ANGELA'S ASHES

Rating:
Summary: Beyond the Stereotype
Review: Frank McCourt tells his story with an extraordinarily beguiling style that shows a life stereotypically Irish, but with humor mixed in goodly measure amongst the tough reality. Returning to Ireland to escape the depression (an irony unto itself,) McCourt ties in social themes, as well as a candid representation of honest family ties and relationships that draws the reader in and doesn't let them go.

It is easy to enter into the experience with McCourt and see and feel along with him, the harshness of life, the tragedy of alcoholism on the family, the dedication of the tragic figure of Angela (McCourt's mother) and the combined care and indifference of extended family, Church and society.

Many of the themes are earthy and may offend the purient, but they are not gratuitous, ring true to the honest human experience and make a refreshing change to the typical auto-biographical work which often seems to be straining for self-canonization. McCourt shows his own warts along with those of his family so that the image portrayed is that much more powerful for the lack of self-flattering or evasive narrative.

What comes through in the end is not only a realistic portrayal of a young man's hard early life, but beyond that a story marked by its honesty in the social statements made or available to be drawn with regard to poverty, religious indifference and social injustice which are made more personal and real for the lack of portraying himself as a modern Oliver Twist, victimized by all.

Well worth the effort to read and to keep on your shelf to glance back over from time to time.

Rating:
Summary: Charmingly written, but in the end, a disappointment
Review: Even though it wasn't a page-turner, I enjoyed this book at least half way through because it was written so candidly. However, by the end of the book, I found more reasons to dislike it than I did to like it.
#1. Yes, as many others have said, it was supremely depressing. I can tolerate a lot of depressing literature as long as there are small victories, or occasional heartwarming lessons, or true humor toward the situation, but I found none of that with this book. I'm not sure what had others "roaring with laughter." The most I could find were tiny oddities and ironies that could render no more than a smirk.
#2. Can you really win a Pulizer with that many references to masturbation? I really could have done wihout that.
#3. This was the most disappointing of all. I realize that it was an autobiography, and, therefore, isn't supposed to have a regular plot, but it did need some form of resolution. After reading a novel, one shouldn't have to read the sequel to find out the ending. Perhaps a good editor could have helped Mr. McCourt cut away some of the the masturbation so that he had room to finish the story.


Rating:
Summary: "I don't give a fiddlers fart." if anybody else liked the bk
Review: I loved it!! - If you don't buy, read and enjoy this book then you must have been "dropped on your head as a child." This reference is just one of Mr McCourt's MANY unique and orginal one-liners throughout the book.
Hard to believe he lived long enough to tell his story AND that he can tell his story in such a way that will make you laugh and cry at the same time.

I listened to the book on CD, which is aprox. 14 hours total in length and it was worth every minute!! The time flew by, it was as if I was sitting and listening to my grandfather tell a story.

Everyone should have been so lucky to have had just one teacher like Frank McCourt in school. What a storyteller!!

Thank You Mr. McCourt I REALLY enjoyed this book!!!
I think you will enjoy it too!