Angela's Ashes

"WhenIlookbackonmychildhoodIwonderhowImanagedtosurviveatall.Itwas,ofcourse,amiserablechildhood:thehappychildhoodishardlyworthyourwhile.WorsethantheordinarymiserablechildhoodisthemiserableIrishchildhood,andworseyetisthemiserableIrishCatholicchildhood."SobeginstheluminousmemoirofFrankMcCourt,borninDepression-eraBrooklyntorecentIrishimmigrantsandraisedintheslumsofLimerick,Ireland.Frank'smother,Angela,hasnomoneytofeedthechildrensinceFrank'sfather,Malachy,rarelyworks,andwhenhedoeshedrinkshiswages.YetMalachy--exasperating,irresponsibleandbeguiling--doesnurtureinFrankanappetitefortheonethinghecanprovide:astory.Franklivesforhisfather'stalesofCuchulain,whosavedIreland,andoftheAngelontheSeventhStep,whobringshismotherbabies.PerhapsitisstorythataccountsforFrank'ssurvival.Wearingragsfordiapers,beggingapig'sheadforChristmasdinnerandgatheringcoalfromtheroadsidetolightafire,Frankendurespoverty,near-starvationandthecasualcrueltyofrelativesandneighbors--yetlivestotellhistalewitheloquence,exuberanceandremarkableforgiveness.Angela'sAshes,imbuedoneverypagewithFrankMcCourt'sastoundinghumorandcompassion,isagloriousbookthatbearsallthemarksofaclassic.