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Singing My Him Song
Malachy McCourt, bestselling author of "A Monk Swimming, " shares the extraordinary story of how he went from living the headlong and heedless life of a world-class drunk to becoming a sober, loving father and grandfather, still happily married after thirty-five years.Bawdy and funny, naked and moving, told in the same inimitable voice that left readers all over the world wondering what happened next in "A Monk Swimming, Singing My Him Song" is "told with the frankness and honesty for which McCourt has become renowned" "(New York Daily News)."
242 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2000
41 people are currently reading
3120 people want to read
About the author
Malachy McCourt
34 books134 followersMalachy Gerard McCourt was an American-Irish actor, writer and politician. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Limerick, McCourt appeared in several films and soap operas, including The Molly Maguires, Brewster's Millions (1985), and Another World. He also wrote three memoirs, describing his life in Ireland and in the United States. McCourt was the 2006 Green Party candidate for governor of New York, losing to the Democratic candidate Eliot Spitzer. He was the younger brother of author Frank McCourt.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
November 30, 2013
A disappointment. I wanted it to be another Angela's Ashes. It was not. But that's the failure of my expectation; others may enjoy this. Only be warned -- Malachy is not Frank, and does not write as well.
June 13, 2009
Frank's less talented brother explains again and again why he's not such a bad chap despite drinking too much and neglecting his kids until the last chapter.
April 9, 2019
I don't care what anyone else says. Malachy McCourt is just a good a writer as his Pulitzer prize-winning brother. His powers of description transport you right into the scene. Mostly it's a hoot, but he weaves in his battles with his dark demons in just the right balance.
I knew the book was about Malachy's recovery from alcoholism, so I was expecting more about the Twelve Steps, which I've become a fan of recently. There wasn't as much about it as I'd hoped, but what the narrative lacked in quantity, it made up for in quality. My favorite insight completely confirmed what I've been gathering from other people's accounts, but with the unique McCourt stamp. Malachy is famous for his quip, "I'm an atheist, thank G-d." He used it in this book, and he still says it now. He, like Frank, and for that matter Angela herself, was turned off to the Church he knew in his youth, and always equated religion and spirituality. But at AA, he saw that people were practicing genuine spirituality. It's not just submission to the Higher Power. Members help one another struggle against their most deep-seated urges toward negative behavior. Making amends for the past is also part of the program. And that is what religion and community should be about, not just dogma. As a religious person, I always thought it was lame when people said, "I'm spiritual, but not religious," but now I think otherwise.
The surprise in the book was the story of Malachy's radio and acting career, including his sojourn to Hollywood. Hollywood failure stories turn out to be as interesting as Hollywood success stories. How many of us go chasing after a golden dream, only to find that we can find happiness in our own lives after all?
That's the main theme of the book: you can go all over the world in pursuit of a happy life, but in the end, you've got to learn to be satisfied with whatever you get. You can never change your past, but you can enjoy your present. And if all that sounds common-sense or even cliche, it isn't in Malachy's voice. He's got so many funny and colorful stories to tell, the journey through the ups and downs of his life is pure pleasure.
I knew the book was about Malachy's recovery from alcoholism, so I was expecting more about the Twelve Steps, which I've become a fan of recently. There wasn't as much about it as I'd hoped, but what the narrative lacked in quantity, it made up for in quality. My favorite insight completely confirmed what I've been gathering from other people's accounts, but with the unique McCourt stamp. Malachy is famous for his quip, "I'm an atheist, thank G-d." He used it in this book, and he still says it now. He, like Frank, and for that matter Angela herself, was turned off to the Church he knew in his youth, and always equated religion and spirituality. But at AA, he saw that people were practicing genuine spirituality. It's not just submission to the Higher Power. Members help one another struggle against their most deep-seated urges toward negative behavior. Making amends for the past is also part of the program. And that is what religion and community should be about, not just dogma. As a religious person, I always thought it was lame when people said, "I'm spiritual, but not religious," but now I think otherwise.
The surprise in the book was the story of Malachy's radio and acting career, including his sojourn to Hollywood. Hollywood failure stories turn out to be as interesting as Hollywood success stories. How many of us go chasing after a golden dream, only to find that we can find happiness in our own lives after all?
That's the main theme of the book: you can go all over the world in pursuit of a happy life, but in the end, you've got to learn to be satisfied with whatever you get. You can never change your past, but you can enjoy your present. And if all that sounds common-sense or even cliche, it isn't in Malachy's voice. He's got so many funny and colorful stories to tell, the journey through the ups and downs of his life is pure pleasure.
June 27, 2012
"But, in certain ways, I simply wasn't there emotionally and spiritually. The analysis of how I got that way is relatively simple. When you are young and all the people you love and trust either let you down or die, and when the things you become attached to are taken away, you begin closing down the emotions, and you distrust any and all attachments. I didn't know that, so I just thought it was normal to be unmoved by death, disease, and tragedy."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2008
He ain't his brother, that's for sure.
December 11, 2022
Nicely written biographical stories from the author's life and experiences, a bit tedious in the middle, but story picks up again to end up with great life observations, as observation is an old man's memory; and yes, his brother Frank is the famous author of " Angela's ashes".
July 28, 2025
Picking up his story from 'A Monk Swimming', Malachy McCourt regales his readers with his adventures.
A better and more honest book, which is unpretentious and uproarious.
A better and more honest book, which is unpretentious and uproarious.
February 10, 2012
A sequel that's better than the original
Malachy McCourt has written an occasionally captivating look at the last forty years of his life that is replete with self reflection, without wallowing in self pity. Furthermore he shows that he can convey his tale in a terse, lyrical prose that shines more brightly than virtually anything he wrote in "A Monk Swimming". The passages that describe his careers as actor and radio talk show host and his involvement in the successful effort to close Staten Island's Willowbrook mental institution are among this tome's finest moments. Although "Singing My Him Song" is not the literary classic that "Angela's Ashes" is deservedly so, it should be read by McCourties - diehard fans of the McCourts - and by others who enjoy reading tales well told.
(EDITORIAL NOTE 8/20/2009 - Now that his brother Frank is gone, Malachy is now the McCourt family's resident expert of comic storytelling. If I had any doubts about that - and I can assure that I never have - they were dispelled during an emotional, funny, and yes, even, irreverent, eulogy which Malachy delivered during a memorial mass held for Frank early last evening - exactly one month after Frank passed away (on the occasion of what would have been Frank's 79th birthday) - at a Franciscan-run Roman Catholic Church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It was indeed a most moving remembrance of my Irish-American "Dad", delivered by his oldest brother, who will remain forever in my heart, my favorite Irish-American "Uncle".).
(Reposted from my 2000 Amazon review.)
Malachy McCourt has written an occasionally captivating look at the last forty years of his life that is replete with self reflection, without wallowing in self pity. Furthermore he shows that he can convey his tale in a terse, lyrical prose that shines more brightly than virtually anything he wrote in "A Monk Swimming". The passages that describe his careers as actor and radio talk show host and his involvement in the successful effort to close Staten Island's Willowbrook mental institution are among this tome's finest moments. Although "Singing My Him Song" is not the literary classic that "Angela's Ashes" is deservedly so, it should be read by McCourties - diehard fans of the McCourts - and by others who enjoy reading tales well told.
(EDITORIAL NOTE 8/20/2009 - Now that his brother Frank is gone, Malachy is now the McCourt family's resident expert of comic storytelling. If I had any doubts about that - and I can assure that I never have - they were dispelled during an emotional, funny, and yes, even, irreverent, eulogy which Malachy delivered during a memorial mass held for Frank early last evening - exactly one month after Frank passed away (on the occasion of what would have been Frank's 79th birthday) - at a Franciscan-run Roman Catholic Church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It was indeed a most moving remembrance of my Irish-American "Dad", delivered by his oldest brother, who will remain forever in my heart, my favorite Irish-American "Uncle".).
(Reposted from my 2000 Amazon review.)
April 27, 2018
So glad I followed Malachy through his second book, Singing My Him Song, but I strongly encourage fellow book lovers to read his brilliant, A Monk Swimming, before embarking on Him Song. It took 233 pages (of 244) for me to finally breathe comfortably when Malachy accepts the simple truth that "wherever you go, there you are . . . acceptance of myself as I am this day, and gratitude to whoever or whatever put me here." Thank you, Mr. McCourt for sharing your life story with me. You are an inspiration to anyone who has ever felt helpless beneath the weight of childhood demons. It took most of Mr. McCourt's young and adult life to find the right tools to build a frame to house the oppression and indelible imprint of his early days in the lanes of Limerick, Ireland. It wasn't until he accepted and used the pain of his past as a foundation for a contented future. (He's still kickin' at 86 years of age!) This memoir is the embodiment of perseverance and redemption. Five Gold Stars!
October 24, 2007
Would recommend: Not really
I picked up Singing My Him Song while I went through my Frank McCourt streak, but this memoir was hardly satisfying. Some of the anecdotes were interesting, but I didn't perceive much coherence between the sections, and I was annoyed that I couldn't figure out the origin of the title.
I picked up Singing My Him Song while I went through my Frank McCourt streak, but this memoir was hardly satisfying. Some of the anecdotes were interesting, but I didn't perceive much coherence between the sections, and I was annoyed that I couldn't figure out the origin of the title.
September 10, 2017
This, book 2 of Malachy McCourt's memoirs, had a decidedly different tone than that of the first. Much more subdued. Oh, make no mistake, there are plenty of typical Malachy stories, but there must have been a lot of soul searching during the two years between the publishing of the two books. The roller coaster ride that has been his life has certainly had its share of low lows and this was the book that delved into some of the dark recesses where these memories had been hidden.
From reading reviews on here of the first book, A Monk Swimming, it seems that everyone either loved him or hated him, especially those offended by his language (and those who can't stop comparing him with his brother Frank).
The thing Malachy had was his humor. He was the funny one. Bury the nightmare childhood. Extreme poverty, drunken father who deserted them, school masters and priests who abused him, the fights and taunting in the schoolyard, cover it all up with humor, that was his life's path. You can't trust anyone, they'll lie, abuse you then leave you. Love, what's that?
So he became a funny alcoholic that had to look out for himself. Terrible husband and father.
But it's one of those stories of hitting rock bottom, losing everything and realizing what you had.
Only then does he learn what's important in his life. Cleaning up his life, making amends and becoming the man that his family deserves.
From reading reviews on here of the first book, A Monk Swimming, it seems that everyone either loved him or hated him, especially those offended by his language (and those who can't stop comparing him with his brother Frank).
The thing Malachy had was his humor. He was the funny one. Bury the nightmare childhood. Extreme poverty, drunken father who deserted them, school masters and priests who abused him, the fights and taunting in the schoolyard, cover it all up with humor, that was his life's path. You can't trust anyone, they'll lie, abuse you then leave you. Love, what's that?
So he became a funny alcoholic that had to look out for himself. Terrible husband and father.
But it's one of those stories of hitting rock bottom, losing everything and realizing what you had.
Only then does he learn what's important in his life. Cleaning up his life, making amends and becoming the man that his family deserves.
April 7, 2019
This book is a fast read and is well written, but I didn't like it. This is the first book that I have read by Malachy McCourt. I have read two of his brother's books Angela's Ashes and Tiz. I wanted to give Malachi a chance, but his book has a almost pompous, arrogant tone to it. He basically only cares about himself and whines about having no money, not seeing his kids etc. No thanks.
October 25, 2022
Very easy to read and quite entertaining. McCourt's self-absorbed and often misguided actions of his younger days are put into some sort of context as he becomes sober and deals with the emotional baggage of his up-bringing. The memoir is equally witty and moving. Add half a star.
March 22, 2023
Enjoyable rambling
July 5, 2023
i actually could not finish this book, so i dnf 😛
March 13, 2024
The McCourts are fabulous story-tellers. This was an interesting read. Can't help feeling sorry for him and his family and some of the poor decisions that strained their relationships.
June 8, 2015
http://www.bol.com/nl/p/de-halve-waar...
In De halve waarheid verwerft McCourt roem in Hollywood door zijn rollen in bekende televisieseries en sticht hij zijn eigen gezin. Maar het geluk heeft een grimmige keerzijde: McCourt is een alcoholist en levert dag in dag uit zijn hopeloze strijd tegen de donkere schaduwen van het verleden. Toch is hij vastbesloten zijn kinderen de jeugd te geven die hij zelf niet heeft gehad.
'Ik weet nu dat ik acteur ben geworden omdat ik niet Malachy McCourt wilde zijn, en ik ben alcoholist geworden omdat ik niet Malachy McCourt wilde zijn', schrijft McCourt en die vlucht uit de werkelijkheid duikt steeds weer op. In dit tweede, afsluitende deel van zijn memoires, (deel 1 is 'Een zwemmende monnik', 1999*) gaat Malachy scheiden, hertrouwt met Diana, sticht een nieuw gezin en probeert als barkeeper, talkshow-host en acteur zijn gezin (met een autistische stiefdochter en twee zoons) te onderhouden. Hij schrijft over zijn depressies, zijn drankprobleem, zijn moeder Angela, de ups en downs van zijn huwelijk, de problemen met zijn oudste zoon, de strijd tegen de wantoestanden in de inrichting waar zijn autistische stiefdochter verblijft en over zijn broer Franks plotselinge roem met 'De as van mijn moeder', de aanleiding voor zijn eigen memoires. Bij dit openhartige, bij vlagen geestige en boeiende levensverhaal ontkom je er toch niet aan om je af te vragen of het ook uitgegeven zou zijn als Malachy niet de broer van Frank McCourt was geweest. De wat houterige vertaling doet het ook geen goed. Kleine druk. Zie verder www.malachymccourt.com.
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In De halve waarheid verwerft McCourt roem in Hollywood door zijn rollen in bekende televisieseries en sticht hij zijn eigen gezin. Maar het geluk heeft een grimmige keerzijde: McCourt is een alcoholist en levert dag in dag uit zijn hopeloze strijd tegen de donkere schaduwen van het verleden. Toch is hij vastbesloten zijn kinderen de jeugd te geven die hij zelf niet heeft gehad.
'Ik weet nu dat ik acteur ben geworden omdat ik niet Malachy McCourt wilde zijn, en ik ben alcoholist geworden omdat ik niet Malachy McCourt wilde zijn', schrijft McCourt en die vlucht uit de werkelijkheid duikt steeds weer op. In dit tweede, afsluitende deel van zijn memoires, (deel 1 is 'Een zwemmende monnik', 1999*) gaat Malachy scheiden, hertrouwt met Diana, sticht een nieuw gezin en probeert als barkeeper, talkshow-host en acteur zijn gezin (met een autistische stiefdochter en twee zoons) te onderhouden. Hij schrijft over zijn depressies, zijn drankprobleem, zijn moeder Angela, de ups en downs van zijn huwelijk, de problemen met zijn oudste zoon, de strijd tegen de wantoestanden in de inrichting waar zijn autistische stiefdochter verblijft en over zijn broer Franks plotselinge roem met 'De as van mijn moeder', de aanleiding voor zijn eigen memoires. Bij dit openhartige, bij vlagen geestige en boeiende levensverhaal ontkom je er toch niet aan om je af te vragen of het ook uitgegeven zou zijn als Malachy niet de broer van Frank McCourt was geweest. De wat houterige vertaling doet het ook geen goed. Kleine druk. Zie verder www.malachymccourt.com.
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January 11, 2009
Singing My Him Song is the sequel to A Monk Swimming, and Malachy is the brother of Frank McCourt... Now Malachy is a bit older and wiser, and finally confronts his alcohol problem... The whole atmosphere is kind of self critical, cos the book is about the journey from a bad life to a good one, and it is written from a point of view where Malachy has realized how stupid he was... All in the entire sequel is just as good as the first book, but stil not as good as Frank's books. The brothers kind of have the same humorous style and attitude to life, but Malachy is tougher and writes about different things. Sometimes Malachys life doesn’t actually always feel so interesting to me. After all he was only a wannabe actor, and the search for jobs (which weren't that fancy or which he didn't get at all) seamed endless sometimes. But Malachy does write in a great funny style. But the truth is of course still that I would never have picked up the book (let alone heard of it) if it wasn't for Frank (and my love for his books).
And as for the title: Frankly, I don't get what Malachy means with it. It wasn't referred to anywhere in the book (if I didn't miss something...) Singing my him song... Singing I get, but what does this him refer to? Malacy's former self, the hopeless drunk? And on the cover above the title of the book there are the numbers 63 and 64. What that symbolizes I don't get either... Odd.
And as for the title: Frankly, I don't get what Malachy means with it. It wasn't referred to anywhere in the book (if I didn't miss something...) Singing my him song... Singing I get, but what does this him refer to? Malacy's former self, the hopeless drunk? And on the cover above the title of the book there are the numbers 63 and 64. What that symbolizes I don't get either... Odd.
Read
May 9, 2013Actually I got a third of the way through and was ill. The story of his life. Interesting? No. Written well for an uninteresting book? No. Egomaniac, super over the top senseless liberal lunatic? Yes. Really and truly a sorry actor/politician wannabe. Horrid father, alcoholic, and an important person in the New York set of the 1950's to present. Because he had a beer with Richard Harris or he passed Gloria Vanderbilt at a beer hall. I mean really terrible book. Really. Terrible. Book. What a waste of trees and ink!
September 3, 2016
The second book from Frank McCourt’s younger but wilder brother, who was a minor celebrity in New York in the days of live television (and who later became a soap actor). A hard drinker and saloon-keeper, he had all sorts of mad stories in the first book. This one shows the flipside of chronic alcoholism and his fight to sobriety, which is fine as far as it goes, but he’s not introspective enough to make it feel universal. Probably should have stayed in his shrink’s notebooks.
July 5, 2015
The follow-up, which brings us up to today, to A Monk Swimming. Much easier to read, or less tragic: he gets a grip on his alcoholism & his marriage in this one. Finally.
It's interesting that I liked his second book better, while I preferred his brother's first book (Angela's Ashes) over his second. Maybe it's because it seems that Malachy has come to terms with life more completely than his brother, at least when comparing the two 'second' books.
It's interesting that I liked his second book better, while I preferred his brother's first book (Angela's Ashes) over his second. Maybe it's because it seems that Malachy has come to terms with life more completely than his brother, at least when comparing the two 'second' books.
March 23, 2015
Another notch in my McCourt brothers book saga...and I loved it...as always. Probably that Irish thing, but I loved the stories and flowery words and that you almost have to have a Thesaurus handy to get through it. The brutal honesty about oneself, the historically self deprecating tone of Irish humor. On to read the History of Ireland as told my Malachy to round out my March Madness of Irish reading!
March 31, 2008
Well, I disagreed with a lot of what he had to say sometimes, but that's ok. It's good to expand your horizons a little, and McCourt's book is interesting at least. (I haven't read Angela's Ashes yet, so I can't and won't compare him to his brother.) It was a pretty good read, and at times very witty.
July 26, 2008
Another great book by the McCourt brothers! If anyone is going to read something by these two for the first time I'd definitely read Angela's Ashes first by Frank McCourt as it kind of starts the whole story out for you and gets you sucked in. After reading Ashes I just had to know everything I could find out about the rest of their family life.
September 21, 2008
I wanted this to be good. And because I felt like I knew him from his brother's Angela's Ashes, I kept rooting for Malachy to tell me a good story. But it just didn't happen. I gave up about half way through.
January 13, 2011
I love the books by the McCourt brothers! I was especially fond of Frank McCourt's writing, and this book made me think a lot more positively of Malachy McCourt! I'm really tempted to try to find some of his movies or TV shows! I feel like I know him now!
June 5, 2013
Gave it a couple of chances, but could not get through the writing style, or was the author too distant from his recovery as an alcoholic -- or too close? I jumped through the chapters, browsing for bits that I liked and flagged this one :unfinished business so I can get if off my bookshelf.
February 10, 2014
Enjoyed, Malachy's honesty and humor dealing with his mistakes and conquests. Bits of his brutal childhood leaked into adulthood but he plugged on. Learning from what didn't work, his later life gave him love and contentment.
August 4, 2013
McCourt's description of the difficult battle he had in overcoming the twin demons of alcoholism and his less-than-perfect childhood did not ever quite engage me. My native distrust of memoirs may be to blame.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews