'Tis : (Hardcover)

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Amazon.co.uk Review
The sequel to Frank McCourt's memoir of his Irish Catholic boyhood, Angela's Ashes, picks up the story in October 1949 upon his arrival in America. Though he was born in New York, the family had returned to Ireland due to poor prospects in the United States. Now back on American soil, this awkward 19-year-old, with his "pimply face, sore eyes, and bad teeth," has little in common with the healthy, self-assured college students he sees on the subway and dreams of joining in the classroom. Initially, his American experience is as harrowing as his impoverished youth in Ireland, including two of the grimmest Christmases ever described in literature. McCourt views the U.S. through the same sharp eye and dark humour that distinguished his first memoir; race prejudice, casual cruelty and dead-end jobs weigh on his spirits as he searches for a way out. A glimpse of hope comes from the army, where he acquires some white-collar skills, and from New York University, which admits him without a high school diploma. But the journey toward his position teaching creative writing at Stuyvesant High School is neither quick nor easy. Fortunately, McCourt's openness to every variety of human emotion and longing remains exceptional; even the most damaged, difficult people he encounters are richly rendered individuals with whom the reader can't help but feel uncomfortable kinship. The magical prose, with its singing Irish cadences, brings grandeur and beauty to the most sorrowful events, including the final scene, in which Angela's ashes are scattered over a Limerick graveyard. --Wendy Smith

Review
How do you follow up a sensation like Angela's Ashes, McCourt's witty, bare-knuckled, Pulitzer Prize-winning account of his impoverished Irish-American childhood? The answer is simple: write a sequel which is even better than the original. The story of the author's progress from penniless 20-year-old immigrant with rotten teeth, red gummy eyes and no qualifications to graduate of New York University and popular high-school teacher in 'Tis is as compelling and every bit as good as its predecesor. His portrait of New York in the 1950s and '60s is rich in anecdote, depicting the eccentric landladies and the lost souls of the various immigrant communities, while recreating the sheer excitement of life in the optimistic New World, where everything is possible. McCourt tells his story at a cracking pace, with irrepressible humour, but also confronts his dark past - the drunken father, and the unfortunate mother, Angela, who follows him and his three brothers to New York, complaining all the way. McCourt confirms his status as a major talent - a compelling comic writer of unusual scope and compassion. (Kirkus UK)

While not as tightly structured as his Pulitzer Prize-winning Angela's Ashes (1996), the irrepressible McCourt's follow-up memoir has the same driving rhythm, charm, and infectious humor that so captivated readers of the earlier installment. The story picks up in 1949 as McCourt, aged 19, sails to America to seek his fortune. Befriended by a priest who helps him settle in New York City, he's shocked when the man makes a drunken pass at him. His life in New York becomes one of seedy boarding houses, menial labor on the docks and warehouses, and, always, heavy drinking, often with his brothers Malachy and Michael. Conditionally admired to New York University (he had no high school diploma), he's thrilled to show off his textbooks on the subway but bored with the class work. He'd rather read Scan O'Casey, "the first Irish writer I ever read who writes about rags, dirt, hunger, babies dying. . . ." He falls in love with and eventually marries Alberta "Mike" Small, a beautiful Episcopalian from New England. It's a marriage that will "become a sustained squabble." His early years as a high school teacher, first at a vocational school on Staten Island, later at the prestigious Stuyvesant High School, are humorously and revealingly retold. His first words as a teacher? "Stop throwing sandwiches." McCourt occasionally interrupts his chronological narrative with lengthy, if funny, portraits of characters he's met along the way. Angela, who has moved back to New York to be near her sons, has become a difficult, sickly woman upon whose death McCourt would write: "I thought I'd know the grief of the grown man. . . . I didn't know I'd feel like a child cheated." Those whose hearts went out to the little boy who suffered so in Limerick might be put off by the hard-drinking, carousing grownup. But there's no denying McCourt's engaging wit. Is it as rewarding as Angela's Ashes? 'Tis. (Kirkus Reviews)

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64 Reviews 5 star:  (18) 4 star:  (18) 3 star:  (13) 2 star:  (13) 1 star:  (2)           Average Customer Review 3.6 out of 5 stars (64 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   8 of 8 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Deliciously written, 18 Dec 2000 By A Customer This review is from: 'Tis: a Memoir (Paperback) Frank McCourt has a wonderful style of writing that ties the reader to the pages. He writes in a conversational manner which makes the entire book seem like a story your friend Frank was telling you. The story continues from Angela's Ashes and young McCourt lands himself in America. As a European living in America for a while, I encountered the same oddities and quirks about the Amerikcan McCourt found when he described his experiences in America. All and all it's an entertaining story to read, and and definetly an engaging book. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars a triumphant, if challenging, read., 19 Sep 2001 By A Customer This review is from: 'Tis (Paperback) 'Tis' holds parallels with 'Sons & Lovers', albeit set in the bustling metropolis of post-war New York as opposed to 19th century Nottinghamshire. The educated elder son of an awkward mother and absent father struggles to find his own identity in a land that displays prejudice against his background and compulsively remarks at 'the Irish brogue'. The young adult Frankie takes several menial jobs and has to endure providential college students who ride the trains: handsome guys and wholesome girls with perfect teeth and skin and NYU folders flaunting their superiority. A stretch in the army enables Frankie to learn useful administrative skills, and he finally pleads to be allowed to study at NYU, eventually becoming a teacher. At this point, McCourt's memoirs cease to follow the path of 'Angela's Ashes', and with each progressive chapter the verse loses the lilt and cadence that so coloured the previous work. Writing that was once a joy to read becomes tedious and monotonous: the repetitive references to life back in Limerick and seemingly endless prose leading apparently nowhere. The reader is left confused by Frankie's attitude towards his family and somewhat weary with the dry anecdotes of his time spent teaching dispassionate students. As with DH Lawrence, however, one can only share McCourt's obvious frustration with his life, particularly the way he feels trapped between the life of a bohemian, listening to jazz and discussing philosophy, and the comfort and security of his wife, child and home. As such, Frankie seldom seems to learn any lessons from his experiences or those of his family. Students, and their fashions, come and go but McCourt treads slowly along, disenchanted and unable to find fulfilment. Although 'Tis' continues with the life of Frank McCourt a few unanswered questions frustrate throughout, particularly why did it take so long to write 'Angela's Ashes' following the triumphant debut University essay, 'The Bed'? From such an extraordinary life in Limerick to the abject normality of a teacher's lot in New York, the reader can only empathise with the apparent loss of exuberance and vivacity that, despite the unimaginable poverty, 'Angela's Ashes' portrayed. 'Tis' could never match McCourt's Pulitzer Prize winner, but as a reflection of one man's determination and soul searching it still remains a triumphant, if challenging, read. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   5 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars One to buy, 30 Jan 2002 By  royc@onmail.co.uk (Great Britain) - See all my reviews After reading Angela's Ashes and loving it I wasn't that keen on reading what can sometimes be a poor sequel. After reading the first page of Frank McCourt's Tis I was gripped. McCourt manages to lead you into the journey of life. Predominantly set in post war New York it tells the story of a man who wants to turn a dream into reality. The man who wants to discover the joys of America and the girls with white teeth. As you wander through his life with him and encounter the prejudice, the love and loss of so many of his dreams you can't help but wonder whether Ireland would have been better for him. Towards the end of the book, it begins to lack flare and begins to tire a little but to be honest the rest of the book makes up for it. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who likes this kind of genre. Even if you haven't read Angela's Ashes you could still follow it because it does acknowledge his past. After finishing it, you want to read it again just to join and share McCourt's life. Its gripping, powerful and provocative. Not as good as Angela's Ashes but well worth a buy! When's the next book? Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 64 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars An Engrossing, Memorable Recitation By Frank McCourt From His Bestselling Memoir Of his three well-written memoirs, "'Tis" has been the one of Frank McCourt's which I have unjustly underrated in the past (There are a complex scope of reasons, but looking back... Read more Published 11 months ago by John Kwok 1.0 out of 5 stars ACTUALLY.... `TIS NOT.... I hate when someone writes a book about their childhood, and does well, and then they come back and try to do it all again. Read more Published 14 months ago by Leeds lass 4.0 out of 5 stars great read a great book, really enjoyable, a good follow-up from angeles ashes. Although did have the possiblity of being a much larger book, as it only tells you the main details at times. Published 23 months ago by jppyro 3.0 out of 5 stars Moving Forward. Having just read this for a second time, I wish I could revise my star rating to 4. This time around, I read it in direct sequence to re-reading Frank McCourt's first... Read more Published on 20 Jul 2006 by Lotus Eater 2.0 out of 5 stars Rubbish Rubbish Published on 5 Sep 2005 by P. Williams 2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing to say the least This is an extremely disappointing book after Angela's Ashes. The style of writing is poor at best, the author writes in a child-like manner which suits AA, but does not suit... Read more Published on 31 Aug 2005 5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic, thought evoking read I found this book a really enjoyable read that i couldn't put down. I was keen to find out what happened next and had to refrain myself from reading the end to find out how it... Read more Published on 21 Jul 2005 by Anna Hay 5.0 out of 5 stars Tis Fantastic! I've spoken to quite a few people who have read this book and quite a few of them have told me they found it quite hard to get into. Fortunatly I didn't have that problem. Read more Published on 3 Aug 2004 by gemgrimp 3.0 out of 5 stars 'Tis a long read This book picks up exactly where Angela's Ashes left off - on the boat to America. Having enjoyed McCourt's first memoir, I was looking forward to this follow up. Read more Published on 23 Mar 2004 by Essex Girl 5.0 out of 5 stars Be prepared - a great lure I haven't read 'Angela's Ashes' or seen the film but I read ''Tis' last year, encouraged by countless good reviews. It is a deftly composed beauty. Read more Published on 12 Jan 2004 by cocoadiva Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 64 customer reviews...

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