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Summary: angelas ashes was excellent
Review: made me laugh and cry - i will remember this book for years to come and have recommended to all my friends.
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Summary: Yet another reason to be embarrased at your Irish heritage
Review: I read this book with one prevailing thought - thank God my mother got out of Ireland and came here! Frank McCourt is an extremely gifted writer, and his words flow seamlessly, but I would much rather read about people who didn't just experience adversity but overcame it. While the author obviously had the necessary survival skills, both his parents, while disappointed with their lot in life, seemed content to let their misfortune wash right over them and their children. There is no fighting spirit, no desire to improve their condition, just the vague hope that someone will come along and miraculously provide food, shelter, and most importantly alcohol to keep the children and parents going. At best, it serves merely to reinforce the stereotype of the Irish as lazy, drunk irresponsible and undereducated. McCourt would have done better to downplay his mother's role in his life and concentrate on his brothers and himself. In fact, the book should more aptly be titled "Frank McCourt's Ashes," since apparently he was the Phoenix that rose from them.
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Summary: Human Spirit
Review: This is a remarkable tale of the strength of the human spirit and character. As a teacher, I have seen first hand the strength of our nation's children. Some of the obstacles they face on a daily basis were not even a flicker in my eye as a child. Angela's Ashes shows this perseverance through the eyes of an Irish child. Run, run to the store for a copy.
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Summary: HOLLYWOOD ENOUGH?
Review: Mr. Mccourt was my English teacher in Stuyvesant High School, back in '82 or '83. I remember him talking about making a movie about this material, but he was told it wasn't "Hollywood" enough. I wonder if he Hollywooded it up.
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Summary: Brilliant!
Review: How could anyone not fall in love with this book? I have never read a book that had me laughing out loud and crying tears in the same sitting. Surely, the most effective (and clever) use of the run-on sentence in literary history!
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Summary: A wonderful, terrible book
Review: I loved this book. McCourt's use of the language is tremendously evocative - you can actually hear the voices speaking as you read. His story-telling is superb - he is able to simultaneously tell a hideous story and roll you on the floor laughing - with tears in your eyes. I thought the passage about his first communion was one of the funniest things I've read in years - in the context of a certifiably hideous childhood. I have no illusions that the people and events depicted here are in any way representative of the Irish Catholic population in general - this is a memoir, a very personal story, and never claims to be anything other than that. It's probably dressed up a bit - I never entirely trust a "memoir" with direct quotes of lengthy conversations, especially when the protagonist is too young to really remember verbatim statements. But even tarted up, it's a great tale - makes you glad to be a German Jew! I recommend this book to anyone with an appreciation of fine writing and a keen ear for the nuances and music of language.
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Summary: I only have a question
Review: I'm sorry, but I dont know where else to ask....Will the CD of Angela's Ashes be available on CD as UNABRIDGED? I am only able to find abridged... Please answer....thanks.
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Summary: Heartbreaking & Hilarious
Review: This extremely accurate description of life in in early forties Ireland is both heartbreakingly sad and unbeleivebely amusing at the same time. The memoir focuses on little Frankie Mccourts childhood into teens. Its a rollercoster of emotion from chapter one. Frankies father is a jobless drunk who cares more about his pint of Guiness than his everexpanding brood of starving and dying children and wife (Angela). The book takes you through the years on how the Mccourt family survive by begging at the Vincent St Paul charity for even the smallest amount of food to survive on or new shoes for the boys to go to school and how they move from room to house to room to avoid paying rent and staying with mean relatives who care none about the poor familys plight. Now dont let that fool you into thinking this is a depressing book, it is not. Frank McCourts style of writing and frank honestly will have you laughing and crying in the same paragraph. As Frankie McCourt gets a little older he experiments with sex which he refers to as "the excitment", masturbation and petty theft all of which leave very frank images but not disturbing! He also tears himself up over not going to confession to releive himself of the terrible burdens he carries. Its definately a page turner and a must for anyone feeling remotely sorry for themselves.
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Summary: One of the best books I have ever read
Review: Angela's Ashes is a charming and touching true story of a young boy growing up poor in Ireland in the 1930's. This book will make you laugh and cry. Mr. McCourt is an extremely talented writer as well as a great storyteller, something you don't see that often. I highly recommend this book.
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Summary: Thankful
Review: Often while reading this book I felt the hunger pains in my stomach. It really makes you thankful for whatever you have, it has to be more than what Frank and his family survived on.
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