Biography Books > Frank McCourt Biography Books

Advantages: A wonderfully written heart wrenching story
Disadvantages: Based on true story and is true of our modern history

I have both read the book and seen the film of this story but have found the book is the best version of this true story. The book goes into alot more detail than the film and you get more of an insight of the true feelings and emotions of the main character - Frank McCourt a young boy growing up in a poverty stricken Ireland within a family that consists of a drunken father who squanders their little come by money on alcohol and a depressed and ...
...sexual favours to support her family. He has to endure the hardship and indignity that goes along with this and watch the heartache unfold as his mother loses her children to starvation and illness as a direct result of the poverty that they daily face. Although this could have turned out to be a sombre heavy going book he has managed to lighten the mood with many humourous moments which are told with great wit. Even though they are still a result ... Read review

Advantages: Realism, humour
Disadvantages: No speech marks, can be slow

'Tis is the sequel to Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt. It is autobiographical and tells us the large majority of his adult life. We pick up the story as he arrives in New York. Throughout the novel we see McCourt work in the lobby of a hotel, have frequent problems with antagonistic bosses and landords, and generally struggle to survive. Later in the book we watch McCourt progress thorught the army - he's fortunate not to be sent to war - and he ...
...not quite what he expected. He constantly struggles with women - in the book he marries has children and subsequently breaks up with his dream wife. We learmn of the successes in the bar trade of his brother Malachy but are sadly confronted with the death of both his mother and father - near the end of the book. McCourt also describes his first steps in the teaching world - having obtained his qulaifications and successfully landing a temporary job, ... Read review

Advantages: Gripping, informative
Disadvantages: May be found quite hard going

Carla Van Raay's autobiography "Gods Callgirl" details the life of a naive, immature girl, then woman who is devoted to God but goes from obedient convent girl to sexual prostitute over the course of her life, but remains as naive as ever. This life story is divided into three parts and develops the tale of this Dutch girl's life over the course of the book. Part one examines the life of a child abused by her father, yet finding she felt abandoned ...
...God from a very young age. As a school girl she idolising the convent and her sole ambition in life is to serve God as a nun in one of Australia's many convents. As an early teenager feeling unloved at home by her family yet supporting her mother in everyday chores and childcare of her brothers and sister she found herself believing she was a product of the devil. A problem no confession could speak of, and no action could heal. Part two follows ... Read review

Advantages: Neil Warnock
Disadvantages: Neil Warnock

There are individuals in sports that only come around so often. People that get everyone talking whether it be how much they admire them or how much they dislike them; Neil Warnock fits this category perfectly. Controversy follows him everywhere, so it is fitting that he should produce an autobiography that i'm sure even those that hate him so much would be just a little intrigued to read. This is the story of one of english domestic football's ...
...humble beginnings in Sheffield through an unglamorous but respectable playing career to a managerial career littered with controversy, success and disappointment. The dream of the Sheffield born man and Blades fan was always to manage his beloved Sheffield United and this dream was realised. He was hated by sections of his own teams support often but his team battled adversity to reach the promised land of the premiership - only to be denied by ... Read review

Advantages: Expertly written
Disadvantages: No chapters/sections to 'break up' the reading

I'm a student and had to read this book for an exam. I read it in 2 days and felt quite tired by the end of it. The main reason being that there are no chapters or sections, so it is basically one long detailed insight into what life was like during the Plague. However, it is very well written and there are times where the reader's emotions are 'pulled at'. The detailed descriptions of both people and places allow the reader to feel part of the drama. ...
...would not recommend this book to anyone who does not appreciate good literature as you will get easily bored and find it difficult to continue reading. However, if you like pre-18th Century Literature and enjoy a good piece of writing, i would highly recommend this old yet insightful masterpiece. ... Read review