Angela's Ashes

Abridged
Author: Frank McCourt
Narrator: Frank McCourt
Genres: Biographies
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: April 1998
Length: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Ratings:
  • Book Rating: 4/5
Formats:
  • CD
  • WMA

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Overview

"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. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood."

So begins the luminous memoir of Frank McCourt, born in Depression-era Brooklyn to recent Irish immigrants and raised in the slums of Limerick, Ireland. Frank's mother, Angela, has no money to feed the children since Frank's father Malachy, rarely works, and when he does he drinks his wages. Yet Malachy does nurture in Frank an appetite for the one thing he can provide: a story.

Perhaps it is a story that accounts for Frank's survival. Wearing shoes repaired with tires, begging a pig's head for Christmas dinner, and searching the pubs for his father, Frank endures poverty, near-starvation and the casual cruelty of relatives and neighbors -- yet lives to tell his tale with eloquence, exuberance and remarkable forgiveness.

Imbued with Frank McCourt's astounding humor and compassion -- and movingly read in his own voice -- Angela's Ashes is a glorious audiobook that bears all the marks of a classic.

Selected Reviews

Angela's Ashes

by rsecore
  • Book Rating: 5/5

Angela's Ashes

by wlh2040
  • Book Rating: 4/5

More...

Read All 11

Reviews (11)

Angela's Ashes

Written by rsecore from Dallas, TX on October 28th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Beautifully written and narrated by the author. It is evident as to why many high schools have added this book to their curriculum.

Angela's Ashes

Written by wlh2040 from Miami, FL on February 11th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 4/5

I rented this book because I have read about it for quite some time, and have seen the movie. If you have seen the movie and are considering renting the book to better understand the movie, you will be pleasantly surprised to discover the two are virtually nothing alike. The book is MUCH better, in every way. Narration is also superb!

Angela's Ashes

Written by Marlene Alhandy on January 16th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 3/5

Depressing, unresolved, too many loose ends. McCourt put down his pen prematurely.

Angela's Ashes

Written by Steve Y on September 4th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Another excellent Frank McCourt work. As with "Tis" and "Teacher Man'" McCourt weaves another view of his life story that occasionally mingles but never detracts from the life story as a whole across his other works. It's a rare opportunity to have a magnifying glass on various aspects of McCourt's life.

Lucky to be an American

Written by Tammy Henson on March 9th, 2006

  • Book Rating: 3/5

I adore Ireland so found the historical aspect of the story very interesting, as the setting is relatively recent history. I also enjoyed hearing it in the author’s own voice. It did leave some questions unanswered. What became of Franks mother and the brothers he left behind in Ireland when he returned to the U.S.? The biggest impression – America offers unlimited opportunities. Anyone can succeed. Just because you have a bad (horrible) childhood, it doesn’t doom you.

Angela's Ashes

Written by Camille from Marlboro, NJ on January 18th, 2006

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This was a heartwrenching story about what is like to grow up in poverty, and disease, and the way he had to survive. It made me think about how blessed we are here in America---where hopefully we can help those in need.

LOVED IT!

Written by Anonymous on November 9th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 5/5

I absolutely loved this book. I loved that the author was also the narrator. I do wonder, however, why it is called Angela's Ashes and his second book is called Tis. It seems to me that those titles were mixed up. But I loved them both.

Angela's Ashes (abridged 4:00)

Written by Lucy on October 18th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This was a wonderful book, I couldn't stop listening! Frank McCourt's story was an enthralling mixture of humour, wit, tears, hope and despair. Mr. McCourt's narration in his rich, Irish accent and clear voice brought the characters to life. An interesting perk of the audio version was that the author actually sang the songs and ditties, adding an entertainment value not available in the written word. The only disappointment was that this was an abridged version, I could have listened for so much longer! (Why are there 2 abridged versions, one 4:00 and the other 4:30?) I bought 'Tis on audio cassette a few months ago, but wanted to "read" Angela's Ashes first. Now, I can't wait!

I didn;t want it to stop

Written by Kristopher Huff on August 24th, 2005

  • Book Rating: 5/5

I was completely drawn in by story after story, heart ache after heart ache, and laugh after laugh. The author does an amazing job and hearing his Irish accent through each tale made it fun. My only complaint is that it was abriged. I did not want it to end.

great book

Written by Charlene McCoy on April 21st, 2005

  • Book Rating: 5/5

I really enjoyed this one. I really like listening stories like this one.

Selected Reviews

Angela's Ashes

by rsecore
  • Book Rating: 5/5

Angela's Ashes

by wlh2040
  • Book Rating: 4/5

More...

Read All 11

Author Details

Author Details

McCourt, Frank

"Frank McCourt was born in 1931 in Brooklyn, New York, to Irish immigrant parents; grew up in Limerick, Ireland, and returned to America in 1949. For thirty years he taught in various New York City high schools, including Stuyvesant, and in city colleges. He lives with his wife, Ellen, in New York City and Connecticut."