A fascinating account of the life of Malachy McCourt, brother to Frank of Angela's ashes fame.
Malachy is a totally different character to Frank and is the "happy go lucky" brother.
Focusing on his adult life in America after going to the USA to join Frank we hear lurid tales of his philandering and wheeler dealer lifestyle.
A lovable rogue who charms his way through life this is an interesting memoir and a total counterpoint to the grim childhood experienced by the boys back in Ireland.

I gave this 2 stars, merely because I actually finished the book. Malachy doesn't have the same charm as his brother Frank. This book was about his inability to handle alcohol, following in the footsteps of his father. He attempted to use his alcoholism to make this book witty and funny but it wasn't.

The author seems a likeable enough person and he is obviously talented in writing and in theater work. However I could have done with less of his more sordid disclosures, oblique though they may be. I was expecting by the end of the book for the author to have something enlightening to conclude with, something he had learned from his experiences , a closure of sorts. But it was sadly obvious the author was still very very (understandably) angry with his terrible father. And yet his own behavior absolutely imitated that of the father. I was also saddened that there was obviously no moral compass, no inner view of God to assist M. McCourt toward finding and exercising forgiveness. Certainly there are some people who do not deserve forgiveness but then that is the very essence of the concept, undeserved forgiveness means only God can enable us to carry out what He Himself does for us.
"Atheists live in the middle of an all pervading God and shake their fists at God and dare Him to be. Standing in the middle of God they doubt Him.
"(However) God's reality roars around us..but in over-powering silence." Calvin Miller

The writing seemed to suffer from affectation as the author tried too hard to be clever and witty. The silly puns and verbosity became annoying; more of a performance than a memoir. Apart from that, the author came across as a completely horrible human.

I have to say I liked this book quite a lot, although it's not for everyone. I read the author's obituary in the NY Times recently and was familiar with his life from his brother Frank's memoirs--especially Angela's Ashes. Malachy was a larger than life character--poetic, heroic, hungry for life and laughter. He was long ahead of his time in rejecting the sanctimonious and two-faced. He supported gay rights and immigrants, labor, and the poor. He had a dark side though, he brawled in bars, destroyed what made him angry. He had countless affairs and was a regular customer of prostitutes. He broke the law, frequently. Yet, he was a man of redeeming charm whose charisma brought him lots of second chances. He was a vibrant spirit and enjoyable company--at least to someone reading his memoir from a safe distance and not in direct line of his roaring anger and self-destruction.

There's some lovely writing in this memoir. And lots to think about. It's not everyone who would want to spend time reading about a man's exploits and thoughtlessness despite his many righteous qualities. But people are complicated. And times change.

just started this, not sure so far, a bit too much swearing! I think he has a chip on his shoulder!!

didn't finish as I thought was 'crap'. sorry

Malachy is a great character of non-fiction... The title is from a mistake made as a lad while reciting the Hail Mary (blessed art thou, a monk swimming)... He's a deep thinker w/ a strong brotherly bond... Neither he, nor Frank, survive w/o the other... greatest thing about the Irish culture is pulling humor from desperation; he's one of Ireland's best

just couldn't finish this book. I didn't like his writing style, particularly his use of a words seemed geared to impress, rather than express. It rambled on and threw around lots of famous names. the story might have been good but couldn't get through the trappings to enjoy it.

Malachy McCourt's attempt to profit from his brother's fame.

Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes and 'Tis (and most recently Teacher Man), captured the hard-knock world of growing up in an impoverished Irish family, of making it to America - somewhat successfully.

His brother Malachy abuses the McCourt name to tell 'bar stories'. He constantly dropped names of minor celebrities - people he had had a drink with. I got bored of the whole thing after a few chapters. I kept waiting for the 'good parts', but unfortunately, there weren't any.

Malachy McCourt is the brother of Frank McCourt, two very talented and funy gentlemen. I had the great pleasure of seeing them perform their two-man show, "A Couple of Blaguards" at the Royal George Theater in Chicago in April of 1995. They were laugh-out-loud funny. Frank was a school teacher in New York as you may know from his books. Malachy is an actor and runs his own tavern in New York, a very Irish thing to do. I am a big fan of Frank McCourt's writing and writing style, although my uncle, who grew up and lived in Galway his entire life, says most Irish think "Angela's Ashes" isn't quite factual. So if you take it with a grain of salt, it's still a very good book, a good read, but as my uncle pointed out, the stories about his mother are not very flattering. His brother Malachy's book, "A Monk Swimming," is an account of Malachy coming to the United States and his exploits in the acting business, paling around with Richard Harris and other Irish performers. If you are an actor, especially one living in New York, this is a must-read. Like his brother, Malachy is a good writer, a different style than Frank, but good. They both had a very difficult life, but like true Irishmen, made the best of it, snarling and spewing out sarcasm all along the way, the great Irish sense of humor.

Enjoyed his storytelling and his descriptions, but at times everything felt like one big joke rather than his life unfolding before him. Sometimes it felt repetitive, and maybe that's what life comes. 3/5 because I could put it down.

You want to hate Malachy McCourt, he's a womanizer, an alcoholic, a terrible friend and even more terrible brother. He hurts people, leaves his bills unpaid, and deserts his family. And yet I enjoyed reading his story and about his adventures. I think he made it in life because he is charasmatic and witty, and that comes through in his writing. He makes Frank McCourt come across as the beleagured, responsible one, and Malachy is the "good time" guy, only his life isn't just fun. He openly discusses what a jerk he is and how he destroys good things in his life. It's an interesting look at a larger than life character.