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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.

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What listeners say about Angela's Ashes

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Must listen

My favorite book ever. Love to listen to Frank McCourt read what an experience. Tears, laughing, joy, heartbreak

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Angela's Ashes

Great story, read by the author. I didn't want it to end. Next comes ' Tis, another book by Frank McCourt that I want to read.

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Excellent! The Best!

Frank McCourt takes you right into his life, his voice, his sincerity, humor...… I could just go on and on.... This book is a must! You will not be able to stop listening!!!

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incredible

I love it. Frank is an excellent storyteller. Don't pass this audiobook by, it's too good to miss

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Masterful

Incredible writing about the trials of growing up poor from a children's perspective. Narration by the author made the book even better, brought everything to life. I laughed and cried out loud in my car. Tremendously entertaining.

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Wonderful!

It is a great story and to hear it read by the author was an absolute delight.

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An instant favorite.

The only thing I hated is that it had to end. What a lovely book.

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Irish eyes are laughing

He had to laugh to keep from crying. Angela’s Ashes is an all time favorite. I read it many years ago and couldn’t pass up hearing it narrated by Frankie McCourt himself. Al together tragically beautiful and laugh out loud funny. A must-add to your wish list.

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Perfection

I’ve avoided this book for years. Why? I thought it would be too painful to get through. But I laughed, I cried, I ate up every word. Such a treasure.

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Storytelling at its Best

Angela’s Ashes is a great memoir. My family is of Irish lineage and this story helps me to understand “my people”. I’ve not known this kind of poverty and hunger but Frank McCourt’s images made me feel as though I was experiencing it, too. I’ll always remember his descriptions. I love this book! It’s funny, genuine and heartwarming - everything to enjoy in a well written book.

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