Scan barcode
ozblom24's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
asaugustine's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
I accidentally listened to an abridged audiobook version, but it did not take away from the raw humor and tragedy of Frank McCourt’s childhood. The audiobook is narrated by McCourt, and is definitely worth a listen.
booksandsnacks31's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Started a bit slow but the kind of raw narrative of childhood that reminded me of Maya Angelou. McCourt’s account of growing up in abject Irish poverty and as heartbreaking but he told his story with emotion and humor and I’ll be thinking about this book for a while. Might even want to reread in the future!
pceboll's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
4.0
JESUS MARY AND JOSEPH thank god for developments in child psychology because Frank McCourt had a truly miserable childhood. Not only did he live in abject poverty with a father whose alcoholism actively contributed to starving and killing his own children before completely abandoning them, every other adult in the author's life openly shamed him for being impoverished, constantly insulted him, never answered any of his questions despite always calling him an idiot, beat, and repeatedly denied him help and if they did, begrudged him for it. It is a testament to McCourt's own character that he didn't allow such suffering to turn him into a bitter hateful person. On the contrary, he writes with humor and a lovely fondness for the people he encountered in his life, even his father. Growing up is hard, especially in the slums of Ireland.