Angela's Ashes

By: Frank McCourt, Jeannette Walls - introduction

Narrated by: Frank McCourt, Jeannette Walls - introduction

Length: 15 hrs and 8 mins

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)

The author’s wonderful voice

What I enjoyed was every moment of the book. What I disliked was that this’ beautiful book had to end.

Memories Restored

I thouroughly enjoyed Mr. McCourt's reading of the remarkable store of his chilhood. His repeated descriptions of his emotions when telling about events he remembers from his childhood make the stories come alive. The reading also brought back memories from my own childhood and the emotions I felt at the time those events were happening. I look forward to hearing more from Mr. McCourt.

Listening adds so much!

I started to listen to the book, but then bought a paper copy half way through. (Sometimes you want re-read a section, tough to do on a MP3 player). I enjoyed the spoken version so much more, than if I had just read the book. The songs and pronunciations were lost on me on the page, but the audio version brought them to life.

Terrific

I avoided this book when it won all of its awards because I was somewhat aware of the contents and it just seemed depressing to me. I read Teacher Man and 'Tis by the author and then a book club friend told me this was in audio and read by the author, which I consider a real plus. This is an incredible story of a family in Ireland, abandoned by the father, and their story of survival. McCourt's memory of his childhood is riveting. You will love this book

Frank McCourt, what a guy!!!

What made the experience of listening to Angela's Ashes the most enjoyable?

My paternal grandfather was from Ireland (Cork) and so I liked hearing about Frank's experience growing up there. Also.....his narration was great...just great!

What did you like best about this story?

How Frank tried to keep his head above water in a world where poverty was pulling on his legs trying to drown him and his mother, just barely able to cope, was little help to him.

What about Frank McCourt’s performance did you like?

Everything....his accent brings it to life and as he is retelling his own experiences, he often reads like he is telling us a story rather than reading from a book.

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

When his aunt bought him new clothes for his job. Also Paddy Clohessy and the fact that he is even more poverty stricken than Frankie is moving.

Any additional comments?

This is one of those books I have listened to more than once. When Frank McCourt passed away, I heard the news on TV and thought "that voice has been silenced forever, how sad". I loved this book so much and felt like I was drawn into his world with it than when he really died, I was sad and felt like I lost someone I knew.

Highly recommended.

A Great Audiobook!

The book was good, the audiobook is great! The book is read by the author -- which always makes books better, but with the Irish brogue from the author, it makes it a GEM. This is my all-time favorite audiobook, and I'm not even Irish. It's a great story, a great piece of history, a great autobiography, a great audio story.

Excellent

It took a little bit for me to get into this one, but once there, it was really hard to 'hit stop'. Frank McCourt brings much humor to an otherwise depressing tale of a miserable childhood - I found myself laughing out loud in places. The Irish accent adds a lot to the "read" as well. This is a classic!

After many months: a review.

Any additional comments?

Frank McCourt shows a remarkable ability to recall the details of his difficult (miserable, actually) childhood and yet he has the mercy to do it in such a way that the listener feels enthralled instead of burdened. He never dwells in self-pity and he often entertains. It has been many months since I listened to this book and I regard it as time well-spent.

Incredibly good...

What made the experience of listening to Angela's Ashes the most enjoyable?

The brogue, the humor....I laughed so much but was sad at the same time. Poignant and rich. I question anyone who gives this book a negative review...I'm not sure what more one could want out of a book. I suspect some people are very shallow and have no souls. ;-/

Who was your favorite character and why?

Frank of course...

What does Frank McCourt and Jeannette Walls - introduction bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I'm not sure her introduction was necessary. I went straight to the book. Everything is self explanatory.

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

When Frank would think about other women being his mother so that he could get good food. The innocence of that thinking touched me.

Any additional comments?

Yes, I'm upset at some of the comments here. A man puts his life into a book...honestly and all some here come away with is the mention of "wanking' which is done in the context of Catholic Guilt. It is not a vulgar book and I would say Grow Up people!!!
This is a coming of age tale of a young man struggling with poverty , religious indoctrination and you need to be a little more sophisticated and not so silly and judgmental. It's pertinent to the story and I'm so tired of prudes.
Read young adult if you cannot handle some adult content. Also stick with romance novels if you cannot handle some gritty realism in your literature.
Sheesh.

Absolutely delightful, compelling

If you could sum up Angela's Ashes in three words, what would they be?

Painful
Clever
Humorous

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

When Frank and his siblings move into the disgusting "Uncle's" house and they are forced to listen to their mother have sexual relations with him in exchange for food and shelter

What about Frank McCourt and Jeannette Walls - introduction ’s performance did you like?

This book would not be the same experience for anyone that did not have the opportunity to listen to McCourt narrate his own words and sing the tunes his drunk father would belt out every night upon returning home from another binge in the pint. My wife read the book years ago and has encouraged me to enjoy it ever since. Now that I have LISTENED to it, I am urging her to do the same as I know her experience will be greatly enhanced by McCourt's narration.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A tale of struggle, self-destruction, and survival.

Any additional comments?

This book is a treasure and deserves all of the attention, compliments, and awards it received as well as some it did not!