READ BY the author... that is key!
I know some feelings on this book already, which is why I want to make this seem open (so the comments will come!) because I am really enjoying listening to it. Don't get me wrong... it is SAD and almost everything goes wrong that could, with some happyish, funny bits. I am not done, but if my lovely little iListener will load up again, I probably will be by tomorrow. (Incidentally, I agree that audiobooks and gardening are like PB&J... or if you're in Deutschland... um, mustard and wurst. In Ireland, bread and butter... OK!) My favorite thing is listening to the inflections of how Frank McCourt tells this, HIS story, including the opening "Angela's Ashes. I'm Frank McCourt." and then he begins (ie, not "written and read by"). I think it lends to the reality of it all, and certain passages stick out in my head and come back to me from time to time. "Jesus and the Weather"... perhaps I find it particularly good to hear while being in the town of PASSION right now. I also like his light Irish accent, and the way he speaks for all the kids and mothers in the book.
(anybody still miss letters dancing over pages, btw?)
13 comments:
Perhaps I should listen to him read it because I really hated it at the time and couldn't understand the wide acclaim. Making light of child neglect???? Obviously he forgave his parents though and was not bitter which is a lot to say...
I have to say that I bought it as an audiobook because I heard an old NPR interview with Frank McCourt that NPR replayed at the time of his death. He had read a small excerpt from the book and it hooked me. I liked the story and in spite of all the horrible poverty and abuse of his childhood there was always a glimmer of hope.
MR read it. She didn't love it but she stuck through to the end and I think she did appreiate how poor people could be even in "civilized" places and in the not-so-distant past.
Peddie, I tried to appease you with huge arched font. You don't like that better?
Oh Bug, I do like the way they kind of swirl off... maybe it's just that the book and letters are so huge on this computer (everything is huge on this computer...), I just liked the first design so much. I am also afraid of change sometimes... which makes me think of the 'Circus, Circus' episode of PD... are you that far yet? Are you enjoying all their clever word plays and rhymings and musical allusions?
I do remember mom not liking it, which is why I was always hesitant. Maybe it just has a lighter edge in the way he sometimes describes things. I also had a to relisten to the beginning of the book afterwards to clarify some things, and was surprised at how negative that was. I think the hope glimmers do make it worth while. Everything else made me really appreciate things like shoes and personal bathrooms.
PS: Anybody read anything by Jeffrey Archer?
PPS: Are you guys reading? I just realized I've done almost all the book posts lately on here. Guess I'm making up for other blogs (though I'm trying to be better, bug!).
PPPS: Should I make a Clairewareblog, or just try to be more involved in my website?
I want you to make a ClaireWare tumblr and just post pictures. I would follow you!
Do you like the dancing letters now?
They didn't change from what I see ;( I'm sorry. I will withdraw my complaint till I'm on an up to date computer. You do a great job.
Tblr is an idea... probably easier for me than blog too. Though I do enjoy writing. Hmm. Can I make my webpage attatched to it?
...maybe I should be asking you these questions elsewhere.
I wanted to add to the forum here that I think some books are really better read, and some better heard, and some are good both ways (Arry Potta!)! I heard "I am Charlotte Simmons" by world famous Thomas Wolfe and I think that would have been a much better book read. Beh.
Hmmmm...where to start my comment...
#1 Mary Rollins and I started watching Pushing Daisies yesterday and it's definitely my favorite new-to-me new show. It made me happy to hear Jim Dale narrate it plus Kristen Chenoweth!! LOVE HER!!! MR and I decided we want to cast the pie maker as Oliver Bond in the movie version of House Rules which she and I both just finished reading. Did you know Chuck is domestically partnered with Professor Lupin? I love her too. And, I love her clothes, and all the pretty colors, and her aunts' house. And, I wish the dandylion car didn't kill people...I wanted one. I think we're on like the fourth episode of the first season.
#2 Should I go back and relisten to the beginning of Angela's Ashes? Will it make me not like it?
#3 Marc just finished reading I am Charlotte Simmons which I made hime read (i.e. bought the book for him. I thought he would love it. He didn't. Bummer. Maybe it's just not a great book. I liked it okay but it didn't change my life or anything.
4. Dancing letters. I can't remember what the blog looked like before now. Except once when it was green when I first made the blog.
5. I'd follow a Claireware blog. What's a tumblr.
6. I read a Jeffrey Archer book once. I probably got it from Grandpa. It seems like there were spies and assinations with a lot of international plot. Oooo...I hope Grandpa's finally listening to the "Girl" books. I put them on his nano which he can't remember how to work.
7. Summer book reading for me: I read The Alchemist, House Rules, 1/2 way through Daughter of Fortune (stolen from the Selby house), and I re-read/listened to the Stieg LArsson books so that I could read the final one. I guess I haven't really read or finished anything post-worthy. I need to find a (paperback)book for my plane ride tomorrow TO NEW YORK!!!! Yeah!!!!
Tumblr is something like this:
isabelleanddavid.tumblr.com
Don't you wonder how many sites, exactly, I have now? Hahaha. You can follow people's tumblrs and it's usually more geared toward images. Though you can have quotes and people usually add captions with their photos. More of an art/philosophical blogspot. Peddie should get one. Mine is a complete waste.
I KNOW THAT IS WHY I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PUSHING DAISIES FOREVER!!! Because we all understand the jokes! And SUCH CUTE Chuck clothes! Ah! I could talk forever about it... but moving onto books...
Re-listening to the beginning will not make you not like it, it just reminds you of how extremely hard and difficult it was even in retrospect, but it helped me think of the actual growing up through it as... well, growth. You can box it up into only bad stuff, I guess.
I really hated 'The Cider House Rules' movie, but I actually have the book in english from someone... is it worth it?
I LOVE 'The Book Thief'!!! MR should listen to it again after she starts taking German! Mom should listen to it too!
Would reply to everything but laptop at 2%. LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Skip Cider House Rules and read A Prayer for Owen Meaney. While it's been twenty years since I read it, I recall really liking it. It had lots of great imagery and theology. Also, it sticks out in my mind that he was an Episcopalian.
Have you all every read any Robertson Davies?
I love A Prayer for Owen Meany.. in fact, I was listing my top 5 books last weekend and it made the list!
How have I still never read it? Don't we have like 3 copies at home and everybody loves it?
Post a Comment