كانت معجزة ان يحقق ماكورت حلمه ويلتحق بالجامعة بدون شهادة ثانوية عامة
نبدأ رحلة ماكورت في هذا الجزء من التحاقه بالولايات المتحدة حتى وفاة والدته ومن ثم أبيه
عندما كانت تعطيني هذه السيرة انطباعا واضحا عن المجتمع الايرلندي كانت أقرب إلى قلبي وكلما غاصت في المجتمع الأمريكي وذعري ان يصبح فرانك نسخة عن والده أصبحت أكثر بعدا!
ينقل فرانك أصوات الأخرين بحذر ويحاول ان لا يعرض فكرته ولا
انطباعه الا فيما يتعلق بالجنس! لذا من الصعب أن تتخيله معلما لمراهقات لأن الصوت الوحيد الذي يميزه يغيب فإن صدح به سيكون الأمر مريب
حسه الساخر وصل حظه لدي عندما عرض على ابن اخيه الانضمام لجيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي ورغبته برؤية عناوين الصحافة بخصوص ايرلندي يفعل ذلك
ربما هذا الموقف الذي حسم الأمر لدي بخصوص التوقف عن استكمال الثلاثية والاكتفاء بأول جزئين.

I did not like this book as well as McCourt's earlier memoir, Angela's Ashes, which related the family's struggles in Ireland in the 1940's and 1950's. 'Tis relates Frank McCourt's life in New York from the 1950's until his Mother's death in New York and his father's death and burial in Belfast in 1985. Frank McCourt himself read the audio-book edition of 'Tis. This book, however, needed editing to move the story along more smoothly. Certain parts are moving, thoughtful, or funny but some are repetitive, self-indulgent, or boring. I grew weary of reading all that Frank was thinking but never saying to people or reading again and again about his drinking - which he knows is destroying his marriage. I admire Frank's rise from abject poverty in Ireland to his college degree from NYU, his teaching career at Stuyvesant High School in Brooklyn, his home in Brooklyn, and his publishing of several well-regarded books, but this book could have been better.

I very much enjoyed reading “’Tis”, maybe even more so than the German translation of “Angela’s Ashes” which I read years ago. I could almost hear that Irish brogue and the author, his family and all the other characters came alive for me due to their dialogues. I loved the many laugh-out-loud moments, for example the time in the army when he had to leave a German woman’s house in a hurry because her boyfriend came back or the episodes about his eccentric roommate Bill, but also the quieter, thoughtful instants when he describes teaching women of lesser stand to write or when his mom was so lonely in New York City that she offered a homeless woman a meal and a place to sleep in her apartment.

What I like best about this memoir is its honesty. Frank McCourt is willing to put his own weaknesses on display, and thereby gives readers a sense that this is an accurate account of his early years as an immigrant.

The writing evokes his Irish brogue, and sometimes (early in the book) that provides light humor. Unfortunately, the style becomes somewhat repetitive and predictable. I was glad when he bean toning that down toward the end. On the other hand, I felt that the book was a bit longer than necessary, particularly with the repetitive accounts of the teacher-student dynamic.

While this is a worthy book, I think as a sequel it's a step down from the purity of Angela's Ashes. When he was a kid growing up in wretched conditions, it was easy to root for him. As a self-obsessed young adult, he doesn't inspire quite the same reaction. I think I'll pass on number 3.

An unique voice, exposing details large and small on both sides of the Atlantic. Where Angela’s Ashes was a deep dive into Ireland, this follow up gives us some of the Mother Country but lots more of New York, from Staten Island through Manhattan to Brooklyn. His insights into the teaching profession are fascinating, leavened by his deep-seated self doubt and flat-out ignorance. It’s easy to root for him when he encounters obstacles, which is what you want in a protagonist, but his alarming lack of self-confidence makes for rough sledding, for him and for the reader. On the other hand, when he gets the job or wins the girl, we can enthusiastically say, I knew you could do it! even if he didn’t think so. Overall a wonderful read.

ni približno inspirirana kao njena prethodnica, "angelin prah".. ali teško da bi i mogla biti, s obzirom na egzotiku i pitoresknost odrastanja u irskom limericku, u krajnjoj bijedi, na rubu preživljavanja.
tamo gdje "angelin prah" završava, s frankovim ukrcajem na brod za obećanu zemlju, ameriku, "irac u new yorku" se nastavlja - pratimo ga dok pokušava pronaći svoje mjesto pod kapom nebeskom, radi i studira, zaljubljuje se i, napokon, dobiva posao kao srednjoškolski profesor (što će biti njegovo životno zvanje). iako i dalje vješt na peru i proniciv, ovaj dio njegovog života jednostavno više nema ni emocija ni šarma koje su imale život u sirotinjskoj limeričkoj uličici.

No, musím bohužel říct, že Andělin popel je bez debat daleko větší zážitek. Dospělý Frank už není zdaleka tak zajímavá osobnost jako ten dorůstající, a možná by byly zajímavější memoáry jeho bratra Malachiho. (Mimochodem, vůbec jsem netušil, že to byla taková známá osobnost.)
Ale tím nechci říct, že je to špatné.
Čte se to pořád dobře, Frankovy první měsíce a roky v Americe jsou hodně zajímavá četba, klobouk dolů před tím, co nakonec dokázal, přestože mu při tom pořád překážela ta jeho irská náklonnost k flašce. V Americe nakonec dokončí svůj příběh i Anděla, a asi nic nepokazím, když řeknu, že neskončíme happyendem, ale tak nějak po irsku smutně a nostalgicky.

Many years ago, I was warned by our Irish parish priest not to bother reading Frank McCourt's books. He said they weren't true. So here I am, missing that brogue, as our friend has died. I dove into the audio versions. They did not disappoint. Frank McCourt's prose is true poetry. Whether or not he played with the facts is another matter.

As with most Irish story-tellers, McCourt's memories were probably embellished for effect as they were retold. I'll forgive him that, knowing that his overall perception of his experience was accurate. One thing the McCourt brothers had going for them was charm. Frank also had a profound insatiable love of literature and a fascination for people, no matter their walks in life. How did he manage to escape the slums of Limerick to the slums of New York and then on to university without ever going to high school? the answer is charm and a passion.

So take the facts with a grain of salt. Choose the audio version and enjoy his voice.

Couple of points here:

McCourt's story is mesmerizing. From what he came from to what he become is beyond inspiring and thought provoking; however, I have some qualms with McCourt.

Knowing what he knows about the dangers and pitfalls of alcohol, why the hell does he touch the stuff? It goes on to ruin several of his relationships and opportunities and yet he never comments on this. He never touches on the point of alcoholism in families and how his father's drinking did or did not directly affect him. Furthermore, how the hell does his brothers open a bar once they both arrive in New York? What about the devastation of drinking did these guys not get?

I regret that his order is off kilter and much of the time the reader has no idea McCourt's age or at least the year. At one point he was 29 and graduating from college. The next, he's having a kid at 38.

McCourt constantly harps on random people in his life complaining about mundane things. Then, a girl breaks up with him and he's about to commit suicide. Or he complains about high school kids being obnoxious and unruly.

And who the hell has sex with a prostitute after entering the incinerator rooms of Dachau? McCourt's pretty screwed up, or so it shows in his memoirs.

I adored this book and it's predecessor, Angela's Ashes. McCourt is an amazing writer. They way he captures emotion so simply causes the reader to fall in love with each and every flawed character. Never, have I been so sad to see a story end.

This is Frank McCourt’s second memoir and it covers McCourt’s time in America from young adulthood to middle age. I felt it was nearly as good as Angela’s Ashes.

When I read Frank McCourt’s writings I observe so much tenderness and wisdom mixed in with his anger. Anger over his poverty, his squinty eyes, and his Irish brogue.

These themes in his writing may come from his age. He’s unafraid of what people might think of his younger self and he has the perspective of the passage of time. He was sixty four when he published Angela’s Ashes and four years later ‘Tis was published. That’s a lifetime to ponder a memoir about your youth.

I can’t help but thinking of another great writer named Norman Maclean who also published his first book well after 60. There is also tremendous wisdom and tenderness in Maclean's writing.

5 stars. While this memoir’s setting isn’t quite as exotic as his first book, his insights about adapting to a new country and NYC moved me greatly.

I really loved Angela's Ashes, so I was really excited to read this, but I didn't enjoy this one as much. I can't quite put my finger on why, because I was still interested in the subject matter, but it just seemed choppier to me and less in depth I guess. It was still good though and I'm looking forward to reading Teacher Man.