Oh my word. I don't know what most reviewers are talking about. Tis is a true gift to readers who're interested in the author's life. Angela's Ashes had more poetry while Tis has more modern day cynicism being caged to a life imposes. In transparent words, this is the book where McCourt grows up in the USA. It's about his odd and awkward days of longing for women and wondering why he was the odd one out, about days when he wanted to be disconnected from his family and despite not being poor, the author finds himself in another predicament of missing Limerick, Ireland.

Frank McCourt is my favourite author. I don't know about writing styles because I've never read many books but Tis truly broke my heart a few times and it made me laugh out loud atleast six times. In my opinion, it is a bit criminal to say that this book is better than Angela's Ashes but I must admit I enjoyed reading this even more.

Do me a favour and ignore all the negative reviews. Arm chair critics wouldn't know better.

I thought Tis was a better read than Angela's Ashes. Being an American born in 1970, I can not relate to Ireland circa 1925 (it was apparently an awful place - move on). However, I found McCourt's historical accounts of WWII America to be fascinating reading. Americans were so openly racist back then toward every group imaginable. If anyone can claim a reason for America's greatness, it's her ability to change for the better, although Iraq is a bad example. But then again, GW Bush actually lost those two elections, so we tried. I suppose there will always be material for books, like Tis, about ugly Americans who despite themselves turn out to have functioning hearts. A sincere thank you, Frank.

Frank McCourt wrote "'Tis" as an obvious follow-up after the success of "Angela's Ashes". This second memoir is less visceral and dramatic, perhaps because it does not deal with memories of a childhood in poverty. Nevertheless, it is still engrossing and emotionally moving, full of humor and sadness, revealing the deep family feelings and the individual self of the author.

Starting with his arrival in New York City at the age of 19, McCourt describes his first shocking experience with the priest at the hotel (I could not stop laughing, although, sadly, this is not something to be taken lightly), which led to his first janitorial job in a hotel lobby. His struggle for money to sustain himself and send enough to his mother in Limerick led him to work at the docks, where he met a plethora of people and started experiencing the true New York diversity. In his pursuit of education, he discovered the library, but could not even imagine a way to get a college degree...until he was drafted to serve in the Korea war.

Never actually sent to Korea, Frank spent his army time in Germany instead, first working with dog training, and then as a clerk. He became a skilled typist, which allowed him to get a clerical job back in New York City. Another benefit of serving in the military was his entitlement to go to the university. Despite his lack of high school diploma and massive inferiority complex, Frank got a degree in English and became a teacher. In college, he met a beautiful girl, Alberta, who later became his wife (perhaps he viewed her as a challenge? A woman epitomizing everything American?). I loved his descriptions of problems with students and the school system, the family perturbations a little less so - but, all in all, "'Tis" is a great book, which reads very well and is hard to put down. I enjoyed it as much as "Angela's Ashes": in a little bit different way, but I did not expect it to be the same - the period of Frank's life here is that of a young man, and he focuses more on his personal development and experience, not so much on his family (which, anyway, is an eternal presence). Is it a typical route an immigrant could follow at that time, or highly personal? I think it is both, in a way...
I like McCourt's language, the flow of his sentences like a story told at the fireplace, his sensitivity and eye to detail. I enjoyed his view of the New York City, too.

I assume will read the third part, "Teacher Man", with equal pleasure and I am looking forward to it.

I ordered this book USED/GOOD CONDITION. It came in Very good condition. I was very pleased and will not hesitate to order a used book again.

This book was great and was definitely more light-hearted than Angela's Ashes. You don't need to have read his first book (Angela's Ashes) to enjoy this part of his memoir; in fact reading the first book made me enjoy this one less simply because there was just no way for it to compare to the first.

although this book is long, and often times it shows the mundane life of a teacher, it truley makes me want to move to ireland! i love this book! it's so hard for me to put it down.

This book is a continuation of the story, Angela's Ashes. I enjoyed the writer's style and insight into Irish immigrant life. I recommend these two novels to anyone interested in real Irish life.

Many reviewers have noted that the first two-thirds of this book is strong, while the final third falls flat. I'd agree, and I think I know why: by the time the memoir reaches the late 1960s, McCourt has become a New Yorker and the book loses the premise: the fun of seeing New York and American society in general through the eyes of a naive outsider. The first two thirds are like all of Angela's Ashes: insightful, funny, bittersweet, tragic, and the book finds the power of its voice in the ironical gap between the perceptions of the naive young man and the understanding of the knowing older man who wrote the memoir. In the last third of the book, McCourt is not a stranger in a strange land -- he's your average New Yorker in a midlife crisis, with an increasing estranged wife, the difficulty of caring for an aging mother, questions about his career choice, etc. Nice to know how some of the story lines played out, but the final third is not really of any inherent interest in itself, and since there's less of a gap between what McCourt perceived at the time and what he perceives now, it is lacking in that quirky ironical voice that made what went before so captivating. On the basis of the first 2/3rds, I recommend it highly. The last 1/3 may be significantly less interesting, but is not objectionable.

'Tis is a wonderful follow up from Angela's Ashes. One of the differences from 'Tis and Angela's Ashes is that the tone is different. Angela's Ashes is told from Mr. McCourt's view from childhood to adolescence where as 'Tis is told from an early adulthood voice. Mr. McCourt is trying to learn the norms and customs of America because he has been away for so long. He makes mistakes and stumbles through this phase of his life without anybody to really guide him.

If you like Frank McCourt, Teachers, Humans, Flaws, or Memoirs, you'll like this book. Frank McCourt's life is one worth reading about.

A great follow-up to Angela's Ashes. Both his brothers have also written books and both are quality work.

He took us into his world, no holes bared. Anyone who can be that brutely honest has my respect. The good, the bad, the ugly. He shared it all. His honesty allowed us to see what life was really like for him. I am thankful for such truth!

Although this author had a very rough start in life, and to hear him tell it, had very little chance of amounting to anything, he doggedly sunk his teeth into each particular goal that he encountered along the way and held on tight until he could claim ownership of it. As a boy, his family was abandoned by the father (a worthless self-absorbed excuse of a man), so he and his brothers were raised by their mother alone. This resulted in a series of experiences that had to be demeaning to a sensitive, ambitious boy. They lived in poverty and were forced to beg help from an assortment of feckless relatives. In a pattern that was to follow him throughout his life, the author set his sights on being liberated in the land of promise, America.

Once he arrived on that golden shore, he was humiliated, verbally abused, and accused of acts he did not commit, but he somehow took all this in stride and gamely tackled each obstacle, seeing it not as an obstacle at all, but rather a temporary hindrance on his mission to succeed. He was a master at minimizing his losses and maximizing his opportunities, and as the book progressed and the characters of his mother and brothers were revealed, it became evident that each of them exhibited this trait, each in their own way.

Despite his many good qualities, the author seemed to be frozen in his thinking regarding his relationship with his father and mother, his neighbors in Ireland, and his self-image. Although he successfully achieved a metamorphosis in his socioeconomic status, his educational status, and his level of influence, he is ultimately unable to change the way he interacts with those who knew him before, when he was still the poverty-stricken, uneducated, pimply-faced kid in the slums, and worse yet, when he looks in the mirror, that is who he sees. The author's inability to move beyond his past limits his ability to impact others. His writing does not provide any epiphanies, no rush of enlightenment, or satisfaction in seeing his personal fulfillment.

I love this book. While Angela's Ashes was somewhat depressing but 'Tis is hilarious and enthralling. Throughout the book all you can think is how much you want to hug him. and you'd like to think you'd be the pretty girl that would give Frank a fair shot. Anything this man writes is pure gold that's for sure.

Tis is not nearly as good as Frank McCorts other work. I it sometimes talks about when he was a kid. But for the most part is not as good.

The only thing more pleasurable than reading Frank McCourt's memoirs is listening to him read them! Wonderful! You will not be disappointed.

"`Tis," an Autobiography of Frank McCourt's life, tells how he made his way in life as a young immigrant living in New York. It also explains how he survived the chaos and mayhem without much money or family. Yet it also tells of his struggle to get through the army, how he learned to write and then explains his way through college. Written with passion and full of memory, "`Tis" is an outstanding book that is recommended for any young person about to go on their own in the world. Frank McCourt wrote this book as a sequel to Angela's Ashes, which is an autobiography about Frank's life as a child in Ireland. Full of twists, drama, deaths and love, "`Tis" should be on everyone's top ten list of books to buy. After he wrote this book he wrote "Teacher Man" which is a summary of his life as a teacher and how it changed his life and who he thought he was going to be. -Daniel Archuleta

This is a great book. Not as good as Angela's Ashes but if you reade the first you will want to read this one.

I had "Tis" on my shelf for several years before I could get myself to read it. Angela's Ashes, the story of author Frank McCourt's early life, was a harrowing, powerful book that kept me going, hoping for something good to happen. Nothing good did happen except that the author survived to adulthood.

Tis is a completely different kind of story, and I would recommend that it can be read separately from Angela's Ashes. It's a very personal tale of an Irishman coming to America and trying to make his way. Our parents and grandparents might have had similar experiences (boarding houses, low end jobs, sending money home), but they would never tell you about how it felt in the same immediate and unflinching way as McCourt does. There's pain mixed with humor, because this is a survivor's story.

McCourt's Irishness is a double-edged sword. It opens doors for him from the first page as an American priest befriends him on the boat and lines him up for a job on arrival. But as he tries to assimilate, people only hear his accent and not what he has to say. The title, "'tis" is how he responds over and over again to people who ask "Is that a brogue I hear?". I believe McCourt chose that as the title to exemplify how he had to go along to get along in his new country. The writing is fantastic, a herky-jerky style that reflects a young man's bursts of energy and sudden halts. Like Angela's Ashes, the story sort of trails off at the end, but that's a minor quibble for such a well-written book. I am more motivated to read the sequel, "Teacher Man" than I was to read this one!

As our country struggles to absorb a new flood of immigrants, this tale is worth reading to gain insight into what it's like to try to make a new life in a foreign place.

I had "Tis" on my shelf for several years before I could get myself to read it. Angela's Ashes, the story of author Frank McCourt's early life, was a harrowing, powerful book that kept me going, hoping for something good to happen. Nothing good did happen except that the author survived to adulthood.

Tis is a completely different kind of story, and I would recommend that it can be read separately from Angela's Ashes. It's a very personal tale of an Irishman coming to America and trying to make his way. Our parents and grandparents might have had similar experiences (boarding houses, low end jobs, sending money home), but they would never tell you about how it felt in the same immediate and unflinching way as McCourt does. There's pain mixed with humor, because this is a survivor's story.

McCourt's Irishness is a double-edged sword. It opens doors for him from the first page as an American priest befriends him on the boat and lines him up for a job on arrival. But as he tries to assimilate, people only hear his accent and not what he has to say. The title, "'tis" is how he responds over and over again to people who ask "Is that a brogue I hear?". I believe McCourt chose that as the title to exemplify how he had to go along to get along in his new country. The writing is fantastic, a herky-jerky style that reflects a young man's bursts of energy and sudden halts. Like Angela's Ashes, the story sort of trails off at the end, but that's a minor quibble for such a well-written book. I am more motivated to read the sequel, "Teacher Man" than I was to read this one!

As our country struggles to absorb a new flood of immigrants, this tale is worth reading to gain insight into what it's like to try to make a new life in a foreign place.

`TIS is the continuing story of author Frank McCourt's life that he began telling in ANGELA'S ASHES; a dark, moving, and humorous memoir about his life growing up in Limerick, Ireland. That book netted McCourt a host of awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, and ended with McCourt's return to America. `TIS begins right where ANGELA'S ASHES ended. The story tells about McCourt's early adventures in the United States, his service in the military, his return visits to Ireland, his first marriage, the arrival of his brothers and mother to the United States, and some brief tales about his life as an English teacher.

`TIS really is a companion piece and though the book makes some very keen observations about society and culture, the book is written in McCourt's darkly humorous witty style and doesn't stand very well on its own. You can read `TIS by itself, but the book reads better if you've already read ANGELA'S ASHES and are acquainted with McCourt's writing style and his tragic childhood. For example, there are many allusions and references made to things McCourt examined in ANGELA'S ASHES.

`TIS hasn't been as popular as ANGELA'S ASHES. That was bound to happen. ANGELA'S ASHES was a tremendous success and people couldn't believe that McCourt had never written a book before. It won many, many awards and rightly so. `TIS continues the story, but because it's the story of a man finding his place in the world and not that of a child struggling to survive, it doesn't seem as powerful. I really enjoyed `TIS. I knew before I began reading it that it wasn't going to the same story again. To paraphrase THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, life keeps moving on and you either get moving too, or you might as well die. Therefore, I wasn't as disappointed as many readers were by `TIS. I found it a delight to read and was pretty much what I expected. I hope McCourt lives for many more years and writes several more books.

`TIS is the continuing story of author Frank McCourt's life that he began telling in ANGELA'S ASHES; a dark, moving, and humorous memoir about his life growing up in Limerick, Ireland. That book netted McCourt a host of awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, and ended with McCourt's return to America. `TIS begins right where ANGELA'S ASHES ended. The story tells about McCourt's early adventures in the United States, his service in the military, his return visits to Ireland, his first marriage, the arrival of his brothers and mother to the United States, and some brief tales about his life as an English teacher.

`TIS really is a companion piece and though the book makes some very keen observations about society and culture, the book is written in McCourt's darkly humorous witty style and doesn't stand very well on its own. You can read `TIS by itself, but the book reads better if you've already read ANGELA'S ASHES and are acquainted with McCourt's writing style and his tragic childhood. For example, there are many allusions and references made to things McCourt examined in ANGELA'S ASHES.

`TIS hasn't been as popular as ANGELA'S ASHES. That was bound to happen. ANGELA'S ASHES was a tremendous success and people couldn't believe that McCourt had never written a book before. It won many, many awards and rightly so. `TIS continues the story, but because it's the story of a man finding his place in the world and not that of a child struggling to survive, it doesn't seem as powerful. I really enjoyed `TIS. I knew before I began reading it that it wasn't going to the same story again. To paraphrase THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, life keeps moving on and you either get moving too, or you might as well die. Therefore, I wasn't as disappointed as many readers were by `TIS. I found it a delight to read and was pretty much what I expected. I hope McCourt lives for many more years and writes several more books.

Frank McCourt's "Tis" is an interesting follow-up to his Pulitzer Prize-winning "Angela's Ashes." It follows the McCourt family, and especially Frank, as they continue their lives in America. Frank's wit and his serious nature both come through in this one, although this book isn't as much a page-turner as "Ashes" was. In my opinion, the book would mean much more to the reader if he read "Angela's Ashes" first. We need that background to understand the family and to see how they have evolved into the people they are. "Tis" is an enjoyable read.

It was a good read but not as good as angela's ashes but better than teacher man.

I have mixed feelings about this book, it's certainly less engrossing and harmonic than his predecessor, Angela's Ashes, but still maintains most of its charms, the casual but gently flowing style, the simple but deep approach to vieweing the world...The comparison with Angela's Ashes is inevitable, but I think the only fault of this book is not in being different from his predecessors, but in being too similar to it. In adult life, things grow inevitably more complex and the impressionistic stule that's perfect for a children world is not that good anymore. I would have loved if the story touched more deeply on the author's relationship with his wife Alberta, for example when exactly she stopped being "Mike" and become Alberta... but I guess you just can't change style so easily, and also adult life might be less hard than infancy but it's still harder to deal with...

"'Tis"..(Hardcover)
A most enjoyable follow up to his childhood memoir "Angela's Ashes", Frank McCourt, in "'Tis", now lets us in on life as a poor young immigrant, trying to make his way in the jungle of NYC. Being told over and over, stick with your own kind(the Irish immigrants), Frank as is his nature, does things his own way, which don't always work out to well for him.

When we last left off in Angela's Ashes, Frank had just arrived, eager for a new life in America(the place of his birth). Nothing seems to be going right for him. He is naive in the ways of the world, and learning some hard lessons.Still plagued by bad eyes and teeth, he lands a job, cleaning up in a hotel.He sees the college students, with their movie star smiles and looks, and yearns to be among them. With the war in Korea going on, Frank gets drafted and right away gets himself into trouble by just holding to his beliefs. Stuck as a company clerk, he masters the skill of typing! Later he manages to get into college,even without a High School diploma, which really speaks to his tenacity, and after much hard work between school and jobs requiring much physical labor, he graduates and becomes a teacher. He also somehow manages to marry the most beautiful girl, the envy of all in his college days.

So now as an adult, with the responsibilities to his family and students, he makes us laugh and cry with the most wonderful funny and poignant stories of trying to learn the rules of life in New York, of being an employee, the military, a college student, a husband, and teacher.We are introduced to some new people that have affected his life in some way. He also goes back to Ireland to visit, and we are reintroduced to some of the people who shaped his early life. His mother is still very much a part of the story, and it is hard not to get emotionally involved with their relationship.

We are still treated to his refreshing style of writing, in which he lets us in on all his thoughts, and subtly pokes fun at the ways of society and the system of life. It is the tone that is different. As well it should be. In "Angela's Ashes", we saw the hardships of life through the forgiving and eager eyes of a child. It made that book maybe just a little more special. Now the look is that of first a frustrated young man, and then a more experienced adult. There are times, you may not like what he does or says, but this is his life story, and it is honest and life affirming.

This book is also available in paperback.Enter 0006551815 into the book search and it should take you to the paperback selling site.

I'm very much looking forward to the third book of this beautiful memoir, "Teacher Man". If you loved Angela's Ashes, you will surely want to know what has become of Frankie McCourt. He will take you on more of his life's adventures,another enthralling read,and leave you smiling.....enjoy....Laurie

Poignant, intense, exciting, gut wrenching yet heart warming are the scenes, actions and memories described in this continuation of an indepth look at the the trials, tribulations and successes of Frank Mc Court and his family. As you read it, you "are there" in New York, in Ireland, -at Mam's almost reunion with Frank's father, - in the army with Frank in Europe, - in church, - in the boarding house which provided meager temporary shelter, - in the countless dull mind-numbing jobs he had before becoming a teacher, - in the classroom trying to inspire lethargic students. With wit, and a lot of mischievious charm, author Mc Court escorts us through his romantic liasons, marriage and birth of his daughter, - his brothers arrival and existence in New York,- his own "coming of age in America" as he matures, - and the death of his beloved mother, Angela, (Mam).



'Tis a grand saga. 'Tis a grand book. -- 'Tis.




Now let's see the movie. John Wayne, Barry Fitzgerald, Victor Mc Glagen (The Quiet Man") would have been ideal, but they are gone. That leaves Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) or Robin Williams ( Dead Poets Society). How about it Mr Mc Court.? Write the screenplay for the movie based on your memoir triology, or at least give us another outstanding book!!!

Frank McCourt has a flowing, gifted writing style that is all his own. This, the second in his memoirs, tells the chapter of his life where he leaves Ireland for a life in America. How one can endure his hardships and still keep a witty sense of humour is nothing short of amazing. Low paying jobs, racial criticism, and scorn await McCourt upon his arrival.

It would be difficult to top a national best seller that was so gut-wrenching as his first book, "Angela's Ashes," but the author has, once again, come up with another harrowing tale of his life's journey. "Tis" is not as powerfully written as his first book, but the familiar writing style and tongue-in-cheek are found throughout the pages. Also recommended is his third book, "Teacher Man" which tells of his years as a teacher, and whether you are an educator or an avid fan of McCourt's, you will find it a real treasure.

This is a wonderful sequel to Angela's Ashers and a very well written one. As one reviewer has pointed out, it is indeed not Angela's Ashes, nor was it suppose to be. This is a story of a mans life. It is rather harsh in places and I have to admit that I admire the author even more for being so truthful and showing us his life growing up in New York, warts and all. That takes a lot of honesty and must have been quite painful for the author. From a personal stand point, I feel that McCourt is one of the better authors of this day and time. His use of the language never ceases to amaze me. His range of emotion from chapter to chapter and page to page is quite remarkable. Unlike a few other reviewers, I found quite a lot of his stories to be absolutely hilarious as well being quite insightful to human nature. The reader needs to remember that this is a memoir and also keep in mind that it is a memoir of a very honest man. I do wish Mr McCourt had not waited so long to start writing. I feel there is much good work in him that we may not ever see. Highly recommend this one.

I felt that he was trying to gain sympathy for his situation unlike the frankness of Angelas Ashes. I was dissapointed with this sequal. He was brave to tell the truth of his situation, however he must have cringed upon reflection of his early life. He does use humor throughout the book and that makes it more bearable to read. I felt like slapping him rather than giving him a hug at the end of this second book. He does tell the truth, to his credit, and doesn't candy coat anything, a continuation of the first book in the context of style. Would recommend this to an older audience, because of the content matter.

Best read as a continuation of Angela's Ashes, 'Tis finds Frank McCourt making his way in America. The book's strengths lie in Frank's lucid writing ability - the poems he weaves, the description of life as a lone immigrant that are so believable. I found that the book alternated between the smooth prose that describes his life and his family's adjustment to America and a less-consistent, not as enjoyable telling of his life in the classroom and with neighbors. For this reason, the book was not as enjoyable as Angela's Ashes. Nonetheless, I'm glad I read it as I would have felt cheated if I had just read book number one as a stand alone.

I finished reading this book day before yesterday. I feel lonely since there's no more of it to read. I actually feel like reading it again, that's something I've never done with a book but Tis makes you want to do that. Not only does Frank carry on from Angela's Ashes with his much celebrated writing style, but he manages to overtake all my expectations from this sequel.


Angela's Ashes gave me some oblivious heartache coupled with strange contentment from the author's humor. In this book, Frank McCourt leaves Limerick and goes to New York as a 19 year old boy who fears people might notice his teeth or his sore eyes. He hasn't got a high school degree and does various physically demanding jobs to earn his livelihood. Surprisingly, McCourt manages to shift gears and add more humor to his life. There are countless bitter-sweet smile inducing encounters with New Yorkers. He goes to war, becomes a jolly self satisfied drinker (who never admits to his disease), learns to live with how there are more downs in his life than ups,and yet there is something quite different about this man's writing heart that makes the book as unique as it is.Despite his absence for years, Frank McCourt still admires his dad and his awkward style for some reason. By the end of the book, Frank becomes an orphan with his parents dead.

This book will make you roar with laughter, I relate to a certain few incidents that happen in everyone's life, "Tis" will make you recall your days at high school (good or bad), will make you fall on your knees with it's subtle observations coupled with hopes and fear, it will make you think of your folks and everything you've done in your life.

As a young teacher, McCourt reminds me of those many substitute teachers who just didn't know what they're in for. Tis contains less of "och aye" and "fiddler's farts" but contains more of "America", "church nuns", "bars", "war,funny seargants", "Alberta" ,etc.

I loved the middle part of the book but then it keeps coming back to me now that I'm thinking of it. Just how he goes for his first dance, how he exchanges stock of coffee and cigarettes for sex, how he thinks his life is over when his woman decides to leave him, how lonely he feels his mother is, how cheap he and his brothers are over her coffin, how his father's funeral makes him laugh out loud, how he misses Limerick admist America,etc.

p.s - I do not know how he did this but this book in more ways than one is better than it's predecessor, Angela's Ashes

Respect for Mr. McCourt

If you admired the young McCourt boy who survived misery and a drunken father in Angela's Ashes (A'sA), this book is sure a huge deception. The first 80 pages are a great continuation to A'SA, but suddenly the rhythm of the book stops, as if McCourt had suffered from a severe drought of ideas. The storyline becomes chaotic, changing the day-today timeline we were used to to a mixture of anecdotes that take place 5 years forward and jump back again, no order or sense whatsoever.
What's worse, nice and naive Mccourt transforms into a copy of his drunken father, constant beating up of women included. It's a huge shock (hey this story's REAL, folks!); it's as if Snow White suddenly turned into the role of the Queen.
McCourt won't be the same nice, brave and funny guy for me nevermore.

Found this today at the annual library sale for $1 and now that I have read the reviews on Amazon I am anxious to read it.

I read "Angela's Ashes" saw the movie, felt it a bit more than embellished. However, Tis, rang more adultful as it were, and truthful. I doubted Angela's "memory" from McCourt so lavishly put, at such a wee age, however, I bought the documentary's about himself, his brothers take, on it all, their suffering was immmediate and in part, my own. I'm 2nd generation american, and I'd withstood the rigours of a dastardly unaffectionate, unexplained about-anything-miserable-beat the hell outta you, childhood. Ignorance is not bliss.
It simply, idiotic.
The sad and pervasive darkness that is in the eyes of them all, tells me in the documentries and in Franks writings, that some ghosts are not entirely put to rest. There's alot to be redeemed by us all, by such true tales, to muster up against the grain and infection of, the poverty.. the ignorance, the abject misery that has us taking a bigger yet in spots, weaker stand, but nonetheless, better than we'd imagined.
TO THIS DAY, later in life but younger than Frank McCourt, I still suffer the effects of my earliest years, but his writings have brought me to a better place, which indeed have helped me laugh at the strangest of times, like 4 am in the morning, alone and not havin' a soul....... or.. in such dire straits that only picking up McCourt's book would salvage and save me from the things around me, that were not good, to say the least, and I'd be off, to enjoy and empathize with him, which got me out of myself and to sleep in peace because I had.

If you liked Angela's Ashes, you'll probably enjoy 'Tis. While the first book, dramatic and shocking, explored the author's childhood of poverty in Ireland, this one follows up with his life in New York as a new immigrant -- learning new customs, new terminology and the nuances of both. Creates some interesting, thought-provoking situations, some funny, some touching.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audio book. We took it on a long car trip, and it was like having Frank McCourt in the car with us telling his life story.

'Tis continues the wonderful story of Frank McCourt and is written with the same personal touch and deep insight that seems to be the standard style for McCourt. It was a beautiful book and I loved reading it. I would strongly suggest reading Angela's Ashes first to get the feel for his younger life first.

Angela's Ashes was a wonderful book and I can see why some readers will not appreciate this so much. The truth however remains that Frank McCourt is still the genius that he is. His comparisons of New York and Limerick are intersting and would make excellent reading to most immigrants. The wit, humour and "oral" style of the narrative are worth many a fiddler's fart. Highly recommended.

Don't read this book. Just read ANGELA'S ASHES (his first memoir). Don't see the movie (ANGELA'S ASHES), as it sucked. This follow up memoir destroys any likeability that I had for the author. It's just a shame to have followed up like McCourt did here. A crumby book that doesn't deserve a place on your bookshelf. Trust me.........read ANGELE'S ASHES.........don't waste your time here.

Angela's ashes was a great book. I was holding very high expectation for the sequeal, a bit disappointed after the end. It has lost its childish humour, I guess that's understandable as it is not a memoirs of a child anymore, it is a memoir of a teenager to an adult. Nonetheless, it has a very captivating chapter; where the author was teaching para-professional part-time classes. Although the author has lost his humor as he ventured into adulthood; he has successfully instilled some warmth in replacement. Still a good read recommended to all.

After his award winning Angela's Ashes, it is very hard for Frank McCourt to fill his own shoes. However, McCourt is almost as successful with `Tis. McCourt's writing style is extremely unique; it is complex and simple at the same time. He has an excellent grasp on dialogue, writes in Irish speech, and finds dark humor in all of his experiences. At the same time, McCourt has such control over his writing that his intense dialogues seem to flow effortlessly. McCourt's writing style is successful in creating a mood for the story, as well as giving a strong sense of reality to the characters and situations. McCourt depicts life as it is, and does not try to hide the events of the story behind anything that is not completely true.
McCourt's retelling of his life makes the reader sympathize for him, as everything that could go wrong does. However, at times, it is this sympathy that falls short of the sympathy the reader has for the younger McCourt in Angela's Ashes. Angela's Ashes creates a situation in which the reader sympathizes with McCourt more so than in 'Tis, because McCourt's character is much younger in his first book, and a lot of things are out of his control, like his parent's drinking problems and his family's poverty. However, McCourt has grown up in `Tis and has control over his actions, so at times the sympathy the reader feels for McCourt can be replaced with frustration, as McCourt makes a bad decision from time to time.
McCourt's main downfall is the fact that at times, his excessive grim outlook on life can become overwhelming to the point where the reader feels as if he is complaining rather than just presenting life in an honest fashion.
Despite the fact that McCourt becomes a little long winded with the gloominess of his anecdotes, he is extremely successful in portraying believable characters and creating the world in which his story takes place. Overall, McCourt's `Tis is a compelling memoir with a good mix of everything any reader could want, from humor to romance to depression. This memoir, embedded with McCourt's impeccable style and fast-moving pace, has the power to touch the heart of any reader.

It's very difficult to review a biographical book that you didn't really enjoy because in some ways you feel as if you are being critical of the author's life. However, I really feel as if this book had no 'oomph'. There was a flatness to it that made me feel depressed everytime I picked it up. I didn't experience any connection with McCourt and his writing didn't make me care about him or any of the people in his life. If McCourt has a sense of humour, this didn't come across either - although I did notice places where he was perhaps attempting some humour, but the overall tone of book made it fall flat. It's like listening to a terribly depressed person trying to make a joke where instead of being funny, it just sounds bitter and disspirited.

I would just like to have seen the story told in a more enthusiastic and interesting manner rather than the flat monotone it was delivered in.

It's very difficult to review a biographical book that you didn't really enjoy because in some ways you feel as if you are being critical of the author's life. However, I really feel as if this book had no 'oomph'. There was a flatness to it that made me feel depressed everytime I picked it up. I didn't experience any connection with McCourt and his writing didn't make me care about him or any of the people in his life. If McCourt has a sense of humour, this didn't come across either - although I did notice places where he was perhaps attempting some humour, but the overall tone of book made it fall flat. It's like listening to a terribly depressed person trying to make a joke where instead of being funny, it just sounds bitter and disspirited.

I do admire McCourt though because his account of his life is honest and it can never be easy to expose your flaws to the world. I would just like to have seen the story told in a more enthusiastic and interesting manner rather than the flat monotone it was delivered in.

The sequel to Angela's Ashes, Tis' continues the story of Frank McCourt and begins with his arrival to America in 1949 at the age of 19. McCourt struggles with employment and survival upon arriving to New York, even working as a busboy at a hotel. He joins the army during the Korean war, and upon returning to New York begins to take the right steps to improve his life. I really enjoyed this book. Once again, McCourt is able to describe hardship and touch the human heart and soul through his writing. I found it took a little bit longer to get into this story than "Angela's Ashes", but it builds and I enjoyed hearing the stories of McCourt's early teaching career. I can't wait to read his latest, "Teacher Man"!

I listened to this book as read by the Author. I recommend that, as I read Angela's Ashes and enjoyed it a lot as well, but there is something special about the reading by the author that adds a diminsion to the work that you can't quite catch reading it.

Up front, many are uncomfortable with this work and Angela's Ashes because of the language, which is quite blue in places. I don't find it the most endearing quality myself, but as a memoir it captures the language of the army, the loading dock, the teachers lounge and the bar. Be warned up front, if you are not comfortable hearing swearing, then this is NOT the book for you.

That having been said, listening to McCourt read, I caught the poetic, lyrical, stream of consciousness attributes that I knew were present in Angela's Ashes, but hearing the cadence, the lilting roll and flow of the language; there are parts of this book that come close to poetry. It is an amazing and endearing quality that is rarely achieved in most modern literature.

McCourt has a rare transparency with his insecurity, his dysfunctional relationships, his family dynamics, his romance with his first wife and his transition to teaching and moving toward writing is very revealing and almost has a therapeutic value as you listen and can recognize the human condition in general.

My one criticism, is that, perhaps, this book stretches a little long for the material he includes. The actual narrative events can be condensed to a very short story line. It is the embellishment, the thinking out loud and the dancing around in what becomes a farily discernible pattern by the end of the book to where, it "almost" becomes a little tedious, although this is faint criticism when weighed against the overall impact of the book.

A very entertaining listen and read! It is hard to follow-up on a Pulitzer Prize. The goal is lofty and the expectations overwhelming. My opinion is this book does not surpass its progenitor, but it certainly comes close and provides more of the same type of reading and entertainment.

I look forward to reading, and hopefully hearing the next installment.

I listened to this book as read by the Author. I recommend that as I read Angela's Ashes and enjoyed it a lot as well, but there is something special about the reading by the author that adds a diminsion to the work that you can't quite catch reading it.

Up front, many are uncomfortable with this work and Angela's ashes because of the language, which is quite blue in places. I don't find it the most endearing quality myself, but as a memoir it captures the language of the army, the loading dock, the teachers lounge and the bar. Be warned up front, if you are not comfortable hearing swearing, then this is NOT the book for you.

That having been said, listening to McCourt read, I caught the poetic, lyrical, stream of consciousness attributes that I knew were present in Angela's Ashes, but hearing the cadence, the lilting roll and flow of the language; there are parts of this book that come close to poetry. It's an amazing and endearing quality that is rarely achieved in most modern literature.

McCourt's has a rare transparency in his insecurity, his dysfunctional relationships, his family dynamics, his romance with his first wife and his transition to teaching and moving toward writing is very revealing and almost has a therapeutic value as you listen and can recognize the human condition in general.

My one criticism, is that, perhaps, this book stretches a little long for the material he includes. The actual narrative events can be condensed to a very short story line. It is the embellishment, the thinking out loud and the dancing around in what becomes a farily discernible pattern by the end of the book to where, it "almost" becomes a little tedious, although this is faint criticism when weighed against the overall impact of the book.

A very entertaining listen and read! It's hard to follow-up on a Pulitzer Prize. The goal is lofty and the expextations overwhelming. My opinion is this book does not surpass its progenitor, but it certainly comes close and provides more of the same type of reading and entertainment.

I look forward to reading, and hopefully hearing the next installment.

The sequel to Angela's Ashes, Tis' continues the story of Frank McCourt and begins with his arrival to America in 1949 at the age of 19. McCourt struggles with employment and survival upon arriving to New York, even working as a busboy at a hotel. He joins the army during the Korean war, and upon returning to New York begins to take the right steps to improve his life. I really enjoyed this book. Once again, McCourt is able to describe hardship and touch the human heart and soul through his writing.

After his struggle for sheer survival in Ireland as a child and an adolescent, Frank McCourt retained the lesson his uncle taught him (`Make up your own mind') and took his fate in his own hand. He immigrated to the US.
Having had a poor education, he survives on low paid jobs with the help of a not so uninterested gay priest, who has privileged contacts with the US Democratic Party.
Without a high school certificate, he nevertheless gets through university to become a teacher.
By fighting in the `blackboard jungle', he assures a decent life for himself and his relatives left in Ireland.

These memoirs are heavily tainted by the author's Catholic education and `guilty' conscience, full of `dark secrets and shame': `If I had any belief left in anything I could go to confession, but where is the priest who could hear my sins without throwing his hands up in disgust.'

From being rather cynical and direct in `Angela's Ashes' under the biting impact of hunger and coldness, the author's style evolved to a more distanced, ironic and less rebellious texture.

A very worth-while read.

This is a terrific memoir, more to my liking than the first book. It contains all kinds of wisdom; wonderful, poignant, and sometimes hilarious little stories; and a great deal of warmth and humanity. So it really puzzles me how wonderful, broadminded people like McCourt can have a blind spot when it comes to IRA terrorism. There's nothing wrong with Irish national pride, but a group that has murdered literally thousands of innocent people through bombings and assasinations should not be the recipient of any civilized person's open or implied moral support. Even though this flaw in McCourt's moral vision takes up just a few lines of the book, it's important to point it out. As Burke is credited with saying, "All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."