorded, disgusting memoir (the term is too kind!) and put it down forever. If you want to read this book, you can have mine. I wouldn't recommend giving the author another sale!
Rating:
Summary: Dont even try to compare this to his Big Brother Frank's Hit
Review: I was so dissapointed in this book. I had so looked forward to seeing Malachy's version of growing up in Ireland. I ended up reading about a drunken man who couldnt control his temper and bragged about bedding women. It gets even worse. He talks about how important he was, who he knew and how he knew them and we even got to hear about what a jerk Caroll O'Connor really is. Give it a rest Malachy. I wanted a story that wasnt about you bragging the whole story through. It made me wonder if this book shouldve been on the fiction shelf.
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