Appearance
Angela's Ashes (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
McCourt speaks to the reader through his childhood voice in this splendid, moving, and thought-provoking autobiography. McCourt begins the story as a four-year-old living in New York City with his parents and three younger brothers. The poverty stricken Irish family is unable to make ends meet in America and so they head back to Ireland in hopes of survival.They settle in Limerick where McCourt's mother Angela grew up. Malachy McCourt, the father in the story, claims that he will find work and support the family. However, Malachy's love of alcohol prevents him from finding or keeping any gainful employment. When he does work, he takes his wages and goes to the bars and drinks until all the money is gone. Meanwhile, the family is hungry, the children are wearing shoes with holes, and Angela sinks into a deep depression but remains obedient to her husband because of her Catholic faith. The family moves around Limerick frequently, renting dirty rooms with flea infested bedding, living on the floors in small houses owned by relatives, and even renting a house in which the bottom floor is constantly being flooded with neighborhood sewage. The family comes face to face with illness, death, starvation, and ridicule. The low point strikes when Angela must resort to begging on the streets to help her family survive.All the while, McCourt has the reader grow with him through the ages of four to nineteen. He shares the Irish tales he grew up with, the feelings he had toward his dyfunctional parents, his opinion of the Catholic Church, and the good and bad lessons he learned from his harsh schoolmasters. Never does McCourt wallow in self-pity, rather he presents the facts of his life in an honest, poignant manner. Despite the despair, it seems that McCourt has no regrets about his upbringing, for he was a child and had no control of the situation. As he grew, however, he came to the realization that he could begin to change things for the better. Unlike his father, he became eager to work. He struggled to support his mother and younger siblings in his teen years with after school jobs. He educated himself through reading and observation. He set goals and priorities and didn't give up until he reached them.McCourt takes what is tragic and presents it in a beautiful, descriptive language that leaves the reader spellbound. His story is obviously written unselfishly and is told to show that triumph can be the end result of tragedy. Each individual has the power to rise above and make his or her life meaningful. This is the essence of McCourt's message. A message you will not forget after reading Angela's Ashes.
Angela's Ashes (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
Frank McCourt has such an intrinsic writing style, that progresses as he ages throughout the book. He takes situations and stories that would normally bring you to tears, and he leaves you laughing at the irony and the matter of circumstance. This book takes you back to your own childhood and our mentality that was once innocent, but somehow becomes enhanced with impurity and self-righteousness. Ancestry is such a gift that can only be best explained by the people that struggled to get to where they are today. Frank McCourt's story is a wonderful memoir that inspires its readers to create their own destiny and work to achieve the goals we set.
Angela's Ashes (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
If we all could look at a cold and unforgiving world thru the eyes of young Frank McCourt and see a silver lining on the most grim events of our own times wouldn't the world become a better place for us all? Not only was I awstruck by the poverty laid out before me but at the same time warmed by the way a child can cultivate his interpretations of dire circumstances with the innocence of youth and a never-ending thirst for tomorrow. I raise a glass to the author for reminding me of the blessings of youth and for reminding me how lucky I am. If this book touches another as I have been than you are truly a product of the childhood you so couragously shared with us!
Angela's Ashes (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
From the very first page until the last, I was living in a different world. McCourt's style of writing puts you into a trance. Everything I experienced, saw and heard during the time I was reading this heroric story, was profound.How this man can reach back into his childhood memories and replay events with such detail and emotion, as if they were yesterday, is soulful. Just when my eyes were full enough with tears that I couldn't read another line, I found myself laughing at his innocence and intense simplicity. I commend McCourt for his ability to truly live. He is an inspiration to me because of his light heart and strong will. Everyday I am grateful for a toilet that flushes!
Angela's Ashes (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
This is a great book, brilliantly written! If it hurts to hear the truth about poverty and famine, just imagine what it must have been like to LIVE it, as Frank McCourt & his family did. He tells the tales of his tragic childhood with candor, an eye for detail, humor & yes, some hope too. I bought this book and have read it through twice, then loaned it out to all my friends who read books with an open mind. The world needed to hear this memoir. I applaud Frank McCourt. He is in a class by himself as a writer! Direct & smart!
Angela's Ashes (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
Well, I must admit, I had never heard of this book before I saw it on a book store shelf and thought, "Hey, my name is Angela, too!", so I bought it just to see what happens to Angela and her ashes. I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book to find a look inside the life of a boy who lives such a hard life and actually makes it out of his dire straits. I've been to Ireland, found it fascinating, and this book helped me to understand the culture of the Catholics in Ireland and the "melting pot" of the U.S. a bit more. Angela's Ashes is a very different book in the way that it is written. It was a nice change from the ordinary style of commas and quotes. It made me want to keep reading! I highly recommend Angela's Ashes. It may be depressing, but no one's life is a field of apples and fresh cow's milk all the time. Buy this book!