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Summary: Angela's Ashes
Review: This memoir has made the greatest impression on me of anything I've read in years! The title is an enigma to me though - it was only during Frank McCourt's "60 Minutes" interview that I heard the anecdote about Angela's ashes. She was very much alive at the end of "Angela's Ashes" in my version.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT
Review: I never gave a review before, so this must mean it's a great book. I enjoyed it. I couldn't put the book down. It felt like I was listening to someone telling a story about their family. EXCELLENT!
Rating:
Summary: Angela's Ashes
Review: Angela's Ashes, Frank's McCourt's New York Times Best Selling Memoir, centers on the cold, hard life of a poor Irish Catholic family. Frank McCourt, the oldest child, tells the story of his family in Ireland and their unfortunate poverty and depression. The father is a mean, cold-hearted man who constantly spends his and his children's money on liquor for himself. The mother, Angela, is without a doubt the backbone of the family; she makes sure they eat and worries about the rent and the well-being of her children. Throughout the story Angela teaches her children the importance of pride and dignity. The ill-starred family is continually struck with the death of very young family members. Even though several children die from starvation and cold before the age of five, McCourt manages to portray these tragedies and shows the family's ability to move on with life. Although the memoir, in general, is an incredibly sad one, the humor of McCourt's style makes the book bearable. Because McCourt's writing style is so descriptive, the reader is able to feel the families sorrow and unhappiness, and we see the world in which they live. Unfortunately, Angela's Ashes did not shine through in the recent holiday film released by Paramount. The film showed the importance of McCourt's humor by not incorporating it into the adaptation. Without this humor, the film was dark, sad, ugly and unbearable. The book on the other hand, may be sad, but is at the same time uplifting.
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Summary: Depressing!
Review: An unexciting story about a boy who grows up in a depressing and disgusting situation. I could do without ever knowing that people in the world live in houses where excrement and vomit are left to fester on stairwells INSIDE the home!
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Summary: Amazing...
Review: This book was horribly sad, and yet I couldn't put the book down! I kept thinking I wouldn't finish it because it was so depressing, but McCourt captured me from page one. It took me a while to see past sad stories and realize the triumph of Frank McCourt.
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Summary: Audio Version A Real Charm
Review: I've been listening to the unabridged audio version of Frank McCourt's tale and can't wait to get into the car -- I'm finding all sorts of excuses to go do an errand. I'm almost at the end now and while it's a terribly sad story -- it's a real triumph of the human spirit. How people of that time and situation carried on as they did with so little to brighten their lives was very moving. It's an incredibly well done story. The fact that Frank himself is actually narrating it, adding in the singing of all the songs (I find myself thinking about Roddy McCauley et al, long after I've turned the tape off) with the wonderful lyrical tone to his voice makes it all the more real. I highly recommend this as a great listen. Not sure I could have endured reading it for all it's tragedy, but it comes alive with the listen!
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Summary: Frustration Brings Motivation
Review: I know that this will soon come out in theatres, but in case you haven't read it, read it now! I love the way Frank McCourt writes! I floated through the Irish cadence. It was as if I was in Ireland listening to him telling his stories. Believe it or not, I enjoyed the run-on sentences! I am going to soon order 'Tis which is already out and on sale on Amazon.com. People in America do not know what being poor really means. Through ¾ of this book, I don't believe he and his family ate anything besides a little bread and tea. I don't know how any of them survived, although many of his siblings did die from hunger. My own mother, here in America during the 40s, suffered from the same angst that Angela did in having a husband who would get paid on Friday and not return home until all the wages were gone. She had five kids to feed but, fortunately, although she may not have felt fortunate in the beginning, she had a skill and the gumption to try and make it on her own. There are many women today that do not possess the self-confidence in themselves to believe they can make a living without a man or government assistance. I only hope we can help those who are willing to give it a try. Anyway, it does give you a lot to think about and be appreciative of . . .
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Summary: Read this for sure...
Review: A gripping tale of a very pathetic childhood. Why do so many people have a problem with his distaste of the Catholic church? What did the Church do for him but slam doors in his face? McCourts writing style can't be beat. I look forward to reading 'Tis.
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Summary: Angala's Ashes
Review: This is one of the best books i have ever read!It makes you greatfull for every little thing you have. Its soul touching and wonderfull!I recomend it to everyone!
Rating:
Summary: Worth it...
Review: This is my favorite book.It is amazing how Frank McCourt lived through such an awful childhood and lived to write such a telling book.
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