It's a two-fer this week on Friday Favorites! In honor of Frank McCourt, 
who recently passed away, I wanted to talk about "Angela's Ashes," McCourt's Pulitzer-prize winning memoir of his life growing up in Limerick, Ireland. I recently wrote that this is one of my all-time favorites. The McCourts had emigrated to the U.S. but returned to Ireland after Frank's sister died. Things progressively got worse for the family. McCourt's anger with the Catholic church, his father, poverty, and even his mother (Angela, for whom the book is titled) is evident throughout the book. But he writes without sounding bitter and is even able to find forgiveness. The story is written with a lot of humour, despite the bleakness of the family's day-to-day reality.
A book that's much less on the public's radar (but certainly deserves to be better known) is "The Invisible Wall" by Harry Bernstein, who wrote that book (and it's sequel) when he was in his 90's. Bernstein also grew up in abject poverty and was also the son of an alcoholic father. But Harry was Jewish and lived on a street, in an English mining town, with an invisible wall down the center of it. On one side of the street lived the Jewish families and one the other side were the Christian families. Although there were actually things that each side needed the other for, there was as little intermingling as possible. Then Harry's sister did the unthinkable--she fell in love with a Christian boy, sparking both a family and neighborhood crisis. Although Harry does not tell his story with the wit of McCourt, the story is told with eloquence and draws the reader in. Average rating for this one is 4.5/5 stars amongs the reader reviews on Barnes & Noble's web site.
Thanks to Alyce from At Home With Books for introducing me to the idea of My Favorite Reads!
I loved Angela's Ashes too. I was sad to hear that Frank McCourt had died.
ReplyDeleteThe Invisible Wall sounds like a book that I would really enjoy. I've added it to my wish list.
I found THE INVISIBLE WALL one of the most enjoyable books I have read this year. The story is warm and so very informative for someone who has lived in a relative cocoon her entire life. But then, information is one of the main reasons I read and travel.
ReplyDeleteMom
I was sad to hear about McCourt's passing. I have only read Angela's Ashes and plan to read his other's some day. The Invisible Wall sounds fascinating...one I will have to check out.
ReplyDeleteIt was when I read that Frank McCourt was ill, a few days before he died, that I gave Angela's Ashes to my son and told him to read it. I had loved it when I first read it years ago. I persuaded my mother-in-law to read it, then my very reluctsnt husband and now my oldest son. They all loved it as well. A great memoir, well told.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you definetly should read Mr Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange, it is a good one. It is pretty fast to read. I like your blog! :)
ReplyDeleteMemoirs are not my favourite genre so I never got to Angela's Ashes, although my husband saw the film and raved about it. You make both of these books sound like must reads. I'll put them on my to be considered list. Thanks for reviewing them.
ReplyDeleteMemoirs are not my favourite genre so I never got to Angela's Ashes, although my husband saw the film and raved about it. You make both of these books sound like must reads. I'll put them on my to be considered list. Thanks for reviewing them.
ReplyDeleteI loved Angela's Ashes as well. I haven't read The Invisible Wall but I've heard from many that it's very good.
ReplyDeleteI feel sacrilegious in saying that I just don't care for Frank McCourt's writing style. I read Angela's Ashes and found it so depressing. I also read Teacher Man with my book club and didn't care for it either but for different reasons and we had a heated discussion about the book.
ReplyDeleteI have The Invisible Wall TBR and it looks like one that I will like.
Even though critics were not as kind to it, I actually prefered 'Tis to Angela's Ashes. Then, I'm a teacher, so that may have had something to do with the attraction (it highlights his early teaching days in New York).
ReplyDeleteJohn, I liked 'Tis as well. Maybe that's because my parents were both teachers. I've never read Teacher Man though and think I'll have to pick this one up as well.
ReplyDeleteLove Frank... he will be missed.
ReplyDeleteHis mother used to bring her kids to the playground in the neighborhood my dad grew in. I remember mentioning this book to my grandma years ago and she started telling me stories (that are in the book) without reading the memoir.
It's a small world
I've read Angelas Ashes and it was incredible. Never read The Invisible Wall, going to have to put that on my list!
ReplyDeleteI'm currently A Lucky Child- about a survivor of the Holocaust, highly recommend!
Natalie
I was saddened by his passing too. My Nana's life in Ireland was so different from his, she didn't experience much of what he did until she came to America. Ironic.
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