Frank McCourt - Writing About Poverty

[bigyymajesticyy]

angelas ashes is a great book

[joshanator1]

@bigyymajesticyy

Read it. I'm just about done with "Tis".

[203207ab]

I didn't know the owner of the dodgers new poetry also. This man is a genius.

[GZSakuraz]

That guy in green looks like Nani lol

[sweptangel7]

How does one define fact? Fact is the opposite of fiction and is substantiated with proof. What's my point? My point is that someone noted that the story was embellished. My rebuttal was that it is a memoir, which doesn't necessitate facts. Memoirs are stories told by the author through the manner in which they either: 1) remember them or; 2) the way in which they want to tell them. By the way, fact is not a slippery concept - assumptions are a slippery concept. Consider mathematics and fact.

[U2gal4life]

After reading Angela's Ashes, i felt guilty when i sat down to eat something, had a hot shower, bought clothes, paid a bill, went out at the weekend. I live in 21st century Ireland, I don't think i could have survived early 20th century in Ireland.

[sweptangel7]

Right you are, acalabretta!

[allaboutdmagic]

Hey, I'd rather have a grief counsellor for a few sessions than a fucking priest.

[SZK209]

love the way he's not wearing a tie and his wrist watch is strung upside down. That's the great thing about Frank. He wasn't some 'smart-ass, haughty taughty blue blooded Oxfordian scholar' of an author. He was the common guy, down on his luck, up in his pints, the regular slacky you'd bump into at the pub and wake up the next morning having had no memory of bumping into. He had no airs, he had insecurities. He was one of us.

He was just plain human.

Rest in peace, Mr. McCourt, teacher man.

[1963tineke]

"The shame was powerful and it takes you years and years and years to get over. Whatever damage you suffer in childhood or adolescence takes an awful long time to heal".

[GiantsSB2010]

I saw Angelas Ashes for the first time last night. Thank you for sharing your story Mr McCourt. R.I.P. Now, I must read the book!

[wlhardy]

I love all his books, he's a wonderful writer and I'm glad he felt compelled to write his story. He led a crappy life but he still kept going. Look what the world would have missed if he had passed away without leaving a trace of himself behind.

[imPOPSICLE]

he's tough person. His life was precious.

i thought he was professer though.

[sweptangel7]

He was a high school English teacher; imagine having had Frank McCourt as your English teacher! Now THAT would have been fantastic.

[BMWLDRider]

@sweptangel7  He was my teacher at McKee 64-68.

He was thought of as a bit of a Bohemian...original Beatnik.

He introduced me to Jack London and Edgar A Poe.

He hung around with Stan Garber who was a speech therapist at the same school.

Even though he was thought of as being "cool" we always addressed him as Mr McCourt because we respected teachers and authority in general.

[sweptangel7]

@BMWLDRider You are fortunate to have had Frank McCourt as a teacher! I envy you!

[ToniMaples]

attn: all writers world-wide

I want to know when is Dan Brown going to work

with Jeff Fisher and Jane Bowell since the Davinci Code is true.

The site is called JesusChristLovesForeverAmen blogspot

Toni Maples

Alberta Canada

tonimaples hotmail

I got an email from a man named Richard Saskle.

[buntydkat]

mccourts' work about ireland was correct. i grew up in the fucking kip and was glad to get the fuck outta there too.

[SweetPeas86]

I thought his books were awesome.

[helmuthoorn]

An impoverished lrish childhood must be just as bad as an impoverished white South Africna childhood.

My good parents tried to make a better life for themselves from their deadpoor Dutch peasants background and emigrated to SA, landed from purgatory straight into hell, and were o so glad and gratefull to finally manage returning to the Netherlands, after scraping every brass randcent together for a period of 13 yrs to pay for the flight !

[Cruinneas]

The family were never as poor as he said they were. He had been in the Scouts in Limerick and had the full uniform which would have cost a pretty penny. Jackie Brosnan his Scoutmaster remembers he always paid to go on their trips up front while the other boys had to pay in installments with a few pennies.

Many remember Angela McCourt standing outside the door of her house smoking and chatting to passersby and she was never ashamed.

[SynysterGray]

I'm guessing by your claims that you knew mccourt well and that you personally witnessed his history? I sure hope so because otherwise you are defaming a literary idol of many and I daresay a hero of some sorts. Be the controversial poster but remember that this man has influenced many of the great minds today.

[Cruinneas]

I'm not being controversial I'm just telling the truth. No I never knew the man but my grandfather knew and remembers his family as do many others who grew up in Limerick City in the 30's and 40's. I've heard their accounts of life and it is much more stronger than the inconsistancies of Frank McCourt's narratives. Unless you are from Limerick my friend you'll find it hard to understand.

But still fair deuce to the man for what he's done and the money he's made.

[sweptangel7]

The book Angela's Ashes is a memoir, not an autobiography, so it must be treated as such. Remember, memoirs are a genre of fact BLENDED with the author's personal memory (not fact!).

[acalabretta]

@sweptangel7

Yes, I know someone who grew up with him and read his book and she said it was very embellished. BUT, nevertheless, poverty, alcoholism, etc are in every culture in every corner of the world, so if it is or is not completely his story, it is in deed someone's.

[joshanator1]

@acalabretta

Embellished? "YOU" try growing up Irish asshole!

[clarinda47]

@sweptangel7 --How do you define fact? Perception is reality, and "fact" is a very slippery concept. Our memories shape who we are. We are the result of our perceptions of our experience. However, I don't know what your point is. What difference does it make, in terms of McCourt's writing?

[custardaghost]

We're talking about a lad born in 1930 - so his (presumably) adult scoutmaster was around to remember him and all that detail 70 years later? Bullshit. There's a class of sore Limerickmen got a stick up their sorry arses about the "slander" upon their precious city and have been trashing McCourt from the getgo. What's the bet the feckin church is behind some of it?

[Cruinneas]

Have you ever even been to Limerick?

[Bodicea77]

This man was brilliant, bless his soul. He's right about poverty. It takes a very long time to heal. God rest, Mr McCourt.

[georgiatechur]

I am a high school English teacher. I just finished reading "Teacher Man". Wonderful book by a man who knew what teaching was about and he told the truth. Wish I had read the book earlier so I could have written to Mr. McCourt and told him how much I identify with the book. R.I.P Mr. McCourt.

[Imsolikethat]

Oh geez, I can't believe he passed, can anyone put the movie Angelas Ashes on here. pleeeeeeeeeease.

[orestes712]

WOW...i just found out that he passed...

i absolutely loved his work and enjoyed his books...so sad...RIP Frank McCourt...

[kewlkay941]

i just found out that he died. i am so devastated :( he was my favorite writer. i wish i could have me him. he reminds me of my irish great grandmother and her brother.

May he Rest in Peace

[clothesandshoesisme]

hey frank I BET YOU TOOK ACID TOOOOOO

Love the Ashes being Liverpool Irish....We got lost on the way to Newv York

[craelow]

Rest in Peace and Thank you for your beautiful work...

[TheScranShop]

"If I saw a grief counselor I'd jump off a cliff" lol lol lol..........he was absolutely hilarious. "Angela's Ashes" was fantastic as was "Finding Peggy" by Meg Henderson...........a Glasgow childhood:)

[zero252627]

Hey guys Jesus loves you and died for all your sins

[willyD200]

Damn you Frank! You left us way too soon! How many more triumphs in Literature could you have given us. I was looking forward to your next and next and next books!! You will be sadly missed by this reader and so many others. Your style doesn't happen along very often and it could be years before anyone comes close!

R.I.P. Mr.McCourt

[ThePRADET]

oh yes i am so agreed with you willyD200i love franck mc court , he is a genious

of litterature and so funny

and i am so so sad i never met him while i go to ireland every 3 months

thanks for your comment

may i correspond with you

we will talk about franck !

[TheScranShop]

The opening words of "Angela's Ashes" defined the benefit of childhood survival in the face of thee most adverse domestic circumstances: "it was of course a miserable childhood as the happy childhood isn't worth the effort". Loved it, loved it Frank. Will miss your releases, wit and character. Your family are in the hearts and minds of millionsxxxxxxx

[chansherly212]

i absolutely loved angela's ashes! (despite the fact that for some reason, it didn't use qoutation marks so sometimes, i couldn't tell who was saying what.. great piece of literature, loved the film too

[kindweed]

tv what?>

[kuroneko3713]

R.I.P. Frank. we will miss you! you made me realize that my misery is so minute compared to your childhood. of what an ingrate i am.

God bless you!

[neilhatesyou]

I won't...

[TheJapanChannelDcom]

nice job inspiring so many people!

thanks for posting this!

5 stars from TheJapanChannel !

Check out our channel too if you have time!

[sunlitrain]

You helped me make sense of it all. You remain a beacon of deep inspiration, and I will miss you.

God bless you and yours, always. May your family always continue to flourish.

With Aloha

[superbigboy16]

wow i just read "angela's ashes" last school year and then i hear about his passing..

R.I.P. Frank McCourt

[mixxy5alive]

I too grew up poor in Ireland, and never read such truth as I did in Angelas Ashes.

RIP Francie

[Chiriguira]

We will miss you. Now you´re living in a better place.

[abcmlalola]

R.I.P from Spain

[singermike]

Judge if Ive got talent. Check out my cover of Shes Out Of My Life and Sometimes When We Touch.

[dannyo07]

he was a great man

Rest in Peace Mr. McCourt

[crivitz67]

A really great book. I have never read something like this. Please with him.

With Respect

Mrs. Heike Bergmann from Germany

[iamwearingakaccha]

some people have the power to touch and change our life's...such was and always will be frankie,cause the greatness of the great is that they never stop to inspire.thank you from the bottom of my heart :(:(

[kannika12]

R.I.P Frank.

[Brizy5]

I also loved Angela'a Ashes. Such a great story of life and poverty. You will never be forgotten with all of your books on memories of your life. Rest in Peace, and with your loved ones waiting for you.

With Respect,

Mrs. Ramonda Brady

[DAT573]

I love Angela's Ashes.

Thank you Frank McCourt.

You gave the world a treasure,

you were the treasure.

Rest in Peace.

[chelpydog]

Rest in peace,Sir. You inspired me to be a better person.I'm so sorry I was never able to meet you,but your soul will live on in your books,and I will continue to read them.God bless you. :(

[TheIrishgirl5]

Good bye, Frank- I will miss you and all of your wit. I loved how you shared the experiences of your life through your books. Having read all of them made me feel that I knew you personally. You are now with Baby Margaret, Eugene, and Oliver-

Slainte . . .

[mimilavalamp]

Absolutely loved all three books and have read Angelas Ashes over and over again. Fantastic story - the humour entwined with the devastation, misery and sheer dampness of it all was compelling reading. It made me want to go to Limerick and find these streets you talked about and stand there in the rain.

Great Loss is our Frank. RIP.

I never met him but had my last book signed by him and he wrote a lovely message on it for me.

[christakare]

I am so sad that Frank McCourt is gone. I absolutely loved his book, it was my favorite, and read it at least four times. It was a dream of mine to meet him, sadly never realized. God bless Frank!

[fawnpnguyen]

Looking at my bookshelf right now, I have 2 copies of Angela's Ashes, 3 copies of Teacher Man, and 1 copy of 'Tis. (This is after I already gave 1 copy of Angela to my niece, 1 copy of Teacher Man to a friend.) I also have Teacher Man audio on my iPod. Obviously I don't need multiple copies, but it's obvious that your books are the ones I most want to share with others. Thank you, Mr. McCourt, RIP.

[theeldergoth]

Love you Frank! I'll miss ya.

[cailinaschilldara]

RIP Frank. Ni bheidh a leithid ann aris.

[yeovil50]

RIP Frank...your books have been a joy to read and have your style of writing was eye holding and gripped you. I am off to read "TIS" again tonight and pour myself a big scotch in your memory

[breakfastclub75]

RIP Mr. McCourt, I always wanted to have a chance to see you in person but never did. You were amazing!!

[introversio]

R.I.P Mr. Frank McCourt - You will never ve forgotten - You are comfortable now - Poverty was a bad dream...

[guys4guys66]

rip frank you seen some hard times just like my parents but it turned use into great people

[fartfighter]

McCourt took truth and made it into a fine lie.

[1manmafia]

R.I.P. Frank McCourt, you'll always be my hero..

[Gwendolyn1000]

RIP Frank McCourt!

[Igel232]

definitely one of the greatest authors of the entire world! rest in peace.

[CULAVE]

RIP Mr McCourt. I plan to buy Tis' soon.

[callmepresh]

listen to what he's saying!!!! he was so gifted and insightful.  you leave on frank!!

[Tr0llsNeverDie]

rip mr Mccourt

[NYinAZ66]

RIP, Mr. Frank McCourt, thank you for the memories!!

[ShelleyKay9197]

Frankie's with Angela and the Baby Jesus now... Peace be with you!

[naomivansteelandt]

Read Angela's Ashes last year, a friend loaned me 'Tis which I finished today. Growing up poor myself, I could relate to his story so personally, knowing the anguish I felt, skinny little girl whose front teeth had rotted out by 17, mercilessly ridiculed, an outcast. I was so moved by the book I went online today and found the posting that his brother had put online that his death was eminent. I am so deeply saddened but uplifted that this man had made me laugh & chuckle about poverty! RIP

[quarqill]

I saw the movie Angela's Ashes and it was too disturbing to watch,very good but disturbing.RIP Frank.

[callahan9119]

The book was immensely better.

[exlv8972]

If he did do this to you I'm so sorry & you shoud get some therapy but be careful what you post. He's not herer to defend himself & this is the first I've heard about it.

[kikividis]

What the fuck are you talking about? Who is this guy? Frank McCourt, I thought it was Frank McGarrety. My mistake.

[1manmafia]

Fuck you, he was one of the greatest authors of all time.

[DCFelix67]

A great man has left us.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

[eyephuctyormom]

RIP FRANK 1930-2009

[poppoya]

Rest in peace McCourt. Bless this man. His works were really inspiring.

[kareblue]

RIP Frank god bless,

[VanillaFresh76]

R.I.P

[averitas]

RIP Frank, you did us a great service.

You will be missed.

[irishcoffeytwo]

Thanks ForaTv. Watched the hour-plus long version from the link - could have listened on forever.

Felt like I was the young boy, McCourt, eavesdroping on the mesmerizing talk of grown-ups - from the flickering shadows of the stairway. Delightful. jb

[sean123z]

a great irishman

[13mondnacht]

I love his books!

[mspotter420us]

Cheers to Mr. McCourt :) An incredible writer :)

[audgeyp]

I don't think he should be ashamed of having been "poor". Wasn't almost everyone in the same boat back then?

[singloveandbhappy]

thank u Mr.McCourt from the bottom of my heart,u r an inspiration,there will never be another story that will move me like ur story's do,and i keep coming back to them over and over again,each time it lift's my soul to a higher place,with a smile and a tear on my face i know i can,that i have the right to dream,this u said in one interview,it is my guide through life I DIDN'T HAD THE SELF-CONFIDANCE,BUT I HAD THE VISION,THE DREAM.IF U DON'T HAVE THE DREAM U R DEAD. MAY U BE BLESSED,SIR

[soapyperson]

this was the most amazing book ever : ) I loved Malachy Jr.. And Malachy Sr. made me laugh even tho he was an alcho,

good man Mr. McCourt, I'll pray for you : )

[palmyrajo]

If you've read Angela's Ashes, you will want to read Tis as well. After you read Tis, read A Monk Swimming, by Malachy Jr. :D

[AriaStar]

Hands down, Angela's Ashes is the greatest book I've ever read, greater than Lord of the Rings, anything. When I need a lift, I read this book. I read it before I ended up homeless myself, and he got himself out of nothing, and I knew I could too. He's been a real inspiration to me.

[branchwater7]

writing about poverty is the ultimate luxury.

[mita5mzeke]

a great american, irishman..prayin for u Mr. McCourt.. beat it like the typhoid

[krakenwave]

He returned to Ireland and lived in Belfast (by the mid 50s Angela and all the boys had gone to NY), where he died (it doesn't say in the book but I think it was early 70s).

[IrishGodThe4th]

to think this guys old house is 10 minutes walk from my house. lets just say things have changed in Limerick

[Maho0oy91]

he came recently to dubai womans collage ( my sis is studying there ) and she loved him saying that he is a gr8 teacher .... he signed books too .. it was awesome ^^

[jennachinadoll]

I love his book. I just cannot put the book down... Laughing between tears is so accurate.I feel so bad for children with poverty like that. I wonder what happened to his father in the end.

[AriaStar]

Read his sequel, 'Tis. Info about his parents' deaths are there.

[Emmalala123]

Brilliant book, one of my favorites. Just wondering - I've heard rumors that McCourt's descriptions weren't always accurate, and that he made Limerick sound poorer than it was. Does anybody know if that's true? (Please don't give me thumbs down, I love the book, I'm just curious)

[shields123]

Don't forget that his Limerick would be very subjective. I'm sure there were affluent areas but speaking to my own Irish relatives the poverty that FM describes was not uncommon throughout Ireland during those years.

[AriaStar]

He wrote about the part he lived in. He did mention going to he areas with large houses, well-dressed people with white pearly teeth, a nicer theater in a better part of town, the school masters sending their children to the Christian Brothers for education. He lived in the poor part. Was he supposed to write a novel about the middle-class and the wealthy? No. He wrote about his personal experiences in the very poor area where he happened to live.

[BrokenSouls]

Well, he actually wrote about them in his paper route, and how much he envied them and how spoiled they were in his eyes.

[cdnnl77]

Put simply, he is a legend. An amazing way with language, just the way he describes things has you hanging on his every word. Rare are the people like him.

[xoxQTxox1]

beautiful peice of writting! loved the way he writes and how he can remember such details, it feels like a child is telling the story and makes you feel, this book makes you feel many emotions at the same time. i am looking forward to reading the rest of his serious i beleive the second book is 'Tis

[Donnette64]

This has GOT to be my absolute favourite book/movie of all time. Frank McCourt writes about his early childhood and poverty-stricken life in Ireland. I laughed between my tears, felt his pain and hunger and just fell completely in love with him!

[HeyYouNotYou]

Why do we honor great writers in the name of a man who was a yellow journalist?

[NanosecondFilms]

Its amazing that he gets "down in the dumps", considering the upbringing he had.

VERY clever man, he has so much insight :|

[bigloubhoy]

angelas ashes is a great book and i have to say the film is nearly as good as the book.

[krakenwave]

Lovely good man

[smellyspider]

Try his books as Audiobooks. I don't normally advocate them but in the case of McCourt's books they are BRILLIANT. When reading Angela's Ashes it's possible to miss the point & just see parts as desperate, sad, etc. Yes, they are those things but they are poigniantly amusing as well, & because they are narrated by McCourt the humour really comes across. When he talks about Malachy showing his bare arse he actually cracks up laughing which adds to the character of these exceptional books.

[zocurtis]

This man is bad! And in bad I mean extremely good! I was laughing the whole way through his book. Only very talented authors can make you laugh about something so serious and my gosh this man is talented.

[winonamajick]

Agreed, he is an incredible author! I'm just finishing my first read of Angela's Ashes and it's incredibly written. What an amazing author and what a moving and poignant story!

[youisapunk]

I just finished Angela's Ashes tonight and I thought it was sooo good!

[baklava4]

i read book years ago many number of times, i cried and i laughed. Probably i cried the most when twins died. Book created many diffrent fealings in me. It is to me best book ever, and i bought it for myself but I give it couple months ago. I didnt want book to collect dust,It deserves to be read over and over.

[whispernox2]

I very much look up to Frank McCourt. His writing is excellent.

[KineticRic]

McCourt is one of my favorite authors. Angela's Ashes really reminds me of how I grew up.

[mickalene]

leave it to an irishman to tell it like it is.

[KineticRic]

Yes, people like McCourt need to be heard more.

The next generation will forget true history if they dont read it from those who really lived it.

[socalord1]

The interviewer is retarded. He's trying to be an intellect to an issue that doesn't address the author train of thought. A real problem. The author wrote books to escape his poverty, reading was a form of escape and he is writing what he lived. The interviewer is trying to be pompos and still has no class cross legged and fingers in chapel formation. ha ha loser.

[pankgrg]

you're right Socalord.. The interviewer is robotic..

Frank's novels are excellent. they are so honest. He's the best in the era of J Archers.