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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
I can't even bring myself to understand the outrage over this book. Some claim McCourt made up lies, others think he was too harsh on his father, others just couldn't bring themselves to sympathize with any of the people in the book and thought he romanticized poverty. I think it's an extreme weakness relevant to our times to have readers not understand that this is from McCourt's perspective as a child and he was telling it as he felt it. Take it out of the memoir context, and it's still a heartbreaking story of trying to escape Irish slums. It didn't lead me to start believing that every Irish person is inherently a worthless person, as some have criticized this book of doing. Everyone wants to see a character succeed when all they want is to better themselves, but not everyone can handle reading about the struggles and the journey that it takes for that character to arrive there.
It was funny, tragic, sad. I liked the story telling but was not a fan overall. I was hoping for a happy ending, but was a little let down. Nothing good ever seemed to happen for him. It just made me depressed.
I re-read this before traveling to Ireland. it added to my experience. I even went on the Frank Mccourt tour in Limerick
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Read it ages ago, but picked it up again for a refresher in Irish misery and humor. I know, most people seem to miss the funny bits. Pity, because without them the book is maudlin, with them, it's brilliant. Also, the voice is wonderful. Judgment is left entirely in the hands of the reader and away from the narrator. Well done.
After you get used to the lack of punctuation, it's absolutely enthralling! Especially resonant for me as part of my family lived in Limerick around the time.
One of the downsides about reading so many books in such a short time, is that you're frequently finding that a lot of books you read can be very similar. It feels sometimes like you're reading the same book over and over again. This isn't really fair to the unfortunate book that comes 3rd or 4th in the list of similar books. It isn't the book's fault necessarily if it reminds you of other books you've read, especially if that book actually came out first and it is the other books that are derivative. That is the dilemma I am facing with "Angela's Ashes".
This book reminds me so much of other books I've read that fall under a category I will call the "growing up poor and building yourself up" genre. "A tree Grows in Brooklyn", "Educated", and "The Glass Castle" all fall under this category. I know "Brooklyn" is fiction and the other two are nonfiction, but again they are very similar in structure. I will add that "Angela's Ashes" feels like "A tree Grows in Brooklyn: Irish Edition". But this isn't entirely fair to the book since it is actually a memoir (unlike Betty Smith's story), and it predates both "Glass Castle" and "Educated" by several years. However at the same time it has the unfortunate luck of being the fourth such book I've read in such a short time, and I have to say that personally I am getting sick of the genre I've lumped these books into.
The book itself is alright. Unlike the previous three listed books this one takes place in Ireland, and so there was enough there to make me enjoy it more because of the different setting. The book is also more of a historical work since it takes place decades before "Educated" or "Glass Castle". I'll say again, the book is not a bad book. It is very interesting and I very much enjoyed it. It is well written and the way that Frank McCourt describes what it is like to be a child is very much on the nose with my own experiences. It feels remarkably authentic to life as a kid and I enjoyed reading about his life experiences. I will also add that, while I was frustrated by his father, I did not loathe him to the same degree I loathed the fathers in Tara Westover or Jeanette Walls memoirs. McCourt's poverty seemed to be more a result of societal issues and alcoholism rather than his parents being religious zealots or just plain crazy. That made the entire family more relatable and less frustrating to read about.
In the end, this was a very good book. If I had read this before any of the other three books I've mentioned, I might have given it 5 stars and a spot on my favorites shelf. Is that fair? Probably not. But it is what it is, and I think I will take a break from these types of memoirs for the foreseeable future until I feel up to reading about how horrible society can be to poor, innocent children.
This book reminds me so much of other books I've read that fall under a category I will call the "growing up poor and building yourself up" genre. "A tree Grows in Brooklyn", "Educated", and "The Glass Castle" all fall under this category. I know "Brooklyn" is fiction and the other two are nonfiction, but again they are very similar in structure. I will add that "Angela's Ashes" feels like "A tree Grows in Brooklyn: Irish Edition". But this isn't entirely fair to the book since it is actually a memoir (unlike Betty Smith's story), and it predates both "Glass Castle" and "Educated" by several years. However at the same time it has the unfortunate luck of being the fourth such book I've read in such a short time, and I have to say that personally I am getting sick of the genre I've lumped these books into.
The book itself is alright. Unlike the previous three listed books this one takes place in Ireland, and so there was enough there to make me enjoy it more because of the different setting. The book is also more of a historical work since it takes place decades before "Educated" or "Glass Castle". I'll say again, the book is not a bad book. It is very interesting and I very much enjoyed it. It is well written and the way that Frank McCourt describes what it is like to be a child is very much on the nose with my own experiences. It feels remarkably authentic to life as a kid and I enjoyed reading about his life experiences. I will also add that, while I was frustrated by his father, I did not loathe him to the same degree I loathed the fathers in Tara Westover or Jeanette Walls memoirs. McCourt's poverty seemed to be more a result of societal issues and alcoholism rather than his parents being religious zealots or just plain crazy. That made the entire family more relatable and less frustrating to read about.
In the end, this was a very good book. If I had read this before any of the other three books I've mentioned, I might have given it 5 stars and a spot on my favorites shelf. Is that fair? Probably not. But it is what it is, and I think I will take a break from these types of memoirs for the foreseeable future until I feel up to reading about how horrible society can be to poor, innocent children.
A fantastic memoir. Every generation of my family has read it and now I have too. No matter how Irish society evolves, Angela's Ashes will always be a powerful and relatable book.
This was a fascinating look into living in Ireland during the Depression. While it was heartbreaking, the audiobook infused a bit of humor into it.
This is a definite must read!! Story of Frank McCourt growing up in Limerick. Will need to read this one again.