I have seen his book,“Angela’s Ashes” many times at MPH warehouse sales, but because the cover is a dreary photo of a dirty boy, I never had the incentive to pick it up. I saw the book again at PayLess Books warehouse sale, a hardcover selling for RM8. Upclose, I read that the book is a Pulitzer prize winner. Because it was so cheap and apparently good enough to merit a Pulitzer, I bought it. It is about Frank McCourt’s stories of growing up in Brooklyn, and then Ireland.
I only got around to reading it last month; the book overwhelms me with images of hardcore poverty and hopelessness. I have never understood what being poor means before; it's so well written, that TV3’s Bersama Mu pales in comparison. To Frank and his brothers, an egg was a luxury, jam jars served as cups, and most of the time their once a day meal consisted of cold, weak tea. Their mother survived on beggary because the father was a hopeless drunkard. But the book is not all about despair; there are many places in the book where I laugh hard. McCourt managed to find hilarity amidst his family's misery. Truly deserving the Pulitzer.
Soon after I finished "Angela’s Ashes", I found “‘Tis”, the sequel to “Angela’s Ashes”, at the Big Bookshop warehouse sale (yes, I am fond of books warehouse sales!), which is still going on at Atria until 24th March. Very lucky find indeed as it was the only copy left. I finished this book too.
I am now looking for “Teacher Man”, which is the last of the memoir trilogy. Not too late to get me one as a belated birthday present. Hint, hint.
I only got around to reading it last month; the book overwhelms me with images of hardcore poverty and hopelessness. I have never understood what being poor means before; it's so well written, that TV3’s Bersama Mu pales in comparison. To Frank and his brothers, an egg was a luxury, jam jars served as cups, and most of the time their once a day meal consisted of cold, weak tea. Their mother survived on beggary because the father was a hopeless drunkard. But the book is not all about despair; there are many places in the book where I laugh hard. McCourt managed to find hilarity amidst his family's misery. Truly deserving the Pulitzer.
Soon after I finished "Angela’s Ashes", I found “‘Tis”, the sequel to “Angela’s Ashes”, at the Big Bookshop warehouse sale (yes, I am fond of books warehouse sales!), which is still going on at Atria until 24th March. Very lucky find indeed as it was the only copy left. I finished this book too.
I am now looking for “Teacher Man”, which is the last of the memoir trilogy. Not too late to get me one as a belated birthday present. Hint, hint.
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