Now living and working in Glasgow. Looking forward to write some new reviews.
Now living and working in Glasgow. Looking forward to write some new reviews.
Member since:29.11.2000
Reviews:106
Members who trust:87
I have recently finished reading one of the most compelling stories that I have ever read and was truly moved to read of such heart ache and pain and to think that it is all actually true.
The sad thing is the author of this masterpiece remains strong to his roots to this day and writes about his childhood in a way that would put many people to shame for complaining about the childhood that they have had!
The author in question is Frank McCourt a child born in America to Irish parents and soon landed back on the Emerald Isle to Limerick for what seemed to be less than an easy childhood. McCourt writes about that childhood with what seems to be great passion, he quotes on the cover of the book as follows:
‘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.’
When you get into the book you will see exactly what he means. The childhood he endures circles circle round a few main categories and I will outline them below and enlighten you to the hardships this wonderful man endured.
Religion ~
This is probably the strongest influence of any Irish persons life during the great depression, looked upon by many as the only hope of survival. Deep down the church was evil in many ways and tried to brainwash the people of Ireland in believing that God was the answer.
From
an early age Frankie McCourt was taught religion and this was almost beaten into him by schools and priests, boys had to make sure that they did not have impure thoughts about girls and they were not to read English newspapers as they were only full of sex and pictures of women in bikinis.
Boys were to make their First Holy Communion and had to always be in a state of grace, if a young lad in Limerick had any reason to think he had done something wrong he was told he was doomed, that he was evil and god would punish him one day for all the wrong that he had done. Priests almost made children feel guilty by putting guilt trips on the young children telling them God sent his Son to die on the cross for them. They had to make their Confirmation whilst still in a state of grace growing up in a Catholic town must have been tough. No one was willing to teach any of the boys about the facts of life, it could not happen in Limerick.
Poverty ~
The Great War ravished Ireland and many were poor and had to beg society to get their children some food to eat.
The stories through out the book of poverty are very grim and moving. Children died from hunger and the lack of nutrition, as it was simply not available. There were no jobs for the men in the town therefore whatever dole money they did receive they spent in the pub whilst mothers sat at home waiting by the fire for a penny that may have been brought home.
Fathers went to work in England where work was available and send telegrams home to the families who soon lived with electricity and go to the cinema and do things ordinary people do. Not the McCourt family their father went to England to get the work and sent one telegram the rest over the years were spent on the drink and a fine man Malachy McCourt was when it came to the drink.
Frankie’s mother had to beg at the St Vincent De Paul Society to get her children a meal on Christmas day that consisted of a potato and a pig’s head! Frankie writes about these Christmas’ and how the next one will be better and year after year they are just the same.
They spend much of their childhood in shorts and worn out boots be it rain, hail or shine, they are lucky some children have no shoes at all.
Death ~
Poverty took the lives of many young and old and the McCourt family had their fair share of that
In America Angela McCourt (mother) gave birth to a baby girl who was soon taken in the night without any cause, this struck the mother and father badly and this is what up rooted them to Ireland for a new and better life.
On reaching Ireland mother was having another baby that was delivered by the angel on the seventh step a story Frank McCourt tells with great warmth and character, this was the story he was told as a child rather than the facts of life. For many years Frank sat on the step telling all his thoughts, sins and ideas to the angel, he even thought at times the step was warm and the angel was listening.
This time it was twins and before long tragedy strikes again and one of the twins dies with pneumonia, the story that was to follow was tragic and harrowing, the twin that was left pined for his lost brother and he to was taken away, as a child Frank could not understand why children were brought by the angel on the seventh step only to be taken away first.
These tragic circumstances must have surely been the end of his mother no Angela remained true to her family and always wanted to do better for her remaining boys.
Family ~
Family life was tough for Frank as his father was away working in England he was seen as the man of the house and at a young age this was a demanding role for any lad to play, he was to go to school he was to work he had Typhoid that affected his health and he also had a serious bout of conjunctivitis that affected his eyes for years to come and made people think he was evil.
After the deaths in the family Frank was left with his younger brother Malachy, Michael and Alfie. They all survive life on bread and tea. Sometimes it is so tough that they go for days without food.
Franks mum Angela has a tough time of it with her husband Malachy who is an alcoholic and from the North of Ireland and this is in Limerick is frowned upon and Angela is soon seen as a disgrace by her family for marrying a drunk from the North.
Frank idolised his father and he could do no wrong but as he got older he realised just what an awful father he had, during the war his father went to work in England and failed to send the money home to his struggling family in Limerick and they had to beg for charity. Frank soon seen this was no way for a father to act.
When Frank eventually got his own job whilst growing up he saved and saved and took himself back to America for a better life.
So the book has a good ending or at least we are left to think so, there is a sequel call ‘Tis A Memoir’ that I am going to be looking for next time at the book shop just to see how Frank’s life eventually turned out in the end.
There is also a big screen adaptation of the book, which I have yet to see but if it is anything to go by the book it is surely going to be a great view especially as Robert Carlyle stars in it.
McCourt has written this book with true feeling and raw passion and you can pick this up very well from the first page. It is sometimes a bit tricky reading the bits that are printed in old Irish lingo and I found myself reading these parts several times, overall though the writing is flawless and will have you almost in tears and rolling about laughing.
Great review of one of my favourite books. His life in words is a compelling read!
prelude210 31.07.2001 13:29
I personally, don't agree that it was a wonderful book. I think that it was very difficult to read due to all of the dialogue but that's not my point. Your opinion was very well written and descriptive and I love the format of it. It made me wonder if I'd missed something. :) (Don't worry, I don't think I did, we'll just have to agree to disagree).
KarenUK 15.06.2001 22:35
It shows how moved you were by the book in this excellent review of it. Hugs, KarenUK xxx
Jun 13th, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
