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Angela's Ashes: The Story of an Irish Childhood
A simplified adaptation of Frank McCourt’s moving and humorous memoirs about growing up in 1930’s Ireland. A simplified adaptation of Frank McCourt’s moving and humorous memoirs about growing up in 1930’s Ireland.
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First published March 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 10, 2017
Great book, love the style! However, I feel it loses its 'magic' in the last few pages. Th end is quite unsatisfactory and dull. Still, it's one of those books I'll read again (and again?).
April 11, 2022
Both heartbreakingly tragic and hilariously funny. You do the math.
January 2, 2016
This book, Angela's Ashes was a beautifully, comically written memoir by Frank McCort that was as humbling as it was entertaining. As we wrapped up another year of surplus and excess and desires to have more, this story reminded me of just how grateful I am for all that I have, and all that I don't.
Frank is the oldest of four surviving children, born to poverty in a war torn world. He tells his story from innocence that only a child can see and it is comical, heartbreaking and infuriating. The fact that he made it past his toddler years is almost too much to believe. No child should have to endure what he was forced to endure and with all that Catholic guilt heaped on top of the travesties, he somehow maintained his sanity and the stamina to write about it.
Angela is Frank's mother and as a mother I felt every ounce of pain and not near the pain she must have felt in losing and raising children in unfathomable conditions. I don't know what became of Angela, but I know that her life was harder than that of any mother I know. How her heart must have broken with every passing day. How desperate and hopeless she must have felt, essentially on her own for all of her children't lives. Although Frank writes of his mother's tears and a desperation he could see, he'll never have the same perception as another mother, for mothers save the bulk of their tears for the darkness and times when no one will be able to think them weak. For it is those tears and thoughts in the darkness that create a tiger for her children come daylight. That heightened sense of protection of offspring is often born of formidable circumstances.
Frank and his brothers are normal little boys growing up in a very abnormal world and yet he is able to reflect on times that he was cognizant of all things beautiful in a very ugly world. It must be very difficult to see anything beautiful when your shoes are falling apart and you're consistently hungry. He manages to rise above his station in life and escape to America, the land of hope and opportunity. He comes with great expectations to a foreign land with the hope of being the man for his family that his father could never to be. I sincerely hope he was greeted with open arms and kinder hearts than the previous life from which he came and that doors opened for him rather than slammed in his face.
Angela's Ashes was a great read and I would highly recommend it for anyone that isn't afraid to read a story that supports some very ugly, sad truths about how other people live. We all need to be humbled from time to time, lest we forget how to be grateful and kind.
Frank is the oldest of four surviving children, born to poverty in a war torn world. He tells his story from innocence that only a child can see and it is comical, heartbreaking and infuriating. The fact that he made it past his toddler years is almost too much to believe. No child should have to endure what he was forced to endure and with all that Catholic guilt heaped on top of the travesties, he somehow maintained his sanity and the stamina to write about it.
Angela is Frank's mother and as a mother I felt every ounce of pain and not near the pain she must have felt in losing and raising children in unfathomable conditions. I don't know what became of Angela, but I know that her life was harder than that of any mother I know. How her heart must have broken with every passing day. How desperate and hopeless she must have felt, essentially on her own for all of her children't lives. Although Frank writes of his mother's tears and a desperation he could see, he'll never have the same perception as another mother, for mothers save the bulk of their tears for the darkness and times when no one will be able to think them weak. For it is those tears and thoughts in the darkness that create a tiger for her children come daylight. That heightened sense of protection of offspring is often born of formidable circumstances.
Frank and his brothers are normal little boys growing up in a very abnormal world and yet he is able to reflect on times that he was cognizant of all things beautiful in a very ugly world. It must be very difficult to see anything beautiful when your shoes are falling apart and you're consistently hungry. He manages to rise above his station in life and escape to America, the land of hope and opportunity. He comes with great expectations to a foreign land with the hope of being the man for his family that his father could never to be. I sincerely hope he was greeted with open arms and kinder hearts than the previous life from which he came and that doors opened for him rather than slammed in his face.
Angela's Ashes was a great read and I would highly recommend it for anyone that isn't afraid to read a story that supports some very ugly, sad truths about how other people live. We all need to be humbled from time to time, lest we forget how to be grateful and kind.
January 31, 2020
I remember all the clamor surrounding this book when it was first released, but never got around to reading it until now. The glowing reviews, combined with the fact that I've always been fascinated by Ireland, led me to have high expectations and I was excited to finally read it and learn for myself why it was so highly regarded. Due to lack of time, I ended up listening to the audio version narrated by Frank McCourt himself. I love McCourt's accent and the black humor and imitations are beyond hilarious. The tragedies he experienced are equally heartbreaking. But the reason I only gave it two stars is because of the excessive blasphemy and sexual recollections. The first half of the book was far more enjoyable than the latter half, as the latter portion constantly revisited accounts of sexual escapades and/or self abuse. I will never understand why some individuals feel the need to publicly air every private detail of their lives and, more especially, choose to publicly share even the ugliest of sins. It's certainly not something of which I'd be proud and it was also far more than I ever needed or wanted to know about McCourt's life. Unfortunately, his decision to include such gross details severely diminished him and that's now the first thing that pops to mind whenever I see his picture or hear his name. The TMI private details and profanity were just so deeply and personally offensive that it completely destroyed what, for me, would have been an outstanding book otherwise. So incredibly disappointing.
September 19, 2013
I think his life is hard. And he loves his family is very good.
September 1, 2021
Amazing story! Frank McCourt retells how he grew from a small boy into adulthood, starting in America, then moving to Ireland with his parents and back to America. His life was filled with heartache and scarcity all while maneuvering through childhood and adolescence. There are times you won't know if you should cry or laugh. But in all, you will have a deeper understanding of the human condition in poverty and the burning desire to make the most of your life despite your beginnings.
March 4, 2021
The first half of the book is fabulously written. The child's voice is compelling, endearing and terrifyingly honest. What a life to live. I didn't like the narrator after he became a teenager. Too much "excitement" for me. I found that section rushed and crude, and I didn't like the ending.
September 17, 2019
Paints a very vivid, heartbreaking picture of poverty.
January 28, 2020
I really enjoyed this book.. hard but beautiful read.
June 17, 2020
Excellent. Story told by Frank as he grew up starting in NY then returning to Ireland.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2023
Long book but very good. It's like you cannot escape the poverty that he & his family lived. I would recommend just to know how these people ever survived in such poverty.
September 8, 2023
This one is a must read!
December 31, 2021
The way it is written makes it feel like you had these experiences yourself. I would say it is an overall hopeful book despite the bad circumstances endured.
January 26, 2015
i personally could not connect with the author's style of communicating....i couldn't even finish the book.
August 8, 2014
Heart wrenching story about an Irish family debilitated by alcohol abuse.
November 7, 2014
Very interesting story! Learned a lot about ireland's history. Tough times call for desperate measures.
January 25, 2015
does this story ever actually develop at some point?
September 16, 2015
Loved the stories, the writing, the comedy and the tragedy.
November 4, 2015
excellent brogue tongue and representation of extreme poverty
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November 17, 2015One of the MOST depressing pieces of drivel ever. Unless you enjoy never ending misery, don't waste your time on this.
May 17, 2016
Lovely memoir of life growing up in Limerick. I was stunned when it was over, rather abrupt. All I can figure is he became to excited to keep writing.
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July 23, 2016This book puts things in perspective. Για γερά στομάχια.
October 16, 2016
am I the only one who thought the beginning of Angela's Ashes sounded almost exactly like like the beginning of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn?
November 30, 2014
I don't think I've ever seen such humor come out of such poverty.
March 9, 2015
hard to put down! heart braking story!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews