The Angela's Ashes/'Tis Boxed Set

by Frank McCourt

Quite possibly the most perfect holiday gift -- a beautiful boxed collection of two prizewinning, perennial bestselling modern Angela's Ashes and 'Tis. With almost 8 million copies of Frank McCourt's books in print, fans just can't get enough of their favorite author. From the heartwrenching times young Frank spent in the slums of Ireland to his struggle for the American dream as an impoverished immigrant, readers can now have both of McCourt's remarkable memoirs conveniently combined in one elegant package.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Biography

736 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2000

About the author

Francis McCourt was an Irish-American teacher and writer. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his book Angela's Ashes, a tragicomic memoir of the misery and squalor of his childhood.

Reviews

[C.J. Fosdick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angela's Ashes was a roller-coaster read for me. I loved the writing style and POV and touch of Irish humor, while appalled by the poverty that Frank McCourt described in his childhood. It was puzzling that he could remember such detail beginning at the age of four when his parents moved the family from New York back to Limerick, Ireland. The matter-of-fact honesty and introspection in his account, I'm certain, led to his Pulitzer Prize.

'Tis is the sequel I couldn't put down, as it details his life after "escaping" back to New York in 1949 to 1985 when his estranged father died. McCourt's honesty and wit carries over in a memoir hard to forget.

[Mariah Whitehead · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very entertaining book that holds someones difficult life story.

[Kathy C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a few books in my life which I have read, reread, and never truly forget. Angels' Ashes is one such book.

Initially, the fact that Frank McCourt was raised in Ireland piqued my interest. My mother's ancestors came to the US from Ireland, so I saw a common thread. However, I had a fairytale like idea of what all of Ireland must be like: glorious green countryside, castles and the Blaney Stone.

However, I quickly learned from McCourt's moving memoir that this romantic notion was far from the truth. His descriptive passages about his family's life in the US and then in Limerick still haunt me: poverty, his father's drinking, unemployment, horrid living conditions, and especially the death of his siblings.

I am still amazed that all of this happened before the author was 18 years old! I so admire the tenacity of his mother, himself, and the children who survived.

[Jeff Trueman]

I've read both these books, as well as "Teacher Man", and gone on to purchase them in hardback for my library. What wonderful, wonderful reads. No, "Angela's Ashes" is NOT about the Holocaust! Many people seem to think that. It's about a boy's experience growing up in extreme poverty in Ireland. Filled with pathos, yes, but also that wonderful Irish humor that they manage to find in the direst of situations. A wonderful, poignant, rollicking read!

[Laura]

You love it and hate it and are disturbed, yet reassured that McCourt is very real. By the time you are finished with the books, you feel like you know him - and I felt like I knew a little bit more about my own history in a weird way since part of my family ping ponged similarly between Ireland and the US.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kept reading and waiting for this book to get better (happier) but it just got worse and worse. However, it is one of my absolute favorites. It opened my eyes to the life of a boy growing up in extreme poverty and gave me an understanding I did not have before of how that shapes ones life. I have a first edition signed copy (met Frank McCourt in Denver) that I treasure.

[Hedwig · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nog best ver gekomen in dit ‘misery porn’ boek maar na 100 blz had ik er toch genoeg van. Het is vlot geschreven maar de bak ellende die je over je uitgestort wordt in dit boek over zeer arme mensen in het Ierland in de jaren dertig en veertig van de vorige eeuw is immens… Na 100 blz waren drie van de vijf kinderen uit het gezin gestorven, drinkt vader consequent zijn loon op in de kroeg waardoor er geen eten is, moeten de kindjes op kerstavond kooltjes langs de kant van de weg zoeken zodat er nog iets gekookt en verwarmd kan worden… zo veel ellende maar ik ging mezelf toch afvragen of de rest van het boek nog iets zou toevoegen. Toen heb ik het maar in een mini bibliotheek op straat gezet.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father came from Ireland and although I aware of the poverty he endured, not a lot was said about it. This book really brings it to life, how people even survived is hard to imagine. Somewhat sad in parts and funny in others. Just started Tis.

[Norma Zenkus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very sad book about his terrible childhood

[Roos · Rating 3 out of 5]

een triestig en deprimerend verhaal!

[Victor Wong · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is mainly about frank and how he struggles in life a a poor person and later becomes greater of himself. then beginning is where his family goes to Ireland and need to get to America. he works hard to get to where he wants to get and in the end he reaches where he always wanted to get to.

Theme I have found in Angela’s Ashes is the limit of what different classes of work can get and afford and how hard they have to work to get to what they really want. I saw this in the book while frank himself is very smart and denied many opportunities he could not go far from where he is because of how he was dress and how he was dressed was with rag and made him seem very poor. I can relate this to a movie I have see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory even when Charlie was poor he was given a great opportunity that he took to go to a giant factory that was later given to him by the owner Willy Wonka this was one great opportunity to take Charlie’s life to a greater extend.

i really thought this book was boring in my opinion, but i'm not really into the history thing so it wasn't really filled with action to me.i wouldn't really read this but if u like history go ahead and read it you might like, hate or love it.this is my review on this book

[Tommy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tis' is essentially the story of an immigrant and his new life in New York City. Beginning with his voyage to America, the autobiographical story follows his struggle to make it in a country that isn't always accepting of strangers. Don't be mistaken to think of this as an extension of the dark tone of Angela's Ashes (which I also liked). I found this book much lighter in tone and more optimistic. McCourt finds his way to the promised land and has to deal with the realities of American society. It's full of the irony of everyday life and his struggles for education, happiness, love, and acceptance. Yes Mr. McCourt is an Irish immigrant, but it's not soley about his being Irish in America. If anything, it's about his struggle to be an American.

[Marguerite · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took awhile reading this book Angelas ashes as I was annoyed at the way the father of Frank Mc Court was to his wife and his children drinking all the money all the time,
I just was incensed how a man could just not care,I know he was supposed to love them.
But if he loved them why treat them so,I saw the film and i wanted to find out more than whats in the film,I thought that there was strange and disturbing ideas and was astounded what was believed and what level of poorness there was,which could of been better fed if the Dad been more caring,Going away the Father made me wonder if The Dad had another woman in England,Sounded to me that he cared only about himself.I could never been with a man like that.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only four stars because I am lumping these two together. I loved Angela's Ashes even though it could be mighty depressing at times. Although, being of Irish descent myself, I didn't find it as depressing as my non-Irish friends did. We can be a maudlin bunch, us Irish. I also liked Tis, but not as much as Angela's Ashes.

[Mike Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very compelling book about the struggles of an Irish family. I am making an attempt to trace some of the Irish's history of moving to America. Boy, was i in for a surprise reading this masterpiece by Frank McCourt.

[eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was ready for this book to be a total cliche, but actually it's very amusing, unmistakably Irish, and really good at conveying the issues of a country we tend to over-simplify.

NOTE: I have not read 'Tis, but the boxed set is the only option.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great book. I liked the in depth look of the famine in Ireland and the daily struggles his family endured from a child's point of view. I sacrificed studying time for this book, I couldn't put it down.

[Beccahartzell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read this book...Brent did and accidentally posted it to my goodreads account...in fact, all of the books that are rated - were rated by Brent. I promise I'll get on and rate some books at some point. I'm reading books...just haven't gone on to rate them yet!!!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy - what suffering our ancestors endured. This book is very interesting and really - you want to keep reading through it to learn what happens next. It is not a thriller - but real life situations in very hard times.

[Azahara RG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narra de la realidad más cruel desde el punto de vista de un niño. Es como un viaje en una montaña rusa de emociones, pasando de la tristeza a la carcajada en cuestión de segundos. Uno de los mejores libros que he leído, sin duda.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome if you just want to be completely depressed and cry yourself to sleep. Still, it was a great book

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent

[Noelani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it when it first came out and then again and then the movie and again. If I read a good book, in time I'll pick it up again.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was so sad I felt depressed at the end. I then read the sequel Tis, and felt much better. The story is true and the book was well written.

[Ritah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given him a five (HE'S REALLY GOOD) except he's a dick in person. So, here's a four. Eat that with some cabbage Mr.-Acting-All-Big-Guy.

[Kayla S.]

i read this book when i was about 10 or 11 i dont remember much expect that it is about a irish imigrant who goes through poverty. It might sound boring but it is a good book

[Xime Lage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not as amazing as Angela's Ashes but worth reading!

[Divina Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are heartbreaking and inspiring novels.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it a lot - it was better when it was the POV of him as a young child, so Tis wasn't as good as Angela's Ashes, but very well written nonetheless.

[Cheryel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hardships of Irish life not too long ago. How blessed I am and have always been.