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)

Just Something About This Book

I don't know if it is the story (which I read in paperback form years before listening to the audiobook), or the fact that Frank McCourt is narrating, but in my opinion this is simply one of the best books I have ever purchased from Audible. I have listened over and over. The story of Frank's life is gritty, sad, moving, funny, and for me it has been unforgettable. If this isn't in your collection, I highly recommend that you give it a listen.

I wish I could give 10 stars for performance!

I loved the narration! This book makes me appreciate everything I have so much more knowing on how little some had survive.

As read by the author

The story pops from the speakers as listeners are treated to a first class reading of the material from the author's own lips, as the intonations, rhythms, and patterns of speech that are so hard to distinguish in written words are delivered directly to you, complete with a lilting Irish brogue

Briliant - just briliant

Its a memoier and narrated by the writer himself. It is so intense, so personal so emotional. One share the extreme poverty of the family of the Mc Courts due to the drinking of the father. One cannot believe the tragedies the famely must overcome. Should not be read - should be heard told by the writer the boy whos life we follow. Marvelous.

Skip the Intro by Jeanette Walls

Wonderful reading by author Frank McCourt. Many laugh-out-loud moments. I'd have given it five stars if not for a dull, unecessary introduction by another writer that should have followed the story, not preceded it.

Excelente

Fabulous story great narrator I want more couldn’t stop
Recommend to anyone looking for good entertainment

A Winner!

You will laugh and you will cry, but you will never forget this book or this writer! I have over 800 titles in my library, and this is one of the ten best!

Makes me grateful

Hearing Frank McCourt's childhood story through his own voice was powerful. His experiences are told so that despite the horrible things Frank had to deal with thanks to an alcoholic father and neglectful mother, I still had warm feelings toward both parents, the way a child would certainly feel towards there parents. It's a book that gets rid of the black or white; good or bad way of viewing a character. They are all shades of grey. It's hard to believe that someone so kind, sensitive, fair, generous, honest and hard working came out of such a hard, desperately poor childhood.

The book also gave me a good understanding if what like in Ireland was like in the depression, and WW2, as well as an understanding of how illnesses that are now treatable and survivable killed so many back then. This book also made clear the animosity of Irish towards English, Catholic towards Protestant and even how people from various parts of Ireland distrust and dislike Irish folks that aren't exactly like them. Looking forward to "Tis"

Excellent "read"!

Outstanding!

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

I had no idea that the writer was also the narrator until I read these reviews.. what an incredible talent!

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of them. It is such an honest and at times deeply disturbing account of life growing up Irish and Catholic back in the day.

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

This is my first of Frank McCourt's performances and its simply amazing.

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

I was deeply moved on several occasions - especially the innocence ~ (sitting on the 7th step to talk to the angel for example).

Any additional comments?

No words. Outstanding. One of the best books of all time and wonderfully narrated.

Impeccable

There is a reason this book won the Pulitzer Prize. After reading it, hearing it in Frank McCourt's own voice made it all the better. Listen to it for the sadness, the dark humor, the perseverance, and, ultimately, the comfort that is in it.