Book Review of Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

This book review of Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt is part of my Amazon 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime Quest.

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Reading Angela’s Ashes as a parent has been a deeply emotional experience. Frank McCourt’s story of growing up in extreme poverty in 1930s and 40s Ireland brought out strong feelings, not only because of his suffering as a child but also because I couldn’t stop picturing my own children in his situation. The whole time I literally felt like I was holding my breath, hoping that, somehow, Frank would find his way through it all. Yet – despite the heaviness of the story, I’m grateful to have read it, and I came away with a new appreciation for resilience, humor, and hope.

(Deep breath).. McCourt’s writing is somehow both heartbreaking and witty, capturing the innocence of a child’s perspective. He takes us through his early life in Limerick, a place filled with hunger, disease, and the overwhelming struggles of his parents. But through it all, he shares small moments of joy, innocence, and sometimes, humor. It’s the kind of book that makes you think about what we carry from our childhood into adulthood and what we try to leave behind.

Summary and Historical Context

Angela’s Ashes follows Frank McCourt’s early years as he grows up in poverty in Limerick, Ireland. Born to Irish immigrant parents in New York City, Frank returns with his family to Ireland after his father struggles to keep a job and provide for them. Life in Ireland is bleak and full of challenges. His father’s alcoholism and inability to keep work lead to countless moments where the family is left without food, fuel, or basic security. His mother, Angela, does her best to provide for her children but often faces impossible odds.

This story is set against a historical backdrop of poverty and hardship in Ireland. The country was still reeling from its fight for independence, and opportunities were scarce. Jobs were limited, and discrimination against Catholics made things worse. McCourt’s family is just one of many who suffered during this time. Through the lens of young Frank’s life, we see the effects of poverty, but we also see the love, humor, and survival instincts that get him through. The book offers a powerful, personal glimpse into a world that feels both distant and immediate.

My Review

Parenting Through the Lens of Angela’s Ashes

One of the things that struck me most was the way McCourt describes his parents, especially his mother, Angela. As a parent myself, I could sense her struggle between love and frustration. She was trying to keep her children alive and hopeful, even when life didn’t give her much to work with. There’s a heartbreaking scene where Frank describes Angela begging for food, and he says, “It’s a terrible thing to be poor and know you’re poor and to see your mother begging in the streets.”

It’s moments like these that make you think about what you would do if you were in her shoes. I kept wondering if I could even remotely handle seeing my own kids suffer like that? I wanted to jump in my Delorean to somehow find a way to help her and those kids. To offer her some comfort. Her story shows the incredible strength parents can summon, even when the odds are against them. McCourt’s respect and empathy for his mother’s struggle become clear as he reflects on his memories. A strength I can relate to many days, and the internal anguish that can go with it when you can’t do everything to prevent everything remotely bad from happening.

Childhood Through the Eyes of Frank

McCourt is a brilliant master of capturing the sonic essence of childhood – the innocence and resilience that come with navigating understanding this crazy world sometimes. And yet despite it all, young Frank still found amazement in the small things. I loved how McCourt allowed humor to shine though, even in the darkest moments, to give us a glimpse into how the heck he actually managed to cope under such bleak circumstances. There’s one moment in particular where he describes his love for learning, saying, “The master says it’s the mind of a boy that will carry him farther than anything else.”

I could relate to this, having had my own childhood challenges. Not in the extreme poverty of Ireland in the 1930s and 40s, but my own version as an adopted child trying to navigate all of the uncertaintly and insecurity that comes with needing to find your place in the world safely at a young age. Like McCourt so masterfully describes, it makes you cling to those small joys and dreams. His words reminded me of the importance of those dreams, no matter how bad the cirumstances. And.. as a parent myself, it also made me think about what my kids today need to thrive. Sometimes, a small bit of encouragement or a chance to explore a passion can make all the difference.

Critique: Beauty and Pain in McCourt’s Style

The style McCourt uses in Angela’s Ashes is unique, blending humor with tragedy. This mix makes the book both hard to read and impossible to put down. His writing flows like a child’s thoughts, moving quickly from moment to moment. In so many ways it felt like a soundtrack from my own childhood, even though it wasn’t my story. It captured the essence somehow perfectly, in a way that’s really just difficult to explain. 

While I loved the honest tone, there were moments when I wished for more reflection from the adult McCourt, a few more insights into how these experiences shaped his views on life. But I respect his choice to keep the story focused on the child’s perspective. In doing so, he lets readers feel the confusion and sadness of a young boy trying to understand a world that doesn’t make sense.

Finding Hope in the Midst of Hardship

Perhaps what I admired most in Angela’s Ashes is how McCourt finds hope and humor even in the darkest situations. He never sugarcoats his experiences, yet he also doesn’t let them define his entire outlook. There’s a line where he says, “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.” 

That hit me hard. No parent wants their children to have a miserable childhood, but it does speak so hopefully to the resilience possible.  It’s inspiring because it shows that hardship doesn’t have to strip us of our spirit. The fact that McCourt survived with his sense of humor and curiosity intact is just incredible.

Parting Thoughts

Ultimately, I’m giving Angela’s Ashes 4 out of 5 stars. It’s an unforgettable memoir, filled with powerful moments that stay with you long after you finish. It’s definitely not an easy read – both mechanically and emotionally, especially as a parent. But it’s an important one.  The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is because it was so emotionally taxing I likely wouldn’t read it again. McCourt’s story is one of survival, not just in a physical sense but emotionally and mentally, too.

If you’re a parent, this book will tug at your heartstrings and make you think about the lengths you’d go to for your own children. And if, like me, you’ve faced hardships in your own life, McCourt’s resilience will remind you of the strength we all carry.

Angela’s Ashes is simply a beautiful story. It offers a window into a time and place where poverty was a daily reality, yet hope and humor endured. It’s a testament to the human spirit and a reminder of the strength we pass down to the next generation.

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About the Author

Frank McCourt was an Irish-American writer best known for his memoir Angela’s Ashes. Born in Brooklyn in 1930, he moved to Ireland with his family as a young boy and grew up in poverty. After returning to the U.S., McCourt served in the Army and later earned a degree from New York University. He became a high school teacher in New York City, where he taught English and creative writing for over 30 years. In 1996, he published Angela’s Ashes, his memoir of his difficult childhood in Ireland. The book won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award, earning him international recognition. McCourt wrote two more memoirs, ‘Tis and Teacher Man, before passing away in 2009.