“When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.” So begins the luminous memoir of Frank McCourt, born in Depression-era Brooklyn to recent Irish … Irish immigrants and raised in the slums of Limerick, Ireland. Frank’s mother, Angela, has no money to feed the children since Frank’s father, Malachy, rarely works, and when he does he drinks his wages. Yet Malachy — exasperating, irresponsible and beguiling– does nurture in Frank an appetite for the one thing he can provide: a story. Frank lives for his father’s tales of Cuchulain, who saved Ireland, and of the Angel on the Seventh Step, who brings his mother babies. Perhaps it is story that accounts for Frank’s survival. Wearing rags for diapers, begging a pig’s head for Christmas dinner and gathering coal from the roadside to light a fire, Frank endures poverty, near-starvation and the casual cruelty of relatives and neighbors–yet lives to tell his tale with eloquence, exuberance and remarkable forgiveness. Angela’s Ashes, imbued on every page with Frank McCourt’s astounding humor and compassion, is a glorious book that bears all the marks of a classic.
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I found this book depressing and did not finish it.
Beautifully written. It’s hearterenching yet full of humor from a child’s perspective.
It was talked about what a great book it was, I was sorry it took so long to get it and I read it in almost two days. Katherine Reese
Downright depressing account of growing up poor in Ireland.
An easy and very entertaining read.
This book tore your heat into pieces. It was daunting and definitely a page turner. The cruelty of Angela’s relatives was frightening and in light of today’s inhumanity to man, it is an excellent choice.
I read this some years ago, and I remember being enthralled. Very Irish, very poignant.
This is one of my most favorite books. Frank McCourt is a supreme storyteller. This book is a biography of his life growing up in great poverty in Ireland. It will definitely pull at your heartstrings !
Very depressing, the plight of the children was overwhelmingly sad. I could not finish the book because it made me cry all the time.
Outstanding book !
An all time favorite book.
While this was a well written book, it was very depressing.
Truly one of the best books I’ve read in awhile. So very human, I loved this book!
So uncomfortable. I wasn’t left with any inspiration after it all.
A sad story of very hard times.
a true picture of Ireland as it was
I know she his was a well reviewed book but I found it sad and depressing.
A book you don’t easily forget.
Fascinating story of poverty and survival.
I read this book over 10 years ago so don’t remember exactly how I would describe it other than “very good.” It is definitely worth the time to read.