Frank McCourt Memoirs

[Martha]

Angela's Ashes I've just finished reading Angela's Ashes & enjoyed it. What did others who have read the book think of it?

Teacher Man: A Memoir I've previously read Teacher Man which I liked & that's why I had to try another of his books.

[Libby]

I loved Angela's Ashes. I listened to the audio read by McCourt and call still remember the family waiting to get money from the father when he went to London to work. And when Frankie can't see -- what a powerful image.

[[deleted user]]

I read it in print two years ago and really enjoyed it. I would love to go back and listen to it in audio. I remembered the frequent use of the word "tis" and finding it funny that that was what he named the next book! When Frank McCourt died last year, I pulled out Angela's Ashes and Tis, fully intending to re-read and read them respectively, but other books got in the way!
I also remember the squalor in which they lived which was all too believable and horrible and; the revenge Frankie got in the money-lending lady... Overall it was a very well drawn memoir, evoking a range of quotidian but nonetheless powerful emotions like sadness and hope.

[Linda]

I read Angela's Ashes shortly after it came out. I enjoyed the book, felt it was well-written.

I listened to Teacher Man read by Frank McCourt shortly before I met him at a Bloomsday reading in NYC. I loved his voice and humor. I could listen to him all day every day. I think some of my appreciation of this book had to do with being a retired teacher myself.

Linda

[Ann]

I loved Angela's Ashes. I think it was the first "memoir" (as opposed to biography or autobiography) that I read, and the experience was such that I still count it as one of my favorite books of all time. The way he writes about his tragic life without one single instance of self-pity just blew me away.

[Jessica]

Teacher Man changed my life. I was assigned it for a grad course and I've never been more pleasantly surprised. I need to read it again to remind myself that I could have much worse students; and that there are ways to reach them all.

[Diane]

I actually taught Angela's Ashes to a particularly difficult senior English class several years ago. We listened to the audio and watched film clips and researched Irish history and of course read, read, read and discuss the memoir. It was a wonderful unit. Changed that class from a difficult one, to one of my favorites. Last year Frank McCourt gave a talk at an Irish night of poetry in my area, and I went to go see him and ran into several of my former students who all said it was the only book they actually read all the way through in high school. No Spark Notes. None had ever attended an author event before. His story touched so many people in so many unexpected ways. What a great gift. He will be missed.

[Ann]

Great story, Diane! Thanks for sharing.

[Stephen]

I resisted reading Angela's Ashes, mainly because I mistrust hype. Then I got to spend an evening with Frank McCourt (the same weekend I met my wife, but that's a story for another time).

Frank struck me as one of those people who make you want to go out and accomplish all of the things that will make you happy, if only because you knew it would make him happy. I didn't realise until after reading Angela's Ashes, why hearing him laugh made everyone around him happier. I think it's because we could all sense that if Frank McCourt could grow up to be peaceful, happy and loving, then there was nothing so bad in our lives that couldn't be overcome. He had that kind of presence. I'll call it beatific.

And I only spent one night in his company. I can only imagine the inspiration he passed on to his students.

[Suzy]

Granted I've never finished Angela's Ashes... I read his second book, 'Tis first... and I found it to be amazing!!! It's a definite must-read!! And I own Teacher Man, and have yet to read it.

I met Frank McCourt a few years ago when he came to my school. He lived in a town about a 1/2 hour from me in CT.

He was a nice guy. He insisted on only using his pen... I offered mine when his ran out of ink, but he wouldn't have it. LOL!! I'll never forget it!

[Spookyelle]

What I loved about his books was the humour that shone through despite the often difficult and disturbing events he lived through. Absolutely loved them all, so sad he has gone.