Growing up on Fried Bread and Toast (Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt)

Member Name: Minx78

Product:	Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
Date:	13/06/01 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A brilliant story that goes into much detail

Disadvantages: Very sad in parts

This book grabs your attention right from the start. The book is told through the eyes of a child, Frank McCourt, and tells the story of his childhood in America and then when he goes back to Ireland for a better life. It begins with an introduction to each parent and a bit of history on where they came from and how they met.

The story begins with the McCourt family in New York. Frank tells you how he grew up with his mum, dad, and brother and what a struggle they had to live. They start in New York. But his dad is more interested in staying at the pub than providing for his family, the story then tells how his dad often looses his job, from where he has turned up to work with a hang over or hasn’t even bothered to turn up from work. Any spare money goes on his beer instead of his family.

Through the story you can see that Malachy breaks his promises all the time and gives out false hope to his family. Frank and his family lived in poverty and while franks dad is at the pub. His family went hungry.

For a while things start to look up when Frank has a baby sister. Malachy changes his ways. But this was only for a short while as he turns back to him self and his wife (Angela) cant take it any more and returns to Ireland with her family.
It is not long before they are in Ireland living on their own in a cramped place, then a place that floods nearly every times it rains. Malachy also finds it hard to find a job as he was born a
“Northerner”. The locals found him strange and he is almost ignored when applying for jobs.

This book was a good to read and recommend any body to read it. As soon as you start to read it you will find it hard to put the book down like I did!
Its written in such detail you can imagine being there.

As difficult as it was to read, Frank McCourt is able to still make you laugh. It has a good ending and much of it is written with an Irish accent.

Basica
lly this book tells you the hard life living in Ireland in poverty. It tells you about the horrible school teachers, catholic churches that made frank to feel he was invisible and worthless people dying all around them and the fear that he and his family could be next. Can’t wait to read the follow up book.

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