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Angela's Ashes  By  cover art

Angela's Ashes

By: Frank McCourt, Jeannette Walls - introduction
Narrated by: Frank McCourt, Jeannette Walls - introduction
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Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize, Biography/Autobiography, 1997

National Book Critics Circle, Biography/Autobiography, 1997

Frank McCourt's Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, movingly read in his own voice, bears all the marks of a classic. Born in Depression-era Brooklyn to Irish immigrant parents, Frank was later raised in the slums of Limerick, Ireland. His mother, Angela, had no money to feed her children since Frank's father, Malachy, rarely worked, and when he did, he drank his wages. Angela's Ashes is the story of how Frank endured - wearing shoes repaired with tires, begging for a pig's head for Christmas dinner, and searching the pubs for his father - a tale he relates with eloquence, exuberance, and remarkable forgiveness.

Listen to Frank McCourt talk about this book on C-SPAN's Booknotes (7/11/97).

©1997 Frank McCourt, All Rights Reserved (P)1997 Simon & Schuster Inc., All Rights Reserved, Audioworks is an Imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division Simon & Schuster Inc.

Critic reviews

"Frank McCourt is a marvelous writer whose words are made all the better when he reads them aloud..." (Bookpage)

"...one of the best I've heard in years." (The Boston Globe)

"...so good it deserves a sequel" (The New York Times)

"Here we have the stereotypical Irish characters - the drunken poet father; the all-suffering mother; the miserable, hungry kids being turned away by a haughty Church - all made three-dimensional and brought fully to life by both McCourt's language and his loving, intimate narration.... Grim it is - but the tale and its teller transcend the poverty - and so does the listener, who glories in the story and voice from beginning to end." (AudioFile)

Featured Article: The top 100 memoirs of all time


All genres considered, the memoir is among the most difficult and complex for a writer to pull off. After all, giving voice to your own lived experience and recounting deeply painful or uncomfortable memories in a way that still engages and entertains is a remarkable feat. These autobiographies, often narrated by the authors themselves, shine with raw, unfiltered emotion sure to resonate with any listener. But don't just take our word for it—queue up any one of these listens, and you'll hear exactly what we mean.

What listeners say about Angela's Ashes

Average customer ratings
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good book

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the reader. good story with a good lesson for all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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The best audiobook of all time!

I've listened to it a lot of times. McCourt narrates it himself. He and his brothers performed these and other stories for years and so I feel like audio is truly the format this book needs!

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  • Overall
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Excellent bio

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would if they were interested.

What did you like best about this story?

The narration. Frank is excellent with accents.

Have you listened to any of Frank McCourt’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I hadn't before.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The deaths of Margaret, Oliver and Oliver's twin almost got me crying.

Any additional comments?

None.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Terrific storyteller

Listening to Frank McCourt tell his story is very special. His presentation adds wit and color to what alone is a tragic upbringing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Don't Miss This Audio Book!

I had read Angela's Ashes several times, first through a paperback and then on my Kindle. I thought it was a great enough book and such a keeper that I purchased it twice. When I came across the audio version I thought I wouldn't bother ~ until I realized it was the author himself as the narrator. What had always been an excellent book was exceptional! Mr. McCourt's Irish brogue, his pauses, his singing, his wry way of speaking gave this book depth and dimension that I hadn't even counted on. Whether you are new to audio books or a seasoned reader, this book is a charmer, heart-breaking yet poignant, funny... And now for "Tis"!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The Best

I have been a subscriber for 6 months now and Angela's Ashes has been the best...so far. Frank McCourt's narration really made me feel the pain and agony of growing up in Ireland.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A Masterpiece not to be missed

An incredible sorry about the strength of the human spirit. The performance by the author pulls you in by the bootstraps and never lets go.

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A heartbreaking tale, a masterful reading

The life of the poor has rarely been so well and compellingly captured. Is the capacity of the human spirit for endurance, facing hardship with humor, deepened immeasurably by the indelible reading of the author?
‘Tis.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely wonderful memoir!

Where does Angela's Ashes rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my all-time favorites.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Angela's Ashes?

It's hard to pick just one memorable moment in this book. The book is filled from start to finish with moments that really make us think and appreciate the life we have.

Which character – as performed by Frank McCourt – was your favorite?

Frank McCourt himself.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would have loved to listen in one sitting, but the book is very long. Therefore, I reluctantly had to listen to the book over several days. I totally enjoy listening to the author's accent.

Any additional comments?

After listening to this man's story as he was growing up, we must certainly realize that, no matter how "hard" we think our life has been, there is always, always someone who is much worse off then we. It's a wonder any of those children survived at all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved every bit of it.

Loved it. It is both sad and funny. Gives you a look into Irish life during the war. Got me to tears in some parts.

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