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Angela's Ashes
Angela's Ashes
Angela's Ashes
Audiobook15 hours

Angela's Ashes

Written by Frank McCourt

Narrated by Frank McCourt

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

A Pulitzer Prize–winning, #1 New York Times bestseller, Angela’s Ashes is Frank McCourt’s masterful memoir of his childhood in Ireland.

“When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.”

So begins the luminous memoir of Frank McCourt, born in Depression-era Brooklyn to recent Irish immigrants and raised in the slums of Limerick, Ireland. Frank’s mother, Angela, has no money to feed the children since Frank’s father, Malachy, rarely works, and when he does he drinks his wages. Yet Malachy—exasperating, irresponsible, and beguiling—does nurture in Frank an appetite for the one thing he can provide: a story. Frank lives for his father’s tales of Cuchulain, who saved Ireland, and of the Angel on the Seventh Step, who brings his mother babies.

Perhaps it is story that accounts for Frank’s survival. Wearing rags for diapers, begging a pig’s head for Christmas dinner and gathering coal from the roadside to light a fire, Frank endures poverty, near-starvation and the casual cruelty of relatives and neighbors—yet lives to tell his tale with eloquence, exuberance, and remarkable forgiveness.

Angela’s Ashes, imbued on every page with Frank McCourt’s astounding humor and compassion, is a glorious book that bears all the marks of a classic.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 1, 1997
ISBN9780743518901
Author

Frank McCourt

Frank McCourt’s first book, ‘Angela’s Ashes’ won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award; it has sold 1.3 million copies in its Flamingo editions alone and tens of millions world-wide. For many years a writing teacher at Stuyvesant High School, McCourt performed with his brother Malachy in a musical review about their Irish youth. He lives in New York.

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Reviews for Angela's Ashes

Rating: 4.05371563812601 out of 5 stars
4/5

6,190 ratings229 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Pulitzer prize winner. My heart breaks for what these children went through. Written through the eyes of a child, McCourt shows us a world of abject poverty, of near hopelessness, constant hunger, cold, damp, of living daily with death, depression and despair. And yet ... there are moments of humor and delight. The reader knows, of course, that Frankie will survive; but one finds oneself hoping desperately that he'll escape, that he'll grow and flourish, love and be loved. An extraordinary book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Amazing story. Well written and well read. You can tell he is a natural story teller
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved it ! Can’t wait to read more of his books.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Interesting and heartbreaking story about Frank's hard and poverty stricken life growing up in Ireland. Frank overcame a lot in his life and his story gave me even more disgust, if that's even possible, for the Catholic church. I know it was a different time then, but goodness gracious.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What an incredible story to listen to. Full of emotion and grabs your attention.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Sad story, but very engaging drawing the reader in one page at a time deeper and deeper into the story. 10% in = meh, 25% in = seems ok, 50% in = hooked in and ready for each page
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I will start by stating that, I am not a big reader of non-fiction. I saw the cover and wondered why the boy looked so sad and lonely. This is one of the most depressing books I have ever read. Frank McCourt tells the story of his family with such heartbreaking reality but with a humorous side as well. It made me hug my children and be thankful for all we have. I couldn't put the book down until I found out what happened to the little boy on the cover. And bought the sequel, Tis before I even finished Angela's Ashes.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An interesting view into the lives of the Irish, bravo.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great story and the reader has a very nice brough .
    I am a Irish American whose family came over during the famine and the stories I grew up listening to make me think of Angela‘s ashes.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was a good book, nothing amazing but I would recommend it. I didn't feel it was time wasted when I'd finished.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book has really put into perspective how things were not even 100 years ago. Sometimes, I feel like I’m not where I want to be in life and that I should work towards my goals as hard as Frankie did. I know as a progressive society, we are working towards a more comfortable life. It is something I work hard for, but having a reminder that it’s okay to work hard sometimes for what you want. Thank you for sharing your life Frank McCourt.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a great book,made me think of my father growing up during the depression. Yet this book had the Irish perspective.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    One of the best books I have ever read. S
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Beautiful and sad all rolled into one. I can’t wait to read ‘Tis
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Irish child grows up in poverty and becomes a man
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Frank McCourt lived a remarkable life, overcoming incredible poverty to become the man he now is. I think this is a great book to teach a reader compassion and understanding for those brought up in lesser cicrumstances.

    I was shocked at the circumstances in which he lived as a boy. It is so foreign it is unimaginable.

    Well worth the read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I do believe I'm the last person on earth to have ever read this book and everyone but I got the memo that it's brilliant and awe-inspiring and I wish I could write trains of thought without punctuation so majestically as Mr. McCourt.It's not going to blow anybody's mind to say that I loved this book. It rips your heart out, it really does. When Frank had to lick leftover newspaper from his uncle's fish and chips wrapper, that's how desperately hungry and at the bottom of the barrel he was, my gut wrenched. His poor mother, losing three babies and married to man addicted to the drink and so far gone into the addiction that he can't see (or refuses to see) that his family needs the money for literal survival. Poor Frankie and his brothers, all of them sweet and good and somehow able to be positive in the most desperate of situations, the way only children can. How terrible that his own aunts and uncles and grandmothers treated him with disdain for the sole reason that his mother married a man from the North.What a tragic childhood.Yet at the same time, I wonder if Mr. McCourt found his childhood to be tragic. As a child, did he think he had it terribly? He knew his family were dirt poor (literally), he watched as his mother lost three children, he stood by his mother as she weeped over her husband who continued to let his family down, but Frank and his brothers were able to find happiness and light in the darkest of places and times, such is the resilience and power of a child's mind.If ever there were a book that forced you to be grateful for everything you have, grateful that you have a bed, your own toilet, shoes, food and that you don't have to lick the grease off a newspaper to stave away the hunger, this book is it.Bring on 'Tis and Teacher Man.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Eccellent read!! Why did I wait so long to read it?
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The writing is excellent. The author put me there. The story is rough and sad which is why I didn't like it so much. The social evils of poverty, alcoholism, and religious attitudes toward sex have huge impacts on a boy growing up. He does run into kindness, but it is a rough road.

    There were several places where I was disgusted. McCourt uses words powerfully.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    very good book, although a little mature. sad...but tis good
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is an absolute classic. I am amazed that McCourt did not kill his father. McCourt came out of this terrible experience a positive and thoughtful man. I love him.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Are you kidding me!! I got every detail of Frankie’s life for 19 years just to be dropped off like this.... No ending. Ey
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The fact that the story was told from a child’s point of view made it fascinating! Simply because of the honesty! The dead grandma’s dress worn by FRANKIE was funny! I’m still laughing! Sad story tat people endured the hardships and people can be cold! Hurt people hurt people, His daddy needed help! I learned something catchy phrases and never thought of. Phrases! Frankie is a little hero! EXCITEMENT — lol
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    McCourt begins his popular memoir, Angela's Ashes, stating - "When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood." and thus begins the journey of Frank McCourt's life as a child in Ireland. And while The Great Famine may have been a thing of the past for most in Ireland, you would never know it from the McCourt household.

    An enduring story. It took me a bit to get used to the voice and the grammar used in the book but enjoyed it quite a bit. Some parts were extremely sad, leaving me near tears while others had me laughing (his first Communion and his Grandmother's dress were a riot) but at all times it gripped my heart. I just kept wanting something good to happen to this family. A great story on the struggle of life and overcoming that struggle against all odds. I look forward to the continuation, 'Tis, to see what becomes of the young man named Frank McCourt.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wonderful story! I love this writing style. Worth to read!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Read this book years ago when I was in college and have since re-read it over the years. One of the best books in any genre in my opinion.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    It won a Pulitzer so why didn’t I like it? Too much pain! Surely there was some joy in his life!! Can’t recommend this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It was very relatable to growing up in the church. The church rules everything and everything is fine with the church in mind. The narration was wonderful. Eve tho parts were sad there were also parts that made me roar with laughter.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Delightful and poignant story about Frank McCourt’s first 19 years of dirt-poor existence. Brought me countless tears and smiles. And McCourt’s narration is pure music.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What a story!!! I read this book long long time ago as a little girl still in school. My cousin gave it to me and it was the first book i ever read. I call this book starting point of my reading addiction. After all these years i still wondered about this book and never really understood the great reviews i occasionally read in different forums which off course meant i had to read it again some day! And so it happens that i stumble upon this epic.

    Finished this book in 3 sittings spread over 2 days and o boy what a story. Having grown up in India, i always imagined that all European countries are rich ones. This book is a glimpse into the irish history & poverty and what its like growing up in utter desperation. Heart touching and definitely a book that will keep me thinking about Frankie and his growing up years, Angela and her utter frustration of raising a family with husband who cares all about his pint and all other characters

    Now i know and understand this book so much better after having read it as a grown up