Advantages: has a sequel, amusing in parts, gripping storyline
Disadvantages: hard to get into at the beginning

...Having not seen the film but read the hype about ' Angela's Ashes', i decided to see for myself and so i bought the book. It was well worth the money!! I have just finished reading 'Angela's Ashes' and i extremely enjoyed it. It is an amusing but harrowing tale of Frank (Francis) Mc Court's life , being brought up in The Catholic town of Limerick, Ireland. The first bit of the book where we are introduced mainly to Frank's parents, is quite hard to get into although the story improves immensely as one reads on. When I was reading 'Angela's Ashes', i was shocked at how bad some of the poverty was in Ireland before and during the war. I really could not put the book down after i had got into it and i have just purchased the sequel to the novel, 'Tis which carries on from where Angela's Ashes left off. I would really recommend this book... Read review

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Advantages: very realistic
Disadvantages: a very long film

...The Pulitzer prize winning book was dearly embraced my millions of readers which is why i think this movie, by alan parker, was going to prove somewhat dissapointing but this film is by no means an artistic failure. Angela's ashes is for the most part an autobiography, but it also succeeds as a poignant coming of age story. Emily Watson turns in a workmanlike performance as Angela a dedicated and devoted mother. Robert carslyle is outstanding as the alchoholic father, kind and loving but with a skewed sence of priorities. He plays his role to perfection. The story of the film is about frank mcCourt and his childhood growing up in ireland in the 1930's. the film progresses through childhood to adulthood. The elemrnts of sheer and lowdown poverty and sorrow are exquisitly captured and brought to life. This film was so powerful i find... Read review

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Advantages: Is the sequel to Angela's Ashes
Disadvantages: Can become slightly tedius

...If you have read Angela’s Ashes it is a must to read this the sequel if only to gain the conclusion of his eventful life. This second autobiographical book ranges from his youth till his adult hood. The book continues from where the first book finished with Frank on his voyage of hope from Ireland to the ‘Golden Land’ of America. Due to Frank being older in this book his life is more interestingly eventful, from joining the army to eventually fulfilling one of his dreams in employment, though being plagued by the ‘Irish Curse’!... Read review

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Advantages: wonderful language, very absorbing
Disadvantages: the end of the book comes too soon

...Frank McCourt's account of his early life in the poorest parts of Limerick knocks the reader's emotions from pillar to post. No sooner than you've wiped a tear of sorrow from your eye it is replaced by a tear of laughter. For a race who have little love of the English, the Irish are true masters of the language and Frank McCourt is a Grand Master. McCourt evokes the memories of his childhood so masterfully that you imagine yourself standing at his side, living the scenes with him as they unfold before your (tearful) eyes. Angela's Ashes is a truly great piece of writing that desevedly won Frank McCourt a Pulitzer Prize. The film also was quite good, but failed to capture the style of the book.... Read review

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Advantages: A beautifully written memoir full of Irish wit and pathos
Disadvantages: None

...Angela's Ashes, Frank's McCourt's bestselling memoir, centres on the cold, hard life of his poor Irish Catholic family. Frank McCourt, the oldest child, tells the story of his family in Ireland and their unfortunate poverty and depression. The father is a mean, cold-hearted man who constantly spends his and his children's money on liquor for himself. The mother, Angela, is without a doubt the backbone of the family; she makes sure they eat and worries about the rent and the well-being of her children. Throughout the story Angela teaches her children the importance of pride and dignity. The ill-starred family is continually struck with the death of very young family members. Even though several children die from starvation and cold before the age of five, McCourt manages to portray these tragedies and shows the family's ability... Read review

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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 finds that life as a clerk in the army is 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... Read review

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Advantages: You may Laugh
Disadvantages: You may Cry

...Angelas Ashes was a film I heard a lot about but have never got around to actually watching, when I managed to pick it up on special offer (5 DVDs for £20) I was really looking forward to watching it – I was not disappointed. The film is based on a biography written by Frank McCourt (which he won the Pulitzer prize for!), the film was directed by Alan Parker and released in 1999. The story opens in Brooklyn in 1935, where a daughter is born to Malachy and Angela MCourt who already have four boys. When the baby dies at two days old, the family are obviously devastated and return to Limerick in Ireland in the midst of the depression. The McCourt’s are not well received back in Ireland by Angela’s Catholic relatives – since her husband is a Protestant who can’t hold down a job and would rather put beer in his belly than food on the table... Read review

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Advantages: Gripping emotional whirlwind
Disadvantages: You feel bad laughing while reading such a sad story

...Angela's Ashes follows the fortunes of the McCourt family on their tragic journey through life in New york and Limerick. The book makes compelling reading from start to finish and it is extremely difficult to put down. While reading the book I found myself sitting up until three in the morning reading 'just one more page' which quickly turned into another chapter, then another. Frank McCourt's style of writing is fascinating, each stage of the book is written to reflect the logic of a boy of his age at the particular time. It gives the impression that he has written the book in stages throughout his life rather that all at once. The underlying story is a tragic and heart wrenching tale of the worst poverty. A tale of the death of his siblings, of begging and stealing in order to eat, the shame of poverty and a mother trying to hold her... Read review

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